Champion Cavaliers are next for Pelicans, who hope to prove Friday’s ugly loss was an aberration

The only question is whether the New Orleans Pelicans’ 143-114 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night was the result of a systemic problem or a one-game aberration that’s prone to occur over the course of an 82-game season. Coach Alvin Gentry and his players have formed a consensus around the latter, crediting the NBA’s worst team for having a remarkably strong performance and catching the Pelicans at the wrong time.