Willie Green would like to have had the type of player availability Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra had this season.
While Willie Green started his 46th different lineup Friday night, Spoelstra’s Heat started just its 27th starting five.
Spoelstra’s best two players — Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro — played in their 78th and 77th games.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, were missing their top six players.
The Smoothie King Center scoreboard reflected that disparity in talent as the Pelicans fell to the Heat 153-104 in the worst loss in franchise history.
It was the most points the Pelicans have ever allowed in a game. The previous most points allowed was 147 against Golden State in January of 2019. The 49-point margin surpassed the previous mark of 46 points, most recently in a loss to the Detroit Pistons on March 14.
For the second consecutive game, the Pelicans dressed out only eight players. Elfrid Payton, Jose Alvarado, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Keion Brooks and Kylor Kelley started with Antonio Reeves, Lester Quinones and Jamal Cain coming off the bench.
Cain led the Pelicans with a career-high 23 points, surpassing his 20 from the night before.
The Heat were led by Adebayo and Herro. Spoelstra credits the reliability of his two best players in helping the Heat (37-44) get through a season that included them trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.
“I think that’s allowed us to be able to handle some of the things we’ve been able to handle,” Spoelstra said before the game. “Even though it hasn’t gone exactly how we wanted it to go, it definitely could have looked different.”
Green knows just how different it can look after a game where he’s had to juggle one lineup after another. He has tried to find some positives in that.
“It’s continuing to instill our concepts in our guys and help them understand the importance of taking advantage of an opportunity that’s in front of them,” Green said. “Control what they can and go out and continue to build habits, build momentum. Just take it game by game and continue to stay the course.”
Payton, who had been playing on a second 10-day contract, was signed to a standard contract earlier Friday. Payton finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
It was the sixth consecutive loss for the Pelicans (21-60), who wrap up their season Sunday at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s the second time in franchise history the Pelicans have lost 60 games in a season. The other time was in 2004-’05 when the Pelicans finished 18-64.
