2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans season
The 2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans season was the 20th season of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On June 16, 2021, coach Stan Van Gundy agreed to part ways with the Pelicans after one season. The Pelicans soon hired Willie Green as the next head coach.
| 2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Willie Green |
| General manager | Trajan Langdon |
| Owners | Gayle Benson |
| Arena | Smoothie King Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 36–46 (.439) |
| Place | Division: 3rd (Southwest) Conference: 9th (Western) |
| Playoff finish | First Round (lost to Suns 2–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | Bally Sports New Orleans |
| Radio | WWL-FM |
On December 15, Devonte' Graham, who was acquired from the Charlotte Hornets in the offseason, hit an improbable 61–foot shot to hoist the Pelicans to a 113–110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The shot set the NBA record for the longest buzzer–beating game–winner in league history, beating out Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf's 55–foot shot in 1992 for the Denver Nuggets, 109–106 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Despite finishing the season with a 36–46 record and being 10 games under .500, the Pelicans managed to qualify for the play-in tournament after a win over the Sacramento Kings, followed by a Lakers loss to the Suns on April 5, 2022. They defeated both the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers in the Play-In tournament to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2018, becoming the first team to qualify for the postseason with a 36–46 record since the Boston Celtics in 2004. They faced the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round where they lost in six games.