The New Orleans Pelicans began the month of December with an embarrassing 33-point loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

When Pelicans coach Willie Green was asked before Saturday’s rematch at the Smoothie King Center if he was trying to finish the game or learn from it, he gave this answer:

“We’re definitely trying to learn from it,” Green said. “We are not in a position to play through games like this.”

Maybe he wants to sweeten the encore. At least in the second half, when his Pelicans let a double-digit lead slip away en route to a 104-93 loss.

The Pelicans (5-24) have now lost six straight games and 15 of their last 16.

It wasn’t the way the Pelicans wanted to start their five-game homestand.

But Knicks guard Jalen Brunson fired them up in the second half and ensured the Pelicans didn’t return to winning ways. Brunson scored 29 of his game-high 39 points in the second half, doing to the Pelicans in this game what Mikal Bridges did to them in the first when he scored 31.

In the first meeting – a 118-85 loss – the Pelicans were down 33-10 and at times even down 41 at the end of the first quarter. The Pels shot a dismal 4 of 27 on 3-pointers in this game.

“They made shots,” Green said of the first game. “That’s what they’re capable of. You can’t get that many points with a team like that.”

The 85 points in this game were a season low for the Pelicans.

The Pelicans thought this was respectable. After the first quarter it was tied 28:28. The Pelicans began the second quarter with an 18-7 run and the third with a 13-3 run. But then Brunson got going and scored 13 straight points to help erase the Pelicans’ 62-47 lead.

Trey Murphy led the Pels with 26 points, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Knicks (18-10) from winning their fifth straight road game.

The Pels host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.