For the second straight game, the New Orleans Pelicans stood toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

And just like the last time, the Pelicans were unable to close the deal.

The Pelicans fell 121-116 to the New York Knicks on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

The loss came three nights after the Pels were unable to put away the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday at the Smoothie King Center. The Cavs are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Knicks (48-24) moved into second in the East with the win.

The Pelicans saw their bleak postseason hopes come to an end. With Tuesday’s loss, the Pelicans (25-48) were mathematically eliminated and will miss the postseason for the second year in a row.

Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

“He kept us in the game,” said Pelicans’ interim head coach James Borrego. “You felt his physicality from the first moment. He does that for us. He gives us our paint pressure, our physicality, our energy. I thought he  was phenomenal tonight.”

So was rookie Jeremiah Fears,  who gave the Pelicans 21 points off of the bench. 

“I thought he played a very mature game  tonight,” Borrego said.

The Pelicans won seven of their last eight home games, but Borrego wanted to see that same success on the road.

“It’s got to start on both sides of the ball,” Borrego said before the game. “We have to be ready to go offensively and we have to have our own imprint defensively. Our defense has to travel with us. To be a good road team, you have to take your defense on the road.”

That wasn’t the case late in the first quarter. The Pelicans led 28-27 with 2:54 remaining in the opening quarter, but the Knicks closed it out on a 15-0 run to take a 42-28 lead. The Pels responded to start the second quarter with an 18-2 run, holding the Knicks without a field goal for the first five minutes of the quarter. The game was close the rest of the way.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 32 points, including 10 straight points for the Knicks during a crucial stretch in the fourth quarter.

“Obviously Brunson does this every night,” Borrego said. “We could have been better down the stretch getting stops. Give Brunson credit. He’s a helluva player.”

The Pelicans faced former teammate Jose Alvarado for the first time. Alvarado, a fan favorite in his 4½ seasons in New Orleans, was traded to the Knicks in February.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Borrego said before the game. “He’s had a massive impact on this organization and these players, There is a lot of history with Jose. He’s meant a lot to a lot of people in this organization. I’m assuming he’s having the same impact here.”

Alvarado finished with one assist and one rebound, but he didn’t take a shot in the nine minutes he played.

The Pelicans lost despite committing just seven turnovers and have now lost their last four games against the Knicks. 

“We’re moving in the right direction,” Borrego said. “This group is playing at a high level.”

The Pelicans conclude the three-game road trip with back-to-back games Thursday and Friday against the Detroit Pistons (first in the East) and fifth-place Toronto Raptors, respectively.