2 games down/6 to go/how do you sum up the Pelicans play so far/hmm…slow? I think that would be an understatement. Stocked with talent, Pelicans subpar play has been inexplicable.
At the rate they’re going, they might want to limit Alvin Gentry’s minutes too. He has not gotten the team ready play during the reboot.
Friday, the first game up, The Pelicans did an excellent job of turning the ball over, a skill they’ve been perfecting all season. Saturday, their prowess was on full display – jump passes into the stands, dribbles off the foot, strips on the way to the rim. At one point, in an obvious snub to floor spacing, two players inexplicably stood in the same three point corner. Inexplicably (this word will come up a lot) another Pelican passed one of them the ball. That player immediately got the ball and stepped out of bounds. As a team, they finished with 18 turnovers. They had 20 against the Jazz. That’s almost the equivalent of Drew Brees throwing 3 interceptions a game.
Who is the team’s leader?
Meanwhile philanthropist and NBA All Defensive team star,Jrue Holiday missed critical shots. Touted as the franchise player, the one “we’re building the team around” Holiday has deferred to other teammates to take big shots. He has had his moments though. Thursday against the Jazz, he was All-Star worthy (20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), but he followed that up with 4 points Saturday, only taking 7 shots — 4 points, 7 shots in a game where the team needed their leader to step up. That’s just…inexplicable (told you).
Speaking of leaders and stepping up, J.J. Redick came out of quarantine ready to ball, dropping 21 points in 26 minutes against the Jazz. You’d think he would’ve be an essential part of the game plan going forward. Nope. He barely played Saturday, in a game where the team needed… Yep, you know it, repeat after me: just an inexplicable coaching move. Gentry ended up giving the bulk of the playing time to Frank Jackson instead. Jackson went 5-15 from the field. He took more shots than Zion and Jrue Holiday combined, even though Holiday played more minutes than him. It’s just…I’m not going to even say the word.
Bad play and decisions
Who else? Lonzo Ball has been awful. In 2 games he’s shot 21% from the field (4-19) with almost just as many turnovers as assists. That’s the starting point guard, director of the team. His directionlessness has mirrored Gentry’s. What’s the game plan? Who knows. Redick barely plays Saturday. Zion is put on a 15 minute restriction with 3 minute intervals on Friday. Yet somehow that doesn’t translate into him playing the last 3 minutes of the game. During those last 3 minutes of a tight game, the Jazz attacked the rim to maintain a 2 point lead, and got a key rebound with less than 20 seconds left while Zion, the starting power forward, potential once in a generation player, watched from the bench.
Despite all this inexplicableness, the Pelicans can still make the playoffs. They have the easiest schedule by far of any of the teams contending for the final playoff spot. Unlike those other teams, the Pelicans don’t play another team with a winning record over these last 6 games, with 2 of them against the Grizzlies, the present holder of that final playoff spot. To make the playoffs though, they’ll have to cut down on the turnovers, play some semblance of defense, and space the floor much better. That all should start later this evening. 5:30, the Grizzlies are on deck.
It should be a good one. Stay tuned. Listen Live on WBOK1230.com