What the New Orleans Pelicans rotation should look like vs. Spurs

Dec 26, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach

yells in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the Smoothie King Center. New Orleans defeated San Antonio 97-90. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a long time since the New Orleans Pelicans have had every player available for extended minutes entering a game. With injuries causing players to move in and out of the lineup all season long, head coach Monty Williams has had to do his fair share of adjusting on the fly to make things work in important games.

Tonight may be the hardest job yet though. Williams and the Pelicans face the San Antonio Spurs in what amounts to a win or go home game on the final night of the regular season. It is one of those moments that gets young players and fans as excited as any other and the it is clear the atmosphere will be special as the Smoothie King Center is already sold out.  With a playoff berth on the line, Monty Williams will have to have one of his best coaching nights of the season to help put his team in position to beat the red-hot defending champion Spurs.

Part of that coaching job is figuring out the rotation for tonight’s game. While there are many factors at play here including how the game is going and if players get into foul trouble, Williams should have a general idea heading into the game who he wants to play and when.

So what should that rotation look like? I broke down what I would hope to see Williams do quarter by quarter. There are three important caveats to this exercise.

First, I assumed Jrue Holiday would only be available for 20 minutes tonight. If he is available for more I would immediately bump him up to that number and take away some of Norris Cole‘s minutes. While Holiday isn’t completely back in game shape yet he is much more of a difference maker than Cole and should play over him every time.

Second, assume everyone else has no restrictions. This is an every man on deck type of game that should have the urgency to have guys play more minutes than they normally do. You can’t lose this game with your best players getting extra rest on the bench.

Third, everything is subject to change. If Ryan Anderson catches fire and knocks down four threes in a row give him some extra minutes. If he is ice-cold, get Omer Asik back in the game. You can’t wait on things tonight. If something is working, bleed it dry and then move on.

Next: The all important start