New Orleans Pelicans need to get in transition
By Nathan Heck
The New Orleans Pelicans were effective at attacking defenses in transition during the 2015-16 season, but they did not utilize this ability with enough frequency.
The New Orleans Pelicans seemed guaranteed to do one thing before the season started: get out and run. Alvin Gentry, a disciple of Mike D’Antoni, has helped put some of the fastest offenses the NBA has ever seen on the floor including the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns, the post-D’Antoni Suns and, most recently, the Golden State Warriors.
As a result, it was expected that the New Orleans Pelicans would both improve their efficiency in the fast break and look to create those opportunities at one of the highest rates in the entire Association. The Pelicans were effective in their attempts, but the team did not get on the break often enough.
The Synergy stats found at NBA.com, unfortunately, only provide data on this season’s transition opportunities, and this lack of hard data makes it impossible to draw any concrete conclusions regarding the team’s change in efficiency between Monty Williams‘s tenure and Alvin Gentry’s.
Still, some basic things can be noted. The Pelicans seemed to turn the ball over less in transition when comparing this season to the previous, and they seemed to do a better job of finding the open shooter or cutter. Watch the discipline displayed on this possession to continuously work for the best possible shot.
The data from this season is concrete, though, and the Pelicans were objectively good in transition. Ranking seventh in the NBA in regards to points per transition possession, according to stats.nba.com, the Pelicans were able to score in transition at a near elite level despite the astounding depletion of talent the team endured throughout the season.
The team’s effective field goal percentage in fast break opportunities was slightly lower, and the team ranked 10th in the league. The disparity between the points per possession number and the effective field goal percentage can likely be attributed to the high volume of three pointers the Pelicans attempted in transition.
Ryan Anderson, in particular, was deadly at draining the three point shot in transition for the Pelicans this season. On numerous occasions, Anderson trailed the play and received a kick out pass back to the break for a wide open look from deep. This proved to be an extremely effective weapon in the Pelicans’ arsenal, and replacing the threat of Anderson’s shooting in transition should be a top priority if he leaves the team this offseason.
Taking much better care of the ball under Alvin Gentry, the Pelicans only turned the ball over on 11.8 percent of their fast break opportunities, good for eighth in the NBA. This intelligent play also contributed to the higher than expected points per possession mark. By maximizing their possessions, the Pelicans were able to achieve efficiency.
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The Pelicans were good when they got out and ran, but they were not elite. Drawing a foul just 12.9 percent of the time, the Pelicans were a far cry away from the top 10 teams, which all posted a rate above 15 percent. The most troubling statistic is 12.8 percent, though.
The New Orleans Pelicans, despite their top-10 transition attack, put themselves in the fast break on just 12.8 percent of their possessions. For scale, the most infrequent transition team in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks, were on the break for just 9.6 percent of their possessions while the league leader, the Houston Rockets, pushed the ball 19.0 percent of the time.
It should trouble fans of the Pelicans to realize the team was closer to the most infrequent transition team than the most frequent, especially when you factor in how effective New Orleans was in their opportunities. For the New Orleans Pelicans to improve next season, the team must utilize its strengths, and that begins with increasing their fast break chances.
Next: Did OKC chart the course?
It should come as no surprise that a team coached by Alvin Gentry is deadly in transition, regardless of the dearth of talent, but the astoundingly low frequency is most certainly a shock. With gifted athletes like Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans and Alonzo Gee (you can read about his transition game here) on the roster, the Pelicans must look to boost their rate next season.