The New Orleans Pelicans were not able to execute on either side of the floor, losing their preseason battle with the Indiana Pacers.
After a solid showing in the first preseason game, the New Orleans Pelicans did not execute their gameplan for their second game.
The Pelicans could not overcome a strong showing from the Indiana Pacers in a 113-96 loss. New Orleans shot 40.8% from the field, much lower than their 57.3% prior.
The biggest problem for the Pelicans became their rebounding. The Pelicans lost the rebounding battle 59-44, which includes 16 offensive rebounds for the Pacers.
New Orleans also turned the ball over 13 times in the contest. Those numbers resulted in the Pacers shooting 28 more shots in the game than New Orleans. The Pelicans were able to get to the free-throw line consistently. They finished the game with 34 free-throws attempted.
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The star of the preseason continues to be Buddy Hield. While he still did not start, Hield finished with 18 points on 7-14 shooting. He added five rebounds and two assists as well. His defense still needs work, as he fouled four times in the game. However, it was still a strong showing overall.
Anthony Davis was in a struggle tonight, finishing 3-13 from the field for 12 points. He did have six rebounds and two blocks, but his offensive output was disappointing. He missed plenty of open looks and could not find the bottom of the basket.
Tim Frazier looked much more vulnerable tonight against the Pacers’ bigger guards, finishing with nine points and seven assists. He still had the greatest impact with his playmaking, but it was not a showstopping performance like the game versus Dallas.
The rest of the supporting cast did not have stellar numbers themselves. Solomon Hill did make two three-pointers, but is still taking time to learn the new system. Terrence Jones shot 5-14 from the field and 0-5 from behind the arc. A struggle for Jones, compared to his first preseason game not long ago.
The only real pleasant surprises were the centers of the Pelicans. Alexis Ajinca finished with seven points and eight rebounds. He was the only starter able to really control his position on the glass, even if his defensive struggles continued.
Omer Asik was also strong, finishing with eight points and six rebounds in 15 minutes. The most shocking part of that is his 6-6 shooting from the free-throw line. The Pelicans need Asik to be a difference maker, even if his role is much less than originally expected from him.
The fringe players did not get much run at all, making it even more worrying for their chances. Quinn Cook, Shawn Dawson and Robert Sacre all played under 10 minutes in the game. The only other players to not eclipse 10 minutes are rookie Chieck Diallo and veteran forward Alonzo Gee.
While Diallo is more of a future prospect, Gee might be in trouble. Lance Stephenson once again saw an extended look, with 22 minutes on the floor. This is the second straight game Lance has seen much more time than Gee. If there is a player New Orleans could cut to keep Stephenson, it would be Alonzo Gee.
While the Pelicans continue to show promise, the mistakes added up in tonight’s contest. With the season so close to beginning, those need to see improvements fast. This was a game of New Orleans beating themselves with bad position on defensive rebounds and miscommunication. It’s up to Head Coach Alvin Gentry to fix those areas before the season begins.
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The New Orleans Pelicans will need to learn from their setback against the Indiana Pacers to succeed this season. This is the time of the year to go through the learning process and fix mistakes. New Orleans will now take a trip to China for two preseason games. This is an important trip for building team chemistry and learning how to go from an young and exciting team, to a squad ready to contend for the NBA Playoffs.