New Orleans Pelicans Must Show New Form Versus Old Formula
By Rick Stone
The New Orleans Pelicans will battle the Houston Rockets Sunday Morning, a chance for them to show their new form against the team’s old formula.
The New Orleans Pelicans are currently in China, preparing for two preseason games against s division rival in the Houston Rockets.
For those who have forgotten, the Houston Rockets look oddly familiar to last year’s Pelicans.
For one, Houston has two former New Orleans stars on their team in Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson. Aside from that, the Rockets’ formula is nearly identical to the plans the 2015-2016 Pelicans.
The Rockets hired Mike D’Antoni this offseason to become the head coach. D’Antoni is an offensive-first coach. One of his most memorable teams he coached was the Phoenix Suns from 2003-2008.
Only one year after the Suns moved on from D’Antoni, they hired Alvin Gentry. Both helped Phoenix capitalize on their offensive potential. However, neither could get farther than the Western Conference Finals in Phoenix.
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However, while Gentry is trying to change the guard of his offensive juggernaut strategy of old, D’Antoni is still going with a loaded arsenal of offensive weapons.
Defense does not seem like a priority in Houston. The team moved on from Dwight Howard and look to move James Harden to the point guard. Harden had plenty of defensive struggles last year at shooting guard and will only have a tougher role defensively at the point.
As Pelicans fans are well aware of, Anderson and Gordon are not great defenders. Both had massive struggles of their own defensively last year. The Rockets are banking on the team’s overall offensive potential to outweigh their defensive flaws.
Sound familiar?
The Pelicans tried this methodology with Gentry last year. It did not have the success the team had hoped. For New Orleans to have success not just in this game, but in this season, they need to show their new form.
The New Orleans Pelicans have taken a huge focus on the defensive end this offseason. Anthony Davis took too much of the focus in that area in the past, greatly increasing his workload. New Orleans wants to change that. Gentry is looking for more of a team-defense approach, instead of a few individual defensive anchors.
It seems like every player on this team has defensive strengths. Guys like E’Twaun Moore, Langston Galloway and Dante Cunningham specialize in guarding multiple positions. Rookie Buddy Hield has the physical tools to become a strong defensive player as well.
The New Orleans Pelicans found balance this offseason. This is a different step from what they originally planned, but it looks to be in the right direction.
It is much easier to play transition basketball when the team can make defensive stops. The Pelicans want to be a fast-paced team that attacks opponents on the run. Still, it is impossible to run the ball when the other team can score at ease.
It is a lesson New Orleans learned the hard way. Still, a valuable one at that.
These next two games can show the Pelicans have truly learned from their past failures.
The Rockets resemble everything New Orleans tried to be last year. They have plenty of offensive firepower. Still, their defensive shortcomings could become their downfall. If any team should know that, it is the Pelicans. They can highlight that with their play in China.
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The New Orleans Pelicans have a long hill to climb if they want to impress this upcoming season. Already hit with injuries, New Orleans will need to show they can translate the team’s new plan into a winning form. The best way to do that is to show the team that embodies the old Pelicans that this team is new and improved. This trip to China can be a game changer for the New Orleans Pelicans. Even if it is the preseason, these games development-wise are of vital importance for the 2016-2017 season.