New Orleans Pelicans Players that will impact playoff match-ups in April

Portland Trail Blazers: Nikola Mirotic

Let’s make something clear: the Blazers will out-rebound the Pelicans in a playoff series. They are fourth in the league in rebound percentage to the Pels 21st, and with giants like Jusuf Nurkic and Ed Davis, it will be nearly impossible for the Pelicans to climb up that beanstalk.

Therefore, the Pels should not try to put Okafor in for extended minutes to try to match them. He won’t push them to win the board battle and he will limit the Pels completely on the offensive end.

Furthermore, neither Nurkic or Ed Davis have been good post players this year, so defensively, the Pelicans do not need Okafor as much as they would against the Timberwolves, for example.

Instead, the Pels should give more minutes to Nikola Mirotic, who would once again be the perfect floor stretcher, getting rim protectors Nurk and Ed, out of the paint.