New Orleans Pelicans Players that will impact playoff match-ups in April
By Seth Nefsky
San Antonio Spurs: Emeka Okafor
More than any other team in the league, even the Minnesota Timberwolves, the San Antonio Spurs live and die by the post. With Kawhi Leonard AWOL, their main scoring weapon has been LaMarcus Aldridge, who leads the league with a 43.5% post-up-frequency.
And much like the Minnesota Timberwolves, the only man I trust to guard the post, outside of Anthony Davis, is Emeka Okafor.
His size and strength make him an ideal matchup against Aldridge, and his shot blocking ability should make Aldridge think twice before going to his signature turn around jay.
Okafor should not be playing too many minutes in a lot of these potential series. He is much too slow for the Warriors, Rockets, and Clippers, and he is an incredibly limited offensive player. However, against the San Antonio Spurs, where he can use his defensive skill, he should prove to be incredibly useful.