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New Orleans Pelicans: Fourth Term Report Cards

By Seth Nefsky

November 22, 2015: New Orleans Pelicans logo during the game between the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. New Orleans Pelicans defeat Phoenix Suns 122-116. (Photograph by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire) (Photo by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images)
November 22, 2015: New Orleans Pelicans logo during the game between the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. New Orleans Pelicans defeat Phoenix Suns 122-116. (Photograph by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire) (Photo by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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Nikola Mirotic: C+

New Orleans Pelicans Nikola Mirotic
OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 7: Nikola Mirotic /

This term, Nikola Mirotic has seen his offensive game return to form, but his defensive game continue to struggle for the Pelicans. No, he is not shooting the 47.4% from the field and 42.9% from three he did with Chicago, but that was frankly unsustainable for Niko. Instead, he is shooting 44.4% from the field, 36.8% from three, adding up to a 56.5% true shooting percentage.
His mere location, stretching the floor for divers and drivers (didn’t mean to drop that Guy Fieri reference), has supplemented the Pels offense, as it improves by 6.1 points per 100 possessions with Mirotic on the floor this term.

For example, in this inbounds play Greg Monroe switches onto a cutting E’Twaun Moore, leaving Horford to defend both Mirotic and Anthony Davis. Worrying Niko would get an open three, Horford sticks with the fading Mirotic, which allows Davis to run in for an alley-oop. You don’t need to read minds to know what expletives Horford was thinking then.

via GIPHY

But on the defensive end, he has been worthless, improving opponents’ offensive ratings by .9 points per possession. Inside of ten feet, opponents have shot 2.6% better on his defense, despite opponents shooting 1.7% worse in the previous three terms.
The Pelicans have not gotten the Niko advertised to them in the February trade, as his defense hasn’t blown its way from the Windy City.

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However, Mirotic shaved his beard on April 4th, and has been red hot ever since, averaging 22.5/12 in the last five games, while shooting 56.3% from the field and 46.5% from three. Though I refuse to see the correlation between facial hair and performance, this stretch did save his grade, as before that, he had been a bit cold. Hopefully he carries this anti-Sampson face swagger into the postseason, as the Pels need as much firepower as they can get.

Side note: Nikola Mirotic is perhaps the only person in human history to look older without a beard.

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