Pelica Debrief
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Ranking the Potential Pelicans Starting Lineups

By Seth Nefsky

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 6: Head Coach Alvin Gentry of the New Orleans Pelicans speaks to Anthony Davis
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 6: Head Coach Alvin Gentry of the New Orleans Pelicans speaks to Anthony Davis /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 26: Elfrid Payton #2 of the Phoenix Suns shoots against Nikola Mirotic #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at the Smoothie King Center on February 26, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 26: Elfrid Payton #2 of the Phoenix Suns shoots against Nikola Mirotic #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at the Smoothie King Center on February 26, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

3. PG: Elfrid Payton, SG: Jrue Holiday, SF: Solomon Hill, PF: Nikola Mirotic, C: Anthony Davis

If the New Orleans Pelicans want to start another two point guard lineup, they would be doing so to maximize the team’s offense. However, if Solomon Hill is on the floor, the team will lack the shooting to produce said offense.

With no spot up shooting on the wings, the Pelicans will have a severely worsened pick and roll game, as defenders will be able to pay the majority of their attention to Davis, and will not worry about closing out on shooters.

That is why the foursome of Tim Frazier, Jrue Holiday, Solomon Hill and Anthony Davis produced a poor 102.6 offensive rating last season, as despite Frazier and Holiday’s playmaking, along with Davis’ virtuosic offensive game, there were no shooters to worry about on the perimeter.

And though this lineup would not be as offensively limited with Mirotic playing power forward, there is a reason why Gentry only rolled out quartet of Rajon Rondo, Holiday, Mirotic and Davis for 41 minutes without help from sharpshooters like E’Twaun Moore and Darius Miller.

On defense, the lineup should be pretty good, as Holiday is a very good defender, and Hill, Mirotic and Davis would be able to switch seamlessly from small forward to centre. However, with Payton at point guard, the Pels might still see problems on that end.

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