Pelicans’ Inadequacies: Perimeter Defense and Limiting Transition Offense

In the 2018-2019 season, the New Orleans Pelicans ranked among the bottom teams in the league in nearly every defensive statistic. What really stood out is their transition and perimeter defense. For success moving forward, this needs addressing.

The average team in the NBA in 2018-2019 scored 111.2 points per game. The league has not seen such a high volume in scoring since the 1970-1971 season, which saw an average of 112.4. Likewise, teams connected on an all-time high of 11.4 three-point shots per game this season, proving that offensives are as potent as ever. And if you don’t rank among the upper echelon of the league in that regard, you better compensate with an elite defense. This was one of the New Orleans Pelicans’ Achilles’ Heels this year.

The Pelicans finished third in the league in points per game this past season with 115.4. However, they were 22nd in perimeter shooting, connecting on just 10.3 threes per contest, below the league average of 11.4. Perimeter shooting did not just hinder them offensively, either. They allowed the opposition 12.3 three-point makes per contest, 27th in the NBA in that aspect. And with a defense that allowed 116.8 points per game, that turnaround of six points via three-point shots proved detrimental to the Pelicans.

Even though offensively they were among the best in the league in points, they could not compensate for a lack of shooting. The Pelicans also allowed an average of 16.4 three-point attempts per contest in which there were no defenders six feet away from the shooter. And with their aforementioned struggles shooting from deep, allowing that many clean looks cannot have a repeat performance next season.

This was not the only area in which they struggled defensively. Limiting transition points should be another point of emphasis entering the 2019-2020 season. The Pelicans allowed 19.9 points per game out in transition, 21st in the league in that statistic. It’s worth mentioning they were one of the better squads offensively in transition, but the same applies to their overall points per game—it could not compensate for their inadequate defense.

Simplified, not getting back on defense can be attributed to a lack of effort and being lackadaisical with the basketball resulting in turnovers. The Pelicans ranked 24th in turnovers this past season with 14.8—the league average being 14.1. Ball security, limiting quick outlets, and getting back into halfcourt sets are vital to changing this narrative next season.

You don’t require NBA all-defensive players to have a great defense. The team just has to be on a unified front. They have to buy into a system and put forth a concentrated effort on the defensive end. For a team that shoots the ball from deep at a subpar level and allows far too many easy baskets on a nightly basis, their overall record of 33-49 provides clarity to these inadequacies.

Basketball has drastically changed over the past decade and a half. If you were first in points in the paint back then, you were usually in good shape. The Pelicans were first in that statistic this past season, but with a much faster pace and teams shooting more threes than ever before—that stat has mainly become obsolete.

With David Griffin on board—who with the Cleveland Cavaliers spread the floor with shooters and had a top 3 defense when they won their only title—the dynamic of the Pelicans is likely to change.

We don’t know how this roster is going to look like come opening day, or what system will be implemented. What we do know, is that if the New Orleans Pelicans want any success, they’re going to have to improve and adapt to the modern NBA. What did you think of our defense in 2018-2019? How would you make adjustments? Let us know in the comments below!