New Orleans Pelicans Most Anticipated 2019-20 Lineups
The New Orleans Pelicans, as per David Griffin, have a stated goal of contending for a playoff spot. To do that, they’ll have to likely finish off close to fifty wins. What lineup is both capable of closing out wins while also catching up to avoid the loss?
The Pelicans have yet to prove capable of successfully seeing out wins. Teams with leads have to hit free throws, while teams facing a loss have to hit tough shots. Lonzo Ball is a career 43% free throw shooter, so while he can start games, he cannot be trusted to finish them.
New Orleans Pelicans Finishing Five: Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Derrick Favors
Holiday will play off the ball the majority of the time but will take control of the team’s fate in the fourth quarter. Replacing Ball with JJ Redick upgrades the team’s shooting while not sacrificing any off the ball offensive energy.
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Brandon Ingram was on track to having a career year until blood clots cut his season short. Zion Williamson will need to refine his game to stay among the finishing five. Should the intensity of the final few minutes be too much, there are options behind him.
Hart, Miller, and Melli might not have the same cache as Zion for most of the game. However, if they are better prepared to close out wins, Gentry should not hesitate to pull Zion to the bench. If Williamson has not gotten his highlight on film in the first 45 minutes, he should not be left in to take the final crucial three-point attempt.
Protect the Nest All-Defense: Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Derrick Favors
The starting lineup may also be the most solid defensively. Hayes cannot play on lineups emphasizing defense until he corrects his flailing bad habits. Jahlil Okafor would go a long way to earning a raise if he could play a dozen plus-minutes on defense. E’twuan Moore and Darius Miller can only switch assignments so many times before they get exposed.
Holiday will lead the team on the court for a long stretch, even if he does not want to be called a point guard. One of the most anticipated plays for New Orleans Pelicans fans is the first alley-oop from Jrue to Zion. When that happens, the Crescent City crowd and the opposition alike well express themselves with the other four-letter words.
Jrue and Zion Pick and Roll Optimization: Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jaxson Hayes
Jrue and Zion will be surrounded by two if not three shooters. If Zion is managing the boards, the Pelicans can deploy a third shooter. If not, Favors, Hayes or Melli will have to stretch their defender to the perimeter.
The Holiday/Williamson pick and roll tandem could be the foundation of the Pelicans’ most lethal lineups. Jaxson Hayes should be able to give Derrick Favors some rest when the Pelicans choose to emphasize the Jrue/Zion two-man game.
Hayes’ length will be useful for bailout lobs and grabbing offensive boards. He could be used to set secondary screens to free shooters or reset screens should the first action fail. Once this group is split up through substitutions, Favors can able the featured talent until the end of the quarter.
Redick and Ingram could be replaced by Hart, Miller, Moore, or Melli if needed without affecting the team’s rebounding or defense.