New Orleans Pelicans: 3 players who need to step up after All-Star Break

Derrick Favors

Acting as the centerpiece of the New Orleans Pelicans defense, Derrick Favors is a key part of this team’s success at the end of the season. However, they could really use a little extra boost from their primary center over the next 27 games.

When he’s on the floor, the Pelicans allow -2.4 points and force opponents to shoot -0.4% worse from the field. He’s also forced opponents to his -1.4% less of their attempts around the rim when occupying the paint this season.

Favors did miss a lot of the first third of the season dealing with multiple injuries and the untimely passing of his mother but has otherwise been a rock for the Pelicans. He’s given this team quite a bit considering his adverse situations earlier in the year.

This isn’t as much of a “step-up” call for Favors as it is a slight hope that he turns up the aggression a little more on the offensive end than he has in recent weeks.

Favors is averaging 9.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and shooting 62.3% from the floor this season, though his 19.6 player efficiency rating is very impressive.

Really, the team just needs a little more on the offensive end to get the best out of Favors, but he’s looked a little hesitant to take on that load.

It’s complicated to call for Favors to play a bigger role, especially with the inclusion of Zion Williamson into the New Orleans Pelicans lineups. With Williamson taking a lot of minutes at the center, it’s made room for Favors a little less available.

However, the New Orleans Pelicans are pretty lethal when Favors and Williamson share the court through 10 games and 143 minutes of shared action. Their pairing is producing a +16.3 net rating, which is pretty outstanding considering the share of minutes up to this point.