New Orleans Pelicans: The Most Important Numbers to Watch at Disney

The New Orleans Pelicans Must Clean up the Turnovers

Anyone who watched the New Orleans Pelicans this season knows that they can be completely frustrating.

At times they fly up and down the floor, make beautiful passes and move in a synchronicity that is close to art.

Then, sometimes a few minutes later, the Pelicans lose focus and will have 3-4 possessions in a row where they play sloppily, turn the ball over or put up ill-advised shots.

Lonzo Ball is symbolic of these two extremes, as he will sometimes make passes that only a few players in the history of the NBA could make, but then will throw it into the stands on the next play trying to be too spectacular.

The Pelicans are 29th in the NBA in turnovers, committing 16.2 per game. More importantly, when they turn the ball over, it leads to points.

The Pelicans are 28th in the NBA in points allowed off turnovers, giving up 19.3 points per game on average.

This is a problem.

Twenty points is nearly the equivalent of an entire quarter’s worth of scoring, which is what the Pelicans give up every game off of turnovers.

The Pelicans have seven regulars who average at least a turnover a game, with Jrue Holiday, Lonzo and Brandon Ingram leading the way with 2.9, 3.1 and 3.1 turnovers per game, respectively.

Zion isn’t far behind with 2.7 turnovers per game of his own.

The New Orleans Pelicans will have to take better care of the ball if they want to make the playoffs. The high scoring and 8th rated defense are great things, but they are undone by turnovers that lead to easy points.