New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Things to Watch in Final Scrimmage vs. Bucks

Who on the New Orleans Pelicans will guard Giannis?

Small Ball vs. The Freak

Without Zion Williamson in the lineup and with Derrick Favors sitting the first scrimmage out, the New Orleans Pelicans have mostly gone small in these exhibition games.

This was especially true against Denver, who ran out one of the tallest starting lineups of all time with Jokic playing point guard and 7-foot-2 Bol Bol at small forward.

The Pelicans countered with a small lineup that held its own defensively and ran the Nuggets out of the gym.

But will that work against Giannis?

The Bucks are also very big, often playing a lineup with Giannis at small forward. Will the Pelicans try to stay small against the Greek Freak?

Jrue Holiday did an admirable job on the much bigger Jokic, locking him up for most of the first half, but it’s hard to imagine this strategy working against the Bucks.

Not only is Giannis much better than, well, anyone, but the Bucks have bigs who can stretch the floor and shoot the ball, unlike Denver, who was mostly just trying to work the paint.

If Jrue Holiday is not working against Giannis, who is up next? The Pels have struggled all year guarding big wings, and this will be their first real test of the re-start, as neither Denver or Brooklyn had much at the position.

Will Josh Hart take on Giannis? Will Gentry try to go big to match up with the larger Bucks?

This is going to be a good test for the small-ball Pels. If they can hold their own against the Bucks, they have to be excited for what those lineups will look like once Zion returns.

Small ball will be a weapon for the Pels, and tonight will be the first real test.