The New Orleans Pelicans should transform into a slow and physical team to compete in 2021
As I was looking back on the New Orleans Pelicans last season, the one thing I loved about them was their fast-paced offense. This young Pelicans team loved to sprint their way around the court and it was pleasuring to watch. They were so good at it in fact, they ranked second in the league in pace.
That offense has had me thinking all offseason that if the team could just tighten their defense that they’d be contenders in 2021. Now, I’m starting to backtrack on that belief, what if the New Orleans Pelicans best approach is to turn into a physical team who can grind out games?
The idea came to me in an odd way. I was spending a night off watching a lot of coverage of other sporting leagues. I was seeing NHL playoff games being one based on which team was the more the physical team, and then I was hearing coverage about NFL teams who were trying to switch to a ground-and-pound offense to wear down their opponents.
Seeing these transitions in other sports got me thinking, then watching playoff basketball began to grow my theory even more. After seeing LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers recently decide to turn on their aggression to beat the Portland Trail Blazers, I think the New Orleans Pelicans need to transition into being a tough physical team.
My Theory For A Gritty New Orleans Pelicans in 2021
When researching more about this theory of seeing a tougher Pelicans team in 2021, I came across one team in recent history that started making my mind go crazy with possibilities. That team is the Grit-and-Grind era Memphis Grizzlies.
I know, it’s an odd-ball thought but when looking at some of the slowest and toughest teams in the NBA in recent years, those Grizzlies teams from 2012-2016 have very similar personnel to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Lonzo Ball is like Mike Conley Jr. as the steady point guard leading the team. In Jrue Holiday the team has their own Tony Allen who plays the role of the lock-down perimeter on the wing. Then the New Orleans Pelicans have franchise star Zion Williamson who has flashed a bit of “Junkyard Dog” in his game just like Zach Randolph. It’s still early but Jaxson Hayes is potentially the anchor in the paint just like Marc Gasol once was.
With the team’s organization looking at defensive minded head coaches and several strong defenders to pursue in free agency, the Pelicans could be starting a grit and grind era of their own.
That means instead of running on fastbreaks like young teams like to, this New Orleans Pelicans team wears opponents out by using the shot clock and breaking down defenses for the best shots. That can come from Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday running repeated motions or from Brandon Ingram and Zion Willamson backing down opponents in the paint.
When teams play this style it wears them out, in a way that’s different from how the Pelicans tried to this season. Instead of making opponents sprint and try to catch their breaths, the Pelicans can wear them out physically and make them feel mentally exhausted.
This style is predicated on defense as well, with a defensive coach in place the New Orleans Pelicans can smother teams, using their athletic abilities to pressure opposing offenses, force turnovers, and again break teams down mentally.
I can’t speak for all Pelicans fans but for me, that sounds like what the New Orleans Pelicans need after finishing with the 21st ranked defense in the NBA last season.
This strategy might not be as fun and flashy but it sets the New Orleans Pelicans up to win more games. For now, I think this is the best way for the team to win and if a new head coach also feels that way then we’ll be seeing a tough and gritty Pelicans team in 2021.