New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Burning questions for the team after the preseason
By Nick Alvarez
Looking at the three biggest questions still facing the New Orleans Pelicans as they look to wrap up their preseason
Without question, the New Orleans Pelicans‘ first preseason game was a rousing success. Not only did the team win, but they also won in convincing fashion, with a 114-92 thrashing of the Miami Heat.
The game showcased pretty much everything Pelicans fans wanted to see from this team under Stan Van Gundy, growth from the squad’s young players, more discipline on offense, and a stronger commitment to defense.
So, of course, that means we can already punch the Pelicans ticket to the playoffs right? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This Pelicans team played some great ball on Monday night, but that came against a depleted Heat team who played at half-strength after playing in the NBA Finals less than three months ago.
Even though the game was a massive success and a great start to this team’s season, there are three major questions still facing this team as they enter next season. So let’s give those a look.
Question #1- Is spacing and 3-point shooting going to be a concern for the New Orleans Pelicans all season?
For all the great things the Pelicans did last night, they did not shoot the 3 ball convincingly. The team went only 12 for 38 from beyond the arc, not great.
This, of course, left many to compound the issue and say that the Pelicans might not have enough spacing to compete against some of the league’s best shooting teams. Which is something we’ve written about earlier in the offseason.
I will say this question might not be entirely fair because when watching the game, it was clear that the Pelicans had enough open opportunities, they just weren’t hitting them. That can happen early in the preseason as teams start getting a rhythm.
Also, the Pelicans were missing Eric Bledsoe and J.J. Redick who should factor into an improved perimeter game from the team. Even still, I think many fans still need to see more out of the Pelicans before they feel comfortable with the team’s spacing this season.