New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Takeaways from their massive win over the Bucks

Three key takeaways from the New Orleans Pelicans 127-113 blowout over the Milwaukee Bucks

The New Orleans Pelicans made yet another statement this preseason with a huge win over the Milwaukee Bucks last night.

Now I know, the Bucks were playing without their franchise star Giannis Antetokunmpo, but I still look at this win as yet another step forward for this hungry and young Pelicans squad.

Winning the game 127-113, the Pelicans showed all the goods on both ends of the floor. They moved the ball with stunning grace on offense as indicated by their 25 assists, and they played aggressive defense with 6 blocks and 6 steals on the night.

Now when I covered the Pelicans’ first preseason game, I was very focused on numbers like the ones above, but today I came away from the game with three key takeaways that could be major storylines for the Pelicans as their now prepare to enter the regular season. Let’s get into them.

Takeaway #1- The Lonzo Ball-Zion Williamson Pick-and-Roll looks dynamic

My biggest takeaway from the win against the Bucks was just how effective the Lonzo Ball-Zion Williamson pick-and-roll was. It completely invigorated the team’s offense in this game and caused both players to put stellar performances on tape.

Lonzo Ball looked smooth and comfortable operating Stan Van Gundy’s offense, and he showed that comfort by his willingness to score with confidence. He was pulling up from beyond the arc and even showcasing a clean mid-range jumper.

After the game, Lonzo said that his performance is stemming from his disappointments in the bubble which is a positive indication that he’s maturing into the lead guard the New Orleans Pelicans need him to be.

Meanwhile, Zion continued being Zion in this game and was the perfect outlet for Lonzo’s crisps passes. When Zion got the ball, he ran with it too, or should I say he bulldozed his opponents with it. A productive 31 points, Zion attacked the basket and made the Bucks Giannis-less front pay at the rim.

The dynamic for this duo, specifically in pick-and-roll action was really encouraging and should be something we continue to watch in the regular season as it looks like it’ll be the key to how the Pelicans run their offense in 2021.