Takeaways from the New Orleans Pelicans’ bounceback 98-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs
So Christmas came a little late for New Orleans Pelicans, what’s the problem with that? After getting embarrassed by the Miami Heat on Christmas Day, the Pelicans decided to bounce back with a gritty 98-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Was it a good win? No, but in a shortened NBA season, a win is a win, especially for a hungry team trying to make the playoffs. Personally, I don’t care if the Pelicans should’ve lost, I care that they won and they figured it out when they had to.
I am still concerned about one thing though, and we’re going to get to that. Here’s a rundown of my three instant takeaways from the team’s win over the Spurs.
Takeaway #1- The New Orleans Pelicans showed they can bounce back from ugly losses
My biggest takeaway from this game is the Pelicans showed that they’re capable of bouncing back when they suffer a heartbreaking loss. We couldn’t say that about the team last season, and I’m happy that early on that seems to be the case this year.
Did the team start the game by lighting the world on fire? No, but they showed that they could win. This team communicated and fought. They slugged it out by taking the Spurs’ best shots and hitting them back.
To me, this is signifying that this team is having a culture shift under Stan Van Gundy, and that should make every fan hopeful that the team will improve as the season wears on.
Takeaway #2- The New Orleans Pelicans defense looks legit and continues to come together
It’s rare in today’s NBA that you see a team score less than 100 points, but thanks to a slower pace and rugged defense, the Pelicans held the Spurs to just 95 points. It’s the second time they were able to do that this season, after holding the Raptors to 99 points in the season opener.
Without looking back, I don’t think there were many games where the Pelicans accomplished that feat last year. It’s a sign that the Pelicans’ defense is getting better, and could end up being one of the better units in the NBA.
In this game, Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson especially stood out thanks to their ability to force turnovers, with the duo combining for 10 steals! Moreover, Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams continue to be tone-setters for the Pelicans and Brandon Ingram looks much improved from last season.
Takeaway #3- The New Orleans Pelicans second unit is holding them back
It’s almost unbearable having to watch the Pelicans’ bench play. Outside of Josh Hart and J.J. Redick, the unit is completely stale. And when those two players struggle like they did tonight, the Pelicans look like they have no options.
Not to mention the defense that has been so good for the team, regresses mightily when subpar defenders like Redick and Jaxson Hayes are on the floor.
Given that the second unit has struggled in each of the Pelicans’ three games this season, it’s safe to say that this problem is becoming a trend. I wrote earlier today that I even think it’s a trend that could sink this team’s season. Seriously, it’s that bad.
Here’s to hoping that David Griffin can find some way to fix this before it’s too late.
And there it is, brief but to the point, a quick review of what I thought were some of the biggest takeaways from the Pelicans’ latest game. Check back tomorrow for some more in-depth analysis once we get to review the game further!