New Orleans Pelicans: Grades for 98-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs

New Orleans Pelicans vs. San Antonio Spurs: Center grades

Centers

Steven Adams has been the most consistent Pelican of the young season, putting up another great all-around game and showing his value to the team.

Every time Adams goes to the bench there is a noticeable difference and right now the Pels are struggling when he is off the floor.

This was on full display in the third quarter, when Adams sat and the Pels promptly coughed up a 14 point lead while Jaxson Hayes stood around watching.

Adams was a team-high +18, and his screens were really the difference in the game, as he was able to open space for Ingram and Ball to hit wide-open shots.

Adams has been a huge upgrade on both ends and so far, one of the best additions of the offseason for any team.

Jaxson Hayes played slightly better against the Spurs, though his minutes were still a disaster.

Hayes is ok at defending on the ball but he is lost any other time on defense, never rotates and is often just standing in the middle of the lane like a kid lost in the supermarket.

His offense is just as bad, as teams just give him shots from 12 feet that he would never dare shoot. When he and Zion are on the floor together the Pels are so easy to defend that a team of 12-year-olds might be able to stop them.

So far the Pels only glaring weakness is their bench. If Redick doesn’t hit shots they have practically nothing, as Melli and Hayes are unplayable.

The Pels may need to make a move to shore up their bench depth or this is going to haunt them all season.