New Orleans Pelicans: The stat keeping the Pels’ offense alive
Zion Williamson and Steven Adams have done a great job cleaning up the glass this season
Six games into the season and the New Orleans Pelicans are sitting at 4-2, with both losses coming to good teams. It is still early but the Pelicans are a very different team from last year.
The Pelicans have struggled from 3-point range thus far as a team after slow starts by J.J. Redick, Eric Bledsoe, Lonzo Ball and pretty much everyone who isn’t Brandon Ingram.
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One reason the Pelicans have been able to stay afloat during this shooting slump is that they are dominating the offensive boards.
The Pelicans have out-rebounded their opponents in every game thus far, especially on the offensive end, where they have grabbed 65 offensive rebounds to only 44 for their opponents, 12 of which came in the blowout loss to Phoenix.
They added another 15 offensive boards against the Raptors, which helped keep them close in the first half when the 3-point shots weren’t falling.
New Orleans Pelicans: Offensive rebounds are keeping the Pels alive
Zion and Adams have proven themselves as two of the top offensive rebounders in the league.
Currently, Adams and Williamson are averaging more offensive rebounds as a duo (7.2) than the Miami Heat (6.0) and nearly as many as the Portland Trail Blazers (7.3).
— Pelicans PR (@PelicansPR) January 1, 2021
There are no other PF/C duos in the league that are getting as many offensive rebounds as Zion and Adams, who are grabbing more than some teams. They are grabbing 7.2 as a duo, which is creating a lot of second-chance points.
This is a great sign for the Pelicans, as they have been ice cold from 3-point range to start the season and need ways to create more offense.
It’s nice to know as a player when taking a shot that even if you miss, there’s a good chance it will be rebounded by a teammate and offensive rebounds mean extra chances.
I know it’s still early, but this Pelicans duo has a chance to finish this season as the top offensive rebounders in the league.
Hopefully as the New Orleans Pelicans start shooting the ball better there won’t be as many offensive rebounds to grab, but for now, the Pels are staying alive by crashing the boards.
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