New Orleans Pelicans: Why the Indiana Pacers are a stressful match-up
By Nick Alvarez
The New Orleans Pelicans will have their work cut out for them when they take on the Indiana Pacers tomorrow night
The New Orleans Pelicans are off to an impressive 4-2 start, looking like one of the grittiest teams in the NBA. For most fans, that’s satisfying given the Pelicans’ recent history of not being a playoff-contending team.
However, I’m not one to settle for satisfactory results. I mean, let’s be honest here, the Pelicans are off to a 4-2 start, but is it really as impressive as it seems? Their 4 wins are all against teams playing bad basketball. Meanwhile, their 2 losses have come against two contending teams, and they’ve both been bad losses.
That’s why I’m considering tonight’s match-up against the Indiana Pacers a big one for the team. The Pacers themselves are off to a 4-2 start with some pretty impressive wins against the NBA’s top talent.
In a cross-conference match-up between two teams that aren’t all that familiar with each other, I think this match-up with the Pacers is the perfect early-season for the Pelicans. I say that because I believe this Pacers team will be stressful for the Pelicans in a couple of different ways. Let’s have a look!
#1- The Indiana Pacers are built similarly to the New Orleans Pelicans
When I look at the Indiana Pacers, part of me sees New Orleans Pelicans-east coast edition. I mean just look at the make-up of their squad.
They run out with a disciplined floor-general at point guard in Malcolm Brogdon. A two-way shooting guard in Victor Oladipo, and a traditional two-big frontcourt. Now, luckily for the Pelicans, they won’t have to face the Pacers’ own scoring wing in TJ Warren who is currently out with an injury.
Beyond the line-up similarities, the Pacers play ball similarly to the Pelicans. They like to use their frontcourt in a variety of ways, whether it be playmaking, scoring, or as a decoy. They also like using their wings as primary scorers and prefer their point guard to facilitate.
In many ways, I feel like this becomes a great test for the Pelicans because they’re facing a team that’s holding a mirror to them. The Pacers will stress the Pelicans in the same fashion that the Pelicans like to stress their opponents. The question is, can they handle it?
Is this New Orleans Pelicans team ready to handle a squad just as talented as they are? Can they stop a team that gives them a taste of their own medicine? They couldn’t last year, so what they do against the Pacers tonight could give us an indication of what they’ll do this year.
That’s not everything though, coaching will matter in this match-up too, and I think it’s another important tell for the Pelicans going forward.