Taking a look at Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s big night against the Clippers and what it means for the New Orleans Pelicans future
A shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans squad lost 111-106 to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first game of a long road trip, but the game was more competitive than expected largely thanks to an excellent showing by Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Alexander-Walker made the most out of Eric Bledsoe and Lonzo Ball’s absences and showed that he deserves to be a regular fixture in Stan Van Gundy’s rotation. The Canadian guard scored 37 points in 33 minutes on an efficient 15-for-23 from the field. Easily career highs.
Despite the loss, this was a night Alexander-Walker should remember for a long time—and with good reason. The Virginia Tech product is the type of player exactly that the Pelicans need. He’s a spark plug who can create his own shot off the dribble. No one besides Brandon Ingram can consistently do that for the New Orleans Pelicans, and to say Alexander-Walker can consistently do this would be premature and deceptive.
This was an unprecedented performance for the second-year guard whose scoring and overall play will ebb and flow over the course of the season. It was not too long ago that the NBA moved too fast for Alexander-Walker—it probably still will on some nights—but this type of game while being guarded by the likes of Patrick Beverley and Kawhi Leonard shows the type of progress the Pelicans want to see from him.
Stan Van Gundy needs more shooters in a roster that suffers from a dearth of natural spacing. This is where Alexander-Walker comes in. The goal should be to continue molding him into a combo guard that can handle the ball and create his own shot, just like he did against the Clippers. In turn, this will relieve stress from Brandon Ingram who has oftentimes been New Orleans’ entire offensive system.
Now, let’s breakdown Nickeil’s performance from last night!
Nickeil Alexander-Walker impressed New Orleans Pelicans fans with his shooting and pick-and-roll play
My biggest takeaway from Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s offensive explosion was the myriad ways in which he got his buckets. The 22-year-old put his entire arsenal on display against some of the best defenders in the league.
Alexander-Walker showed all the tools that an NBA guard needs to be successful, but his most impressive sequences for me came when he was used in pick-and-roll. The Pelicans resort to using Brandon Ingram like this when they need a bucket the most, but it was Alexander-Walker “taking” the Duke forward’s role and using it efficiently. In fact, Ingram’s usage rate against the Clippers was lower than Alexander-Walker’s.
The Pelicans’ no. 0 was poised and patient. Below, Alexander-Walker has the ball at the top of the arc while being guarded by Nicolas Batum who has had a resurgence in Los Angeles. Like we’ve seen time and time again with Ingram, Steven Adams comes up to set the screen. Alexander-Walker uses it, maintains his dribble low while keeping Batum on his back, and then has the savvy to avoid Ivica Zubac by floating his lay-up high into the air.
This was one of many plays in which Alexander-Walker exhibited his know-how. A few plays later, the Pelicans ran the same play for him. This time, he kept Batum on his hip, faked him out with hesitation, and changed speeds to finish at the rim. These aren’t flashy moves, but they require a player to have a real understanding of NBA basketball.
My favorite Alexander-Walker play from Wednesday night was a simple lay-up, but it’s all about how he got into it. Again, Alexander-Walker uses the screen to start getting downhill. He goes right, but then suggests to Zubac that he’s going to turn left. Once the Clippers’ center turns to go that way, Alexander-Walker shrewdly spins back to his right and finishes off the glass. Not only was it impressive, but it’s also one of those plays you just sit back and admire.
Alexander-Walker’s in-between scoring is also worth mentioning. He made all three of his attempted floaters, over Zubac and Serge Ibaka—two of the NBA’s premier rim protectors. His efficiency was further aided by his three-pointers, going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
The Pelicans are tied for dead last in three-point percentage in the entire NBA. In today’s game, that is just awful. We’ve covered New Orleans’ shooting woes extensively on Pelican Debrief, so it should suffice to say that the Pelicans simply need more three-pointers. This is something that Alexander-Walker can also provide—and this is not just based on one performance. Over his two seasons at Virginia Tech, Alexander-Walker made 38 percent of his threes.
In his first three of the game, Paul George went under a screen and let Alexander-Walker shoot. He drained it. They started paying him more attention after that, but Alexander-Walker still scored: a stepback three over Kawhi Leonard, two threes coming off a handoff, and a pull-up three over Marcus Morris. Alexander-Walker is by no means a one-dimensional offensive player and I hope Stan Van Gundy keeps that in mind.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker can be the shotmaker the New Orleans Pelicans need
At one point on the broadcast, Mark Jackson sniped that Lonzo Ball better heal up quickly or Alexander-Walker will take his spot. It was just a lighthearted jab, but I completely disagree. The New Orleans Pelicans’ long-term point guard is an entirely separate question because Alexander-Walker is at his best playing with at least one more player that can really handle the ball.
His fit with Brandon Ingram against the Clippers was snug. Their games complement each other nicely and they can share the scoring duties. Both men can shoot and drive. Having this offensive skillset on the floor makes it so that opponents cannot sag off their defensive matchups and, while neither Ingram nor Alexander-Walker is a pure guard, they can make the necessary reads to find their teammates.
I also think that Alexander-Walker is useful next to Ball or Bledsoe. At this point, he would rather score, and the latter two have no problem giving up the ball to someone else. Their defensive abilities should also come in handy, as Alexander-Walker is still learning on that end of the floor.
Finally, when you talk about the New Orleans Pelicans’ long-term future, you have to mention Zion Williamson. Thankfully, Alexander-Walker has the versatility to play with everyone already mentioned and also Williamson. We’ve seen glimpses of this already, particularly against the Hornets in what I like to call the Pelicans’ micro lineup.
Williamson plus four shooters equal more space that Alexander-Walker can thrive in. This might mean those floaters we saw against the Clippers, but also more easy threes and simple passes. Williamson missed the game against the Clippers because of health and safety protocols, but I’m eager to see more of this unit when he’s back.
The New Orleans Pelicans face the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers up next. It will be New Orleans’ toughest test of the season yet, but another good chance to see what Alexander-Walker can contribute.