After winning four in a row the New Orleans Pelicans have now dropped three straight behind lackluster defense and little effort or urgency.
I wrote that there were some things the Pelicans could learn from the Pistons, and the Pels learned them the hard way last night, getting wiped out in the second half by a team near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons aren’t great but they play hard every game, illustrating to the New Orleans Pelicans that you can’t overlook anyone or give less than 100 percent effort if you want to win in the NBA.
The Pelicans are a young team but they are learning these lessons slowly and the losses are mounting. The Pels are lucky that most of the teams they are competing with have done the same, which is the only reason they are not already buried in the standings.
It’s still not too late but if the New Orleans Pelicans don’t learn some things from this loss then there is probably no hope.
Here are three things that must change.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Pels need an injection of heart
Last night, Dennis Smith Jr. slapped the ball out of Kira Lewis Jr’s hands after the rookie committed a turnover at half court. Smith Jr. (who just got out of the G-League) was playing fake tough guy and Kira was having none of it.
The rookie responded by getting two steals in a row and really ratcheting up his defense.
Unfortunately, his teammates barely noticed. How is your 160 lb. rookie the only one standing up for himself? Why is he literally the only player who responded?
The Pels played with zero urgency on the defensive end, giving up 123 points to a Pistons’ team that is 23rd in the NBA in scoring, averaging just over 108 per game.
There was no hustle, no life and so many dumb errors it was starting to baffle the mind. Lonzo Ball had five turnovers, two of which were just him throwing it away to no one instead of shooting wide-open layups.
It was an ugly effort and even as the final seconds ticked away, the Pels were walking the ball up the floor and looking like they wanted to go check their phones.
I hope this team starts to figure out that if you don’t play hard in the NBA, you lose.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Pels don’t pass
There was a Pistons’ possession last night in which Detroit threw eight passes (by my count) before getting a wide-open layup for Mason Plumlee.
The Pels on the other hand, mostly played isolation ball with the rest of the team standing around watching Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram dribble.
I don’t think Lonzo Ball moved from the same spot on the 3-point line all night and the ball moved even less, as the Pels reverted back to their old ways.
The Pistons ended the night with 34 assists while the Pels had only 23. Plumlee, the Pistons center, had double the amount of assists of Ball and Eric Bledsoe combined.
Assists aren’t everything but the Pels’ offense was so stagnant it reminded me of the old Teen Wolf movie where the Wolf does everything while his teammates stand around and chat.
Stan Van Gundy’s offense is supposed to be based on ball movement but we’ve seen little of it this season.
When the Pelicans move the ball their offense can be a thing of beauty but when they don’t, it’s just four guys standing around watching the other dribble the ball.
This has to change, as the Pels are one of the easiest teams to defend when they don’t pass.
New Orleans Pelicans: The 3-point defense has to improve
We’ve heard all season how Stan Van Gundy wants to reduce points in the paint allowed and the Pelicans certainly have.
Unfortunately, they are giving it all back at the 3-point line.
There are nights when the other team is red-hot and there is not much you can do about it, but when your team routinely makes every team in the league look like the peak Warriors, something is wrong.
The Pels allowed 66 MADE 3-POINTERS in the last three games after letting the Pistons knock down another 16 last night on 48.6 percent shooting long range.
The Pistons are 21st in the NBA in 3-point percentage (after last night) but you wouldn’t have known it by watching them against the Pelicans.
If these were high degree of difficulty shots then you just tip your cap to the other team, but most of these 3-point shots have been wide open with nary a hand or a close out in sight.
The New Orleans Pelicans’ record is disappointing to be sure, but what’s been most discouraging is that it doesn’t look like they even care.
They were simply out hustled and outplayed by a bad Pistons’ team, which will continue to happen unless the Pels find some heart and urgency.