New Orleans Pelicans: Grades for close win vs. Hornets

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Hornets: Grades for the wings

Naji Marshall got another start for the New Orleans Pelicans due to the depleted wing depth.

Marshall played well against the Hornets, especially when he was getting downhill. The former Xavier man completed some really tough shots at the rim and probably should have gotten some and-ones in there. When Marshall is slashing to the basket, that’s when he is at his best.

However, his three-pointer continues to be the swing skill that will determine whether Marshall can keep growing as a wing. He went 1-for-5 from the perimeter against the Hornets and really needs to be able to make open corner threes going forward.

On defense, Marshall competed as is always the case. I don’t think he necessarily made a huge impact as has been the case in other games, but he had the Pels’ highest plus-minus of the game at +15, showing that the team always gets better when Marshall is on the floor.

James Johnson was fantastic against Charlotte on both ends of the floor.

The veteran forward was an incredible addition for the Pelicans at the trade deadline and, just because he plays in New Orleans, I think it has gone a bit underrated in NBA circles. Ever since he stepped foot in the big easy, Johnson has brought leadership, driving ability, and some flashes of really good defense to a team that needed all of those things.

Johnson played 30 minutes against the Hornets, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. It’s true that his three-pointer has not been going in, but he made two big threes in this game. Either way, his game is not dependent on perimeter shooting. Johnson continues to make an impact with how he can put the ball on the floor and finish deftly at the basket.

On defense, Johnson was once again really active. He has been a mixed bag for the Pels on this side of the basketball. At times, the miles under his belt show, but there are games where he constantly executes the right rotations and uses his size to make a difference. This was one of those nights.

Wes Iwundu has been the opposite of James Johnson since arriving in New Orleans.

Initially, I actually expected Iwundu to get more minutes than Johnson. I figured that a young team would prioritize developing younger players, rather than Johnson who has been all over the NBA. Instead, Iwundu has floundered in New Orleans.

Whenever he gets minutes, he doesn’t do much at all. In this case, he didn’t do much right at all. Besides one nice take to the rim, Iwundu’s minutes against Charlotte were catastrophic.

He had two sloppy turnovers, got killed on defense (plus-minus of -15 is worth noting), and cannot be counted on at all offensively. To top things off, Iwundu got two silly technical fouls and ended up getting ejected from the game.