Win over Dallas shows 3 reasons Pelicans are title contenders

The New Orleans Pelicans have the vibes

In my predictions article yesterday, I actually picked the Pels to win even though they were missing three starters. I told bettors they might want to ignore that advice, as I was going purely on “vibes” but sometimes vibes are right.

Going all the way back to last season and all through the preseason, it became obvious that New Orleans was building something special. Not only do they have loads of talent, but they are all hard-working players who genuinely like each other and their coach.

Whether you want to call it “vibes” or “chemistry” or whatever, something special happens when everyone on team buys in and works towards a common goal. It feels like the Pelicans have that, and while this isn’t something that can be measured in numbers, it’s something every championship team has.

It’s not just about joking around on the bench or being best friends, but each guy accepting a role and putting the team ahead of individual stats. The Pelicans had 25 assists last night, with every guy who played logging at least one.

It reminds me of what Flea had to say after the first game:

Chemistry only matters as much as it translates to results and so far it has for the Pels, as they play hard and unselfishly regardless of who is on the court and it has been beautiful to watch.

Now Willie Green just has to keep them focused so they “don’t get bored of being bored” as he put it, because this teams has all of the elements to be a contender.