The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves riding a five-game losing streak and are searching for answers heading into Friday's game with the Portland Trail Blazers. From my point of view, there is a clear solution in the form of a starting lineup shake-up that interim head coach James Borrego should consider. Jordan Poole hasn't started a game since November 4th, and now more than ever, it looks like it's time for him to take back the starting point guard spot.
All season long, the Pelicans have prioritized Jeremiah Fears’ development by keeping him in the starting lineup, a move that made sense early on. However, while accelerating a rookie’s growth is important, building winning habits and remaining competitive is even more valuable. And at this point in the season, starting Jordan Poole gives this team the best chance at winning.
Over the nine games Poole has appeared in since returning from injury, he's averaged 17.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. During this nine-game stretch, there have been multiple nights where he's been the lone bright spot on the offensive end, like his back-to-back 26-point performances in the Pelicans' last two games. Poole’s ability to create his own shot and draw fouls would give the starting lineup a much-needed offensive boost.
When you compare Poole’s recent production to what Fears has provided, the case for a change becomes hard to ignore. Over his last nine games, Fears is averaging 10.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting under 39 percent from the field and just 20 percent from three. Those struggles have often put the Pelicans behind the eight ball early in games.
We've seen early on Borrego is willing to experiement
Since James Borrego took over as head coach of this team, one thing is for sure about his coaching style: he is always ready to try new things and take risks.
We saw him bring the team's best player, Zion Williamson, off the bench for a seven-game stretch. We've seen him insert players into fourth-quarter lineups after sitting them for most of the game. So it wouldn't be a surprise to see a change in the starting five, with Poole taking over for Fears at point guard.
Poole hasn't started in a game since the seventh game of the season and has never been a starter since Borrego took over as head coach. With the Pelicans in need of a spark, inserting him into the starting lineup feels like an obvious adjustment that could provide an immediate boost.