The Pelicans' combat effectiveness has changed dramatically compared to the beginning of the season.
The battle against the Pelicans is perhaps the strongest game Jokic has played so far in his career. With 46 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, he also completed three steals and four blocks. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Jokic contributed a total of 30 points. But on another level, being able to force Jokic to this step is enough to see how powerful the Pelicans are today. Before the clash with the Nuggets, they had just made a four-game winning streak. Since the All-Star, this team has ranked first in the league in defensive efficiency, and its combat effectiveness has changed dramatically compared to the beginning of the season.
The final game before the All-Star, the Pelicans and the Lone Rangers played off. Although the Pelicans didn't win in the end, that game also had a special meaning. Willie Green pushed Hayes ahead, and the team's opening line-up became CJ, Herbert Jones, Ingram, Hayes and Valanciunas. Judging from the past few games, this starting lineup has indeed performed well on the defensive end.
Especially in the first four games after the All-Star, the Pelicans won a wave of four consecutive wins, with a total net loss of 107 points. Defeating the Suns, who lack Paul, the lakers and kings in poor shape, doesn't seem to have attracted much attention. But in the game against the Jazz, they still won a big victory, suppressing the opponent who ranked first in the league with the highest offensive efficiency and only 90 points in a single game, which was more or less unexpected.
Statistics show that since the All-Star Weekend, the Pelicans have ranked first in the league in defensive efficiency during the same period, with only 100 points against opponents in the 100 rounds. They are also in the first echelon of the league in terms of limiting the opponent's three-point shooting rate, shooting percentage, causing opponents' mistakes, steals, and so on. Because of this, the Pelicans are seen as one of the most pronounced teams in the second half of the West.
'I think we did a good job defensively, by forcing the opponents away from the paint and letting them shoot those tough shots. Herbert Jones said, "We went everywhere to help each other. As soon as a player is out of position, someone will immediately complete the defense. ”
When Hayes entered the starting lineup as the number four, Herbert Jones swung to the second position. The Pelicans can do a lot with his height, athleticism, and defensive anticipation. Even All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell seemed to have more than enough to do when facing Jones' defense. "His defensive instincts are incredible and Jones has been helping us defensively all season. Every night, he has to face each other's arrow figures, which is not an easy task. Not only does Jones have a well-rounded skill, but his personality is the key to his success on the defensive end. Willie Green said.
So far this season, Jones is the only player in the league to have completed at least 90 steals and 50 blocks. Both ball defense and ballless defense are his most significant characteristics. In the second position, Jones was able to maximize his strengths.
The reason why Jones works so the defensive end is not only because he wants to repay the trust of the manager, but also because the star players in the team also spare no effort on the defensive end. When Ingram is so desperate to defend, how can other players be sloppy. "It's all about effort, I'm just trying to be in the right place at the right time, I'm trying to play for my team-around. When I maintain a defensive-first mentality in the middle of a game, everything gets exceptionally good. Ingram said.
During his time with the Blazers, CJ never averaged more than 5 assists per game. After joining the Pelicans, he delivered a total of 61 assists in his first 10 games for the team. Although the data sample is still relatively small, it can still be seen that CJ is embracing the new role given to him by the new owner.
When Herbert Jones came to the second position, CJ became the Pelicans' nominal and de facto organizational guard. While Ingram occasionally plays the role of organizational striker, CJ is in control most of the time. Especially after the Pelicans repeatedly scored high scores in the first few games of their careers, but they were unable to help the team win the game. McCollum gave up some of his shots and patiently created opportunities for his teammates.
"CJ has a very high basketball IQ and he solves the problems that came up before." Willie Green said, "We spent some time finding the right role and rhythm for him, during which time we spent a lot of time analyzing the footage together, and now it seems that all the effort is worth it." ”
After CJ played more of a playmaker role, Ingram's offensive efficiency improved dramatically, and he played much more easily. One set of statistics is very interesting, when CJ shot more than 20 times, the Pelicans 0 wins 4 losses, and conversely the team achieved a record of 5 wins and 1 loss. Of course, everything is not so simple. When the team needs CJ to stand up and cut 30 points to take away the game victory, his inner killer gene will naturally be reawakened. Between the scorer and the organizer, CJ can complete the free switch, which is his greatest value to the Pelicans.
Playing for the Trail Blazers in previous years, CJ hasn't had a particularly high chance of mastering a team. But now in New Orleans, he has the opportunity to play a role he didn't play before. For now, McCollum is somewhat underrated. Driven by him, the other Pelicans players are particularly comfortable on the offensive end, and the All-Star Pelicans are also in the league's top three offensive efficiency.
"It's a whole new role for me and I need to be in better control of the team and take my game to another level. Judging from the last few games, I've done a pretty good job. CJ said.
C.J. McCollum quickly integrated into the team, and the all-Star attack and defense were fully upgraded. Many believe that this team may climb further upwards, and even appear in the playoffs.
The reason why the Pelicans are widely optimistic is related to their relatively relaxed schedule in the second half of the season, and perhaps it is also the background of "peers" such as the Lakers. On the other hand, there seems to be something to do with the possibility that Zion Williamson will return to the game in the near future. According to previous sources, the chances of Zion returning this season are already slim. However, recent news has broken that Zion has finally ended his treatment in Portland and has now returned to New Orleans to join the team. Although Zion has yet to do a pitch training similar to a 1-0, he has begun to do full weight training, resuming basketball-related activities. If all goes well, Zion may still be able to catch up with some of the Pelicans' finale of the regular season.
There is no doubt that Zion's return will further enhance the competitiveness of the team. In the 85 games he has played in Zion so far, the Pelicans have maintained a 47% winning percentage, and the Fat Tigers can personally hand over the data of averaging 25.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, and he has a feeling of being unstoppable in the box. Now that the Pelicans are among the most scoring teams in the league, once Zion can return, their advantage on the inside will be more significant, and pitchers on the outside may also have more opportunities.
When trading before the trade deadline, the Pelicans' goal is to reach the playoffs this season, or at least to the playoffs. In terms of current momentum, reaching the playoffs won't be a problem for the Pelicans. At that time, they may fight the Lakers, speedboats, and Timberwolves. If Zion can return and the Pelicans maintain their current excellent offensive and defensive performance, this team will not only have a chance to break through in the playoffs, but may even make some waves in the playoffs.
Now that I think back to the beginning of the season, the Pelicans started with a 1-12 record, and I don't know how many people had already sentenced them to death. Thankfully, the team persevered and had the opportunity to return to the playoffs after a gap of 4 years. The deal before the deal deadline had mixed reviews when it happened, but for now it has become the key to the Pelicans' turnaround.
Wen | Ji Mengnian
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