Shootaround Update

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Jim Eichenhofer

A New Orleans team that ranked fourth in three-point shooting percentage during the regular season has not been making perimeter shots at anywhere near the same rate in the playoffs. A Pelicans club that placed just outside the NBA’s top 10 in offensive efficiency is struggling mightily to even approach that level of performance in a best-of-seven series vs. Oklahoma City.

Trailing 3-0 to the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed, the eighth-seeded Pelicans likely need a breakthrough offensive performance in Monday’s Game 4 (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports, NBA TV, WRNO 99.5 FM, KGLA 105.7 FM) to keep their season alive. They’re shooting just 40.3 percent from the field and 27.8 percent on three-pointers against Oklahoma City. Those figures were both roughly 10 percent higher during the 82-game schedule (48.6 from field, 38.3 on threes).

“We expect those shots to go in, because we shoot so many at practice,” starting wing Herb Jones said after Monday’s shootaround. “Even after practice. Once we see a couple guys’ shots fall, I think that will help us.”

The Pelicans made one recent adjustment to try to improve their shooting in the Blender, moving shootaround there on the morning of the play-in tournament victory over Sacramento. They returned to the home floor again Monday morning. New Orleans couldn’t hold a shootaround Saturday before Game 3 vs. Oklahoma City, due to it being a 2:30 p.m. tip-off.

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Herb Jones | Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 4 Shootaround | 2024 NBA Playoffs

Asked if the Pelicans are content with the quality of shots they’re getting in the playoffs, Jones said, “They are open shots – we love them.” Unfortunately for New Orleans, it has been held under 30 percent from three-point distance in all three games. The Pelicans did not have any stretches of three straight games under 30 percent during the entire regular season. In fact, they only did it in two consecutive games once, and that was all the way back in October. …

In addition to poor shooting, turnovers have decimated NOLA’s ability to put together offensive spurts. Jones on the miscues: “We can do a better job of taking care of the ball. Some of it is the Thunder (defense). We can cut down on the ones that we can control.”

Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren

Notes: Oklahoma City is reporting no injuries. … The Thunder have been led in scoring in this series by Gilgeous-Alexander (28.3 ppg), Williams (20.3) and Holmgren (15.7). … Oklahoma City is trying to win its first playoff series since 2016, when it reached the West finals, losing in seven games to Golden State. That Game 7 was Kevin Durant’s final appearance in a Thunder uniform.

CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy, Jonas Valanciunas

Notes: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (ankle) is questionable. Zion Williamson (hamstring) is out. … The Pelicans have been led in scoring by McCollum (17.0 ppg), Ingram (16.3) and Jones (13.7). … New Orleans has been a No. 8 seed in each of its last two playoff appearances. The Pelicans were sixth-seeded during their most recent playoff-series triumph (first-round sweep over Portland in 2018).

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Pelicans vs Thunder Game 4 HYPE | 2024 NBA Playoffs

YOU GOTTA FIGHTThose were among Willie Green’s words to his team during a memorable 2022 late-game speech, leading to the Pelicans coming from behind to beat the Clippers in a play-in elimination game, advancing to the playoffs. New Orleans is missing its most talented player vs. Oklahoma City due to injury, and with the season at stake, must outperform the Thunder in energy, effort and hustle plays Monday.PLAYMAKINGPerhaps the most drastic area of needed improvement for New Orleans is assist-to-turnover ratio, which has been in negative in consecutive games, a development that’s nearly impossible to overcome against any NBA opponent, but particularly a 57-win squad such as OKC. The Pelicans recorded only 18 assists in Game 3, compared to 21 costly turnovers (in Game 2, it was 16 to 18).MATCHUP TO WATCHUnless New Orleans can generate significantly better offensive production, it will need to lean even more on its defense. All-Defense candidate Jones and the Pelicans have done a decent job on Gilgeous-Alexander so far in the series, with the MVP candidate shooting 51 percent from the field and just 31 percent on three-pointers. He has one 30-point game among the three. Jones at shootaround on SGA: “He can score at all three levels. Very smart player. He knows when to attack. It makes it tough on the defense, a guy who wants to get downhill a lot.”

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Pelicans shootaround update: New Orleans needs major uptick in offensive performance vs. OKC

The season is hanging in the balance, but New Orleans doesn’t have all of its top players available. It’s a familiar scenario for the Pelicans, who have not been at full strength in the postseason during the three seasons of Willie Green’s tenure as head coach. Zion Williamson’s hamstring injury means New Orleans will try to advance to the playoffs Friday vs. Sacramento (8:30 p.m., TNT, WRNO 99.5 FM, KGLA 105.7 FM) without its leading scorer in 2023-24. The winner of Kings-Pelicans will visit Oklahoma City in Game 1 of Round 1 on Sunday night.

“We are deep,” Jonas Valanciunas said after Friday’s shootaround when asked how the Pelicans can make up for Williamson’s injury absence. “Yes, Z is a big part of what we do. But now we’ve all got to step up and do the job. Simple to say, not simple to do. But what else can we do? We’ve got to step out and play free, play our basketball, stay humble, play hard, as we always do.”

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Jonas Valanciunas | Pelicans vs. Kings NBA Play-In Shootaround 4/19/2024

Other notes from shootaround, which was held for the first time all season in the Smoothie King Center:

Asked whether it could be beneficial for the Pelicans to have their morning shootaround in the team’s downtown New Orleans arena, instead of at the Metairie practice facility, Valanciunas grinned and said, “If we win, yes. If we (don’t), no. Simple as that. We’ve just got to be ourselves.” …

Valanciunas has been part of the play-in round in every year of its existence, including in the 2020 Orlando bubble with a different format than the current one. Friday will be his eighth career play-in game.

“Experience is good, but I’m trying to avoid that,” he said of participating in more play-in games than any NBA player. “It is what it is. We can’t choose our path. Right now we’ve got this (as a way to reach the playoffs). We have to do everything we can to be successful with this path.”

Valanciunas on Kings double-double machine Domantas Sabonis: “He’s the most important guy for Sacramento. We’ve got to eliminate him, make his life hard, not just scoring, passing ability, rebounding. That’s my job to take away easy stuff. You’re not going to take away everything – he’s a great player. But you’ve got to make life hard for him.”

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Pelicans practice report: New Orleans will try to find way to reach playoffs without ascending Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green's post-practice interview from the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Thursday, April 18 ahead of their game against the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Play-In Tournament during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Willie Green talks Zion Williamson's injury, Play-In Tournament game | Pelicans Practice 4/18/24

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado's post-practice interview from the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Thursday, April 18 ahead of their game against the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Play-In Tournament during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Jose Alvarado talks his status, matchup against Sacramento Kings | Pelicans Practice 4/18/24

New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr.'s post-practice interview from the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Thursday, April 18 ahead of their game against the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Play-In Tournament during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Larry Nance Jr. talks Zion Williamson injury, game vs Sacramento Kings | Pelicans Practice 4/18/24

De’Aaron Fox, Keon Ellis, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, Domantas Sabonis

Notes: Kevin Huerter (left shoulder surgery) and Malik Monk (right knee sprain) are out. … Murray scored 32 points against the Warriors on Tuesday and drained eight three-pointers, one of the best games of his two-year NBA career. … As is the case for New Orleans, Sacramento has several contributors with just one playoff series under their belt, a seven-game first-round defeat vs. Golden State in 2023. … Fox, Barnes and Sabonis were the only Sacramento players to appear in all five head-to-head meetings with New Orleans this season, but eight Kings played in four of those games.

CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas

Notes: Williamson (hamstring) is out. He scored 40 points against the Lakers on Tuesday, one of the best games of his four-year NBA career. … Only five New Orleans players appeared in all five head-to-head meetings with Sacramento this season, with Jones and Valanciunas being the only first-stringers to do so. The others to participate in all five victories were Dyson Daniels, Naji Marshall and Cody Zeller. … New Orleans is trying to make the playoffs for a second time over a three-year span for the first time since it qualified in both 2009 and 2011.

SCORCHING VS. SACRAMENTOSome of New Orleans’ individual shooting numbers in five head-to-head games vs. Sacramento during the regular season look like misprints. McCollum made 70 percent of his three-point attempts in high volume (19 of 27); Ingram shot 56 percent from deep; Jose Alvarado sank half of 18 attempts; Murphy nearly did the same (46 percent at 12/26). If the Pelicans even approach their head-to-head shooting splits of 55/45/81 against the Kings in Friday’s win-or-go-home game, they stand a good chance of traveling to the Sooner State on Saturday.NEXT MAN UPInjuries to Williamson and Sacramento’s Monk and Huerter mean larger responsibilities for each team’s bench and players filling bigger roles than they did in the previous Pelicans-Kings matchups. New Orleans finished the regular season ranked second in bench plus-minus, while Sacramento ranked 10th.MATCHUP TO WATCHAt center, Valanciunas has held his own this season against Sabonis, a fellow member of the Lithuanian national team. Sabonis recently compiled a historic double-double streak not seen in the NBA since the days of Wilt Chamberlain, but Valanciunas has also averaged more than 10 and 10 against the Kings in 2023-24 (14.2 points, 11.4 rebounds).

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Pelicans play-in tournament shootaround update: New Orleans depth again vital with playoff berth at stake

With four Los Angeles Lakers starters scoring at least 19 points and the visitors shooting 55 percent from the field in Sunday’s regular season finale, seventh-seeded New Orleans understands that it must perform considerably better defensively in Tuesday’s rematch (6:30 p.m. Central, TNT, WRNO 99.5 FM, KGLA 105.7 FM), the opener of the Western Conference play-in tournament.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Pelicans starting wing and top defender Herb Jones said after Tuesday’s shootaround. “We watched the film, talked about the adjustments we needed to make. Tonight we plan on going out and executing the game plan.”

At least on paper, the Pelicans are in much better position to prepare this time, having gone through a full practice Monday and this morning's shootaround. That wasn’t possible on the weekend, because the team did not arrive from a cross-country flight Saturday until after 9 p.m. Then Sunday was a 2:30 p.m. tip, allowing for only a walkthrough before the game.

Asked if it was beneficial preparation-wise to play the same opponent in consecutive games, Jones responded, “For sure. And I think playing the same team, you kind of get to rest more, because you don’t have to watch as much film. If it were another team, we’d have to get a whole new game plan and watch a ton of film. So I think it helps.”

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Herb Jones | Pelicans vs. Lakers NBA Play-In Shootaround 4/16/2024

Jones on New Orleans committing 19 turnovers Sunday: “(On) a lot of them we were aggressive. Turnovers are part of the game. Tonight I think we’ll do a better job of not turning the ball over. (But) as long as we stay aggressive, try to make the right plays, I think turnovers will come with that.”

D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Anthony Davis

Notes: Davis is questionable with back spasms. James (ankle) is probable, while Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) and Christian Wood (knee) are out. … This combination went 18-6 in the regular season, one of 19 starting lineups used by Darvin Ham. … James led the Lakers in scoring this season vs. the Pelicans in a 3-1 season series, averaging 28.5 points. Davis was second at 21.5, while Russell and Reaves both put up 21.0. Only six Lakers players appeared in all four games vs. New Orleans.

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HYPE: Pelicans vs. Lakers 2024 NBA Western Conference Play-In Tournament

Notes: New Orleans reported no injuries. … This combination went 25-16, one of 16 starting lineups used by Willie Green. New Orleans went 44-25 when it had at least four of these five starters available. … Williamson led the Pelicans in scoring this season vs. the Lakers, averaging 20.3 points. McCollum was next at 18.3, followed by Ingram’s 17.5. Seven Pelicans players appeared in all four games vs. the Lakers. … New Orleans went 38-18 when Alvarado played during the regular season, with three of those losses coming against LA.

TAKE CARE OF THE BALLAs Green noted following Sunday’s loss, New Orleans has been effective at reducing turnovers throughout the season, particularly after the All-Star break, but the weekend defeat to the Lakers included 19 turnovers. That was costly in more ways than one – the Pelicans were held under their scoring average by tallying 108 points (despite shooting well from the field and three-point range), and the Lakers benefited by converting 27 points off turnovers.PROTECT THE PAINTIt’s very rare to see any NBA team ring up 50 points in the paint during one half of basketball, but that’s what the Lakers did Sunday, constantly getting to the rim for dunks and layups. The Pelicans cleaned that up a bit in the second half, but still were outscored in the paint by a decisive 68-42 margin. LA finished the regular season averaging 55.6 paint points, trailing only Indiana (57.9).MATCHUP TO WATCHIt’s not the playoffs yet, but Tuesday marks Williamson’s first NBA postseason game of his four-year career. A win would mean the two-time All-Star and popular fan favorite makes his debut in the playoffs Saturday at Denver. Meanwhile, James is coming off a Sunday triple-double and already has 282 playoff games under his belt, the equivalent of roughly 3 1/2 full seasons.

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Pelicans play-in tournament shootaround update: Defense at forefront of needed turnaround from Sunday

After Friday shootaround, Jonas Valanciunas’ succinct assessment of San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama was reminiscent of another international big man – Boban Marjanovic – and Marjanovic’s “insightful” play-by-play work on a humorous TV commercial.

“He’s tall. Very tall,” the often-joking-in-interviews Valanciunas said of Wembanyama.

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There aren’t many fellow NBA players the 7-foot Valanciunas has to look up at in order to make eye contact, but the 7-4 Wembanyama is one. The 20-year-old prodigy will play in the Smoothie King Center on Friday for the first time in 2023-24, having been sidelined for a Dec. 1 game due to injury, which was his first DNP in the league.

“He’s playing good basketball,” Valanciunas said. “We’ve got to do everything to stop him. He’s a leader for San Antonio.”

Valanciunas could be the only frequent New Orleans frontcourt starter available Friday, because small forward Brandon Ingram (knee) has already been ruled out, while power forward Zion Williamson (finger) is questionable.

In his three matchups with the Spurs this season, Valanciunas has averaged a double-double (10.0 points, 11.0 rebounds) in modest playing time (20.1 mpg), the latter partly due to New Orleans rolling to 15- and 36-point victories (though the most recent meeting was a one-point Pelicans win).

Asked what’s made him effective vs. San Antonio, Valanciunas said, “Being active, setting screens, rolling, getting post-ups. Do my stuff.”

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New Orleans Pelicans vs. San Antonio Spurs Pregame Report 4/5/2024

Go-to guy: Wembanyama is closing his rookie season with a flourish, nearly registering a quadruple-double in his most recent game Tuesday at Denver (23 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, nine blocks). Last Friday, the 20-year-old native of France led San Antonio to an upset win over New York, rolling to 40 points and 20 rebounds. New Orleans has held him somewhat in check in his two appearances vs. the Pelicans, but he’s made significant strides even since the last meeting on Feb. 2.

On the rise: A savvy floor general and former Duke teammate of Williamson, fourth-year point guard Tre Jones has been instrumental in San Antonio being more competitive recently compared to early in the season. The Spurs were just 5-28 before Jones was moved into the starting lineup on Jan. 4. His 4.3 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks in the NBA’s top 10.

Tre Jones, Malaki Branham, Cedi Osman, Julian Champagnie, Victor Wembanyama

Notes: Osman (ankle), Dominick Barlow (knee), Devin Vassell (foot), Jeremy Sochan (ankle) and Charles Bassey (knee) are out, with the latter three all ruled out for the rest of the season. Keldon Johnson (foot) is questionable. … Tuesday’s starting combination has gone 0-2, among the 17 different starting lineups used by Gregg Popovich this season. … San Antonio is tied with Charlotte (18-58) for the third-worst record in the NBA. The bottom three teams in the league standings will hold the highest draft lottery odds in mid-May.

CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas

Notes: This combination has gone 4-5, the only New Orleans group with a losing record that’s been together for more than two games this season. Willie Green has used 15 different starting lineups. … Ingram (knee) and Jose Alvarado (oblique) are out. Williamson (finger) is questionable. … New Orleans has the same record as Phoenix (45-31) in the West standings, but the Suns are officially sixth based on their 2-0 season series vs. the Pelicans. Phoenix hosts Minnesota on Friday at 9 p.m. Eighth-place Sacramento (44-32) visits Boston at 6:30.

BALL MOVEMENTNew Orleans is seeking its second consecutive season-series sweep over San Antonio, having won each of the last seven meetings (it’s eight in a row if you add the club’s play-in tournament victory over the silver and black from April 2022). Playmaking has been a key element of the Pelicans’ 3-0 lead in 2023-24, averaging 31.0 assists against the Spurs. That’s their sixth-best average against the 29 opponents this season.REESTABLISH BOARD DOMINANCENew Orleans ranks 12 spots above San Antonio in rebounding percentage (11th compared to 23rd), but the Spurs stayed in the hunt until the final buzzer Feb. 2 partly due to a major edge on the glass (55-39). New Orleans needed a game-deciding layup in the final seconds from Williamson to prevail. “Rebounding is the last layer of the defense,” Valanciunas said after shootaround. “You’ve got to get the rebound to finish the defense. We’ve got to do a good job finishing the defense. Same with the offense. That’s an advantage for us if we can crash the boards and get some offensive rebounds. We’ve got to do that more.”MATCHUP TO WATCHThe Pelicans’ center duo of Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. will have its hands full vs. Wembanyama, who missed the previous San Antonio visit to the Smoothie King Center on Dec. 1 due to injury (one of just nine DNPs for him in Year 1). In two losses in Frost Bank Center to the Pels, the rookie averaged 16.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.

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Pelicans shootaround update: New Orleans wraps up homestand needing win vs. Spurs

Various New Orleans players and coaches sported navy blue “Not On Herb” T-shirts and hoodies during Wednesday’s shootaround – including head coach Willie Green – continuing efforts to promote Herb Jones’ candidacy to be named NBA First-Team All-Defense. Asked for his reaction to the gear, the always understated Jones said, smiling, “It’s cool. I thought it was a little bit too much. But I’m happy my teammates and the entire organization is pushing (for) first-team defense.”

Speaking of defense, Wednesday’s matchup between Orlando and New Orleans pits the NBA’s second- and sixth-best defensive squads, respectively. In a March 21 game that was a bit higher-scoring than one might expect given the stinginess of these teams, the Magic earned a 121-106 victory, shooting 55 percent from the field. The Pelicans actually also shot well (54 percent) that night, but lost Brandon Ingram (left knee bone contusion) to injury. Ingram has missed the last six games as a result, leaving New Orleans without its second-leading scorer and top assister. The Pelicans are coming off a Monday loss vs. Phoenix in which their offense didn’t kick into gear until the second half, unable to overcome a 27-point deficit.

Asked about Orlando’s elite defense this morning, Jones said, “(The Magic have) a lot of guys with like size, which enables them to switch a lot of stuff. Which we all know keeps the ball out of the paint. We have to find ways to get in the paint and make the defense collapse.”

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Herb Jones on Orlando Magic defense, Larry Nance Jr. | Pelicans vs. Magic Shootaround 4/3/24

Rookie guard Jordan Hawkins on how the Pelicans can try to improve offensively without Ingram and Jose Alvarado (right oblique strain): “Continue spacing. Use the shooters we have. Trey (Murphy), myself, Herb. We trust Zion (Williamson) to make the pass. We just have to knock down shots to make it easier for him.” …

Hawkins on what the Pelicans have come to expect from opposing defenses facing Williamson: “They’re always going to clog the paint and have five guys there. That’s what it takes to stop him.” …

New Orleans would clinch no worse than a play-in spot with a victory Wednesday. The 11th-place Rockets (38-37) can finish no better than 45-37, meaning a 46th New Orleans win ensures that the Pelicans place in the top 10 of the West standings. Although NBA postseason entry has become easier since the 2021 implementation of a play-in tournament (10 teams get in per conference, instead of eight), this would be the first time in franchise history that New Orleans has advanced beyond Game 82 in three consecutive years.

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Jordan Hawkins on spacing in loss to Suns | Pelicans vs. Magic Shootaround 4/3/24

Go-to guy: Second-year power forward Paolo Banchero made his first All-Star appearance in February, continuing to emerge as one of the NBA’s premier young players and the foundation piece of Orlando’s burgeoning roster. The Seattle native has registered 40-plus points twice this season (though both of those games were losses). The Magic are 11-4 this season when Banchero tallies at least 28 points.

On the rise: Similar to multiple New Orleans young players, third-year Orlando guard Jalen Suggs has worked tirelessly on his perimeter shot and seen outstanding results. The dogged defender is in the conversation for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, partly by increasing his three-point percentage from 21 percent as a rookie (and 33 percent last season) to 40 percent on 5.2 attempts per game in 2023-24.

Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Notes: This combination has gone 12-1 this season, with its only defeat coming Friday vs. the LA Clippers by a 100-97 count. Jamahl Mosley has used 16 different starting lineups. … The Magic are in a tie with New York (44-31) for fourth place, but have clinched the tiebreaker based on season series (3-1).

Notes: This combination has gone 4-4. Green has used 15 different starting lineups. … The Pelicans are in a tie with Dallas (45-30) for fifth place, but the Mavericks own the temporary tiebreaker based on division record (Mavericks 10-5, Pelicans 9-6, with one division game remaining for each team).

COMPETE FROM THREENew Orleans makes slightly more three-pointers per game (12.2, 20th) than Orlando (11.1, 29th) this season, but you wouldn’t have known that from the Magic’s victory two weeks ago over the Pelicans. The hosts led 14-6 in successful treys.BENCHES IN THE BLENDERNew Orleans is shorthanded rotation-wise but will try to get the upper hand in second-unit production Wednesday vs. a quality Orlando bench. The Pelicans’ reserves still rank second in the NBA in plus-minus (+2.5), while the Magic’s subs are fourth in scoring (41.7 ppg).MATCHUP TO WATCHWednesday marks the second head-to-head meeting in the pros for Duke No. 1 overall picks Williamson and Banchero. Both were highly productive March 21, with Banchero registering his second career triple-double (20-10-11) and Williamson posting 20 points and seven rebounds.

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Pelicans shootaround update: Orlando-New Orleans is meeting of top-tier defenses

The phrases “biggest game of the season” and “must-win game” are sometimes exaggerated and overused during the NBA’s lengthy 82-game schedule, but New Orleans’ Monday home matchup vs. Phoenix (7 p.m., Bally Sports, NBA TV, WRNO 99.5 FM) fits the first of those descriptions very well, if not the second. The Pelicans (45-29, sixth place) have a chance to add to a multi-game lead for a top-six seed in the Western Conference with a victory over the Suns (43-31, tied with Sacramento for seventh), but a defeat would mean their breathing room has almost entirely evaporated. On the other side, it’s a golden opportunity for Phoenix to barge its way into full-fledged contention for a playoff berth; all teams want to avoid what figures to be a treacherous West play-in tournament for its four participants.

There are numerous other West matchups over the final two weeks of the regular season that could bring monumental stakes (Phoenix plays the Clippers on back-to-back nights next week; Sacramento hosts Phoenix on April 12, one night after the Kings host the Pelicans), but Monday’s Pelicans-Suns matchup is near the top of the list for meaningful postseason-race ramifications.

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Naji Marshall talks catch and shoot threes, game against Phoenix | Pelicans-Suns Shootaround 4/1/24

New Orleans ranks ninth in the NBA in forcing turnovers and third in steals per game (8.2), a defensive strength that on paper presents a major challenge for Phoenix (25th in turnovers per game, only ahead of five teams already eliminated from playoff contention).

“I think we’ve been in the right spots, together as one on the defensive end, so it makes it kind of easy,” Pelicans forward Naji Marshall said this morning of his team’s effectiveness in causing opponent mistakes. New Orleans had almost exactly the same steals average last season (8.3), good for second in the NBA. During Herb Jones’ rookie season of 2021-22, the Pelicans were seventh (8.3).

Marshall on Phoenix having lost its previous game by 25 points at Oklahoma City: “Definitely dangerous. Coming off a loss, so they’re probably going to play a little bit harder. It’s on us to compete and bring the energy.”

Go-to guy: The plan entering 2023-24 was to have three “go-to guys,” but Bradley Beal has only played in 45 of the team’s 74 games, while Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have been sidelined for seven and 14 contests, respectively. Durant (27.6 ppg) has a slight edge over Booker (27.0) as Phoenix’s leading scorer, doing so in his usual highly-efficient fashion, with shooting splits of 53/43/85. Booker rang up 52 points at New Orleans in Phoenix’s 123-109 victory on Jan. 19.

On the rise: First-year Suns player Grayson Allen leads the NBA in three-point percentage (47.0) among those who’ve made at least 100 treys this season, serving as a dangerous release valve for Phoenix’s All-Star offensive weapons. Allen shot 3/6 from beyond the arc Jan. 19, scoring 12 points against the Pelicans.

Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic

Notes: This combination is 18-11, by far Frank Vogel’s most common among 20 different first units he’s used this season.&nbsp; A separate lineup is 7-2 with Eric Gordon starting instead of Beal. … Phoenix is 37-23 when Booker plays, but 6-8 in other games. The Suns are 27-18 when Beal plays, but 16-13 in other games. … Phoenix has the same record as seventh-place Sacramento (43-31), but the Kings hold the tiebreaking advantage based on Pacific Division record. The season series is tied 2-2, with an April 12 game remaining in Sacramento.

Notes: This combination is 4-3, tied for the second-most common lineup among 15 different first units used by Willie Green this season. The Pelicans’ primary starting group is 25-15. … Brandon Ingram (knee) and Jose Alvarado (oblique) are out for Monday’s game. … New Orleans is 38-20 when McCollum plays, but 7-9 in other games. The Pelicans are 34-17 when Alvarado plays, but 11-12 in other games. … New Orleans must go 2-0 vs. Phoenix this week to earn the tiebreaking advantage. If the Suns win at least once, they will wrap up the head-to-head record edge.

SEIZE THE MOMENTIn terms of the chase for a top-six seed and the playoff berth that comes with it, Game 75 is the most important game New Orleans has played so far in 2023-24. By no means are the Pelicans’ hopes to reach that objective dashed with a loss, but Monday is the difference between holding a bit of a cushion, compared to having a tiny margin for error over the final two weeks of the regular season.MAKE THEM UNCOMFORTABLEPlaying without a true point guard, Phoenix has been turnover-prone at times this season and ranks sixth-worst in the NBA in that category (average of 14.9 per game). Every team below the Suns in the statistic is headed to the mid-May draft lottery. However, Phoenix only committed 10 turnovers in its Jan. 19 victory in the Blender, while shooting 49.5 percent from the field.MATCHUP TO WATCHNew Orleans’ fourth-ranked defense will try to contain Phoenix’s ninth-ranked offense, which was powered by 52 points from Booker on Jan. 19, as well as 26 by Durant. Those two – along with Beal – combined to shoot 35/61 from the field in a 14-point win. The Pelicans will need to be much better than that Monday against the Suns’ prolific trio.

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Pelicans shootaround update: New Orleans set to host Phoenix in game of significant consequence

New Orleans is in the midst of a Week 23 filled with matchups against some of the NBA’s elite squads, including the best, third-best and fifth-best records in the league all coming to the Smoothie King Center. What makes this stretch so vital for the Pelicans, though, isn’t just the caliber of opponents, but what’s at stake over the next few days (and beyond). Fifth-place New Orleans (44-28) is in the middle of the 4-8 race in the Western Conference, with only three games separating the No. 4 Clippers (45-27) from No. 8 Sacramento (42-30).

“I think it’s the point of the season that makes it significant,” CJ McCollum said after Thursday’s shootaround. “The (opponent) doesn’t really matter. There are a bunch of good teams in the league that can beat you. It’s more about (that there are) not a lot of games left and the standings are very close. You’ve got to be able to try to take advantage.”

Over the next three days New Orleans will host Milwaukee (46-26, second in East) and Boston (league-leading 57-15), with the Bucks making their annual visit tonight at 7 p.m. (Bally Sports, NBA TV, WRNO 99.5 FM).

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CJ McCollum on keeping teams off foul line, game vs Milwaukee | Pelicans-Bucks Shootaround 3/28/24

One defensive objective for the Pelicans will be to keep the Bucks from scoring in the paint and on foul shots (see below). McCollum on why New Orleans has been effective this season in that category defensively: “I think we do a good job collectively of moving our feet, having active hands, but not gambling too much.”

The veteran guard and President of the NBA Players Association added with a smile, “I think we’ve got great referees in the NBA, so that’s a part of it.” …

Dyson Daniels has returned to New Orleans after playing for G League Birmingham yesterday (22 points, seven steals at Oklahoma City), but is listed as out for Thursday’s game (left knee injury recovery). When the second-year guard returns to the mix, he’ll give the Pelicans another top option against quality offenses like Milwaukee. McCollum: “Dyson is really good defensively, versatile, strong, skilled. Ahead of his time in terms of that side of the ball.”

Guard Jose Alvarado (right oblique strain) has been downgraded to out for the game.

Go-to guy: Despite Milwaukee’s relatively inconsistent first half of the season, leading to a change at head coach, Giannis Antetokounmpo is third on the NBA.com “MVP Ladder,” behind only Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24 points, eight assists at NOLA two days ago). If he maintains that spot, it would be the sixth consecutive season that the powerful and athletic power forward has placed in the top four of MVP voting. He won the award in 2019 and 2020, then led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA championship, their first league crown in 50 years.

On the rise: Exceptionally popular among the Milwaukee fan base, Bobby Portis is the Bucks’ fourth-leading scorer at 13.5 ppg, despite coming off the bench in all but one of his 72 appearances (he’s played in every game this season). Portis has been heating up lately, with three of his top six scoring nights in 2023-24 occurring since March 4. On March 17 in an ABC game vs. Phoenix, he tied his season high by tallying 31 points.

Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

Notes: This combination has gone 25-12 this season, but it has only been intact a handful of times since Doc Rivers took over as head coach in January. Another Milwaukee starting five with Jae Crowder instead of Middleton at small forward is 11-6. … Antetokounmpo (hamstring) is probable, as are Middleton (ankle) and MarJon Beauchamp (back). Patrick Beverley (wrist) is out. … Boston has clinched the No. 1 seed in the East, making Milwaukee’s goal to remain in second over the rest of the season. The Bucks are two games ahead of third-place New York (44-28) and 2.5 in front of No. 4 Cleveland (44-29).

Notes: This combination has gone 3-2, one of 15 different starting fives used by Willie Green this season. The team’s primary lineup is 25-15, a 62.5 winning percentage. That’s a 51-win pace over 82 games. … Daniels, Jose Alvarado (oblique) and Brandon Ingram (knee) are out. … Thursday’s game is another vital one for New Orleans. A win would give the Pelicans a lead of 1.5 games on sixth-place Dallas (43-29) and two-plus games over both Phoenix (43-30) and Sacramento (42-30). However, a loss would pull the Mavericks and Suns to within a half-game and game, respectively.

DENY THREESThe battle between Milwaukee’s fifth-ranked offense and New Orleans’ No. 6 defense will play out on several fronts, including the three-point line. The Bucks are fourth in the NBA in three-pointers made per game (14.4), while the Pelicans are tops in the league in limiting opponents to just 34.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc.LIMIT FREE THROWSIn another matchup pitting team strengths, Milwaukee is second in free throw attempts per game (24.5), while New Orleans allows the seventh-fewest tosses from the charity stripe (21.1). It could be a long night in the Smoothie King Center – in more ways than one – if the extremely-deliberate-at-the-line Antetokounmpo exceeds his average of 10.9 foul shots (leads the NBA).MATCHUP TO WATCHOther than both being small markets, New Orleans and Milwaukee don’t have much in common and aren’t even in the same conference, but Pelicans-Bucks again is a national broadcast Thursday (NBA TV). A prominent reason for that level of coverage? Meetings between Williamson (29 points, 10 assists Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City) and Antetokounmpo (29-21-11 Tuesday vs. LA Lakers) have been consistently compelling.

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Pelicans shootaround update: Another formidable New Orleans opponent amid critical stretch

Prior to Brandon Ingram’s knee injury on Thursday, New Orleans third-year forward Trey Murphy had been one of the NBA’s most productive reserves in March, second among all substitutes in scoring average (19.5 in eight games, behind only Klay Thompson at 20.3). When he’s a first-stringer this season, Murphy has averaged slightly fewer points per minute than in the second unit, but no one can argue with his team’s results. New Orleans is 10-3 this season in Murphy’s 13 starts and swept weekend road games at Detroit and Miami, despite the 23-year-old experiencing two extremely rare poor shooting nights (5/23 from the field overall, 4/18 on threes). Among those three Murphy-as-starter defeats, one was Jan. 26 vs. Oklahoma City, a game Zion Williamson missed due to injury.

The Rice and Virginia product is accustomed to alternating between Pelicans starter and reserve, having made 78 starts over the past two seasons among 125 games. Asked after Tuesday’s shootaround if his approach changes depending on his role, Murphy said, “Not necessarily. That’s how my career has been here the last two years. Being ready to start or come off the bench, being ready to just hoop.”

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Trey Murphy III talks OKC matchup | Pelicans-Thunder Shootaround 3/26/24

Murphy is averaging a career-high 4.5 rebounds this season, even though his minutes per game have decreased from 31.0 last season to 27.7. It’s an area he wants to continue to improve, using his 6-foot-8 frame and athleticism to grab more boards.

“It’s been a challenge from (Pelicans) staff – as well as my dad – to rebound the ball a lot better,” he said. “Also I know when I rebound a lot better, then I’m more active and I’m able to get into the game more.” …

New Orleans has struggled offensively against Oklahoma City in two meetings, only generating 96.5 points per game while splitting them. Murphy on the Thunder’s defense: “They have a really high attention to detail, protect the paint pretty well. They just play together as a unit, try to force turnovers and get out in transition. That’s where they are best. Very similar to us.”

Go-to guy: Second in the latest NBA.com “MVP Ladder” rankings behind only Denver center Nikola Jokic, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has established a franchise record by scoring 30-plus points in 50 games this season. One of those instances was Jan. 26 in New Orleans, with Gilgeous-Alexander tallying 31 points on 10/21 shooting. The Pelicans did hold SGA to 20 points on 8/20 shooting in their Nov. 1 comeback victory on OKC’s home floor.

On the rise: There’s no shortage of blossoming players on the Thunder roster, as the franchise has drafted extremely well this decade. OKC center Chet Holmgren would be the Rookie of the Year favorite most seasons, but ranks second on NBA.com’s “Rookie Ladder” behind San Antonio phenom Victor Wembanyama. Holmgren has averaged 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in two meetings with New Orleans this season.

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New Orleans Pelicans vs. OKC Thunder Pregame Report 3/26/2024

Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren

Notes: The Thunder remain in the midst of a tight race between the top three teams in the West, one game behind No. 1 Denver (51-21) and a half-game ahead of No. 3 Minnesota (49-22). OKC holds the tiebreaker on the Nuggets based on a 3-1 season series. … Coach of the Year contender Mark Daigneault has enjoyed the luxury of only using seven different starting lineups this season. His most common is the group above, with a 42-17 record. No other lineup has been used more than five times.

Notes: The Pelicans inched ahead of the Clippers on Monday for the No. 4 spot in the West. Both teams have challenging upcoming schedules, with New Orleans set to play five consecutive games against opponents with winning records. That’s the case for four of LA’s next five opponents (at Philadelphia, at Orlando, at Sacramento, vs. Denver, with a game at Charlotte in the middle). … Willie Green has used 15 different starting lineups. The current group is 3-1, with Brandon Ingram (knee) sidelined and Murphy inserted at small forward.

DEFENSE NEVER RESTSThese are two elite defensive teams. In a statistical oddity, Oklahoma City and New Orleans are tied for fifth place in efficiency, with both clubs allowing exactly 111.4 points per 100 possessions. The previous two matchups were low-scoring affairs (NOLA 110-106, OKC 107-83).DEPTH FOR DAYSThese are two of the NBA’s best second units. The Pelicans are second in bench plus-minus (+2.6), just ahead of the third-ranked Thunder subs (+2.1). NOLA’s Naji Marshall is playing some of the best basketball of his four-year pro career, as is Jose Alvarado in Year 3. Isaiah Joe averages 8.0 points for OKC’s second unit on 41 percent three-point shooting.MATCHUP TO WATCHFirst-Team All-Defense candidate Jones meets MVP candidate Gilgeous-Alexander, who has shooting splits of 44/23/86 in two games against the Pelicans this season. Jones averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals during his team’s 3-1 road trip in Week 22.

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Pelicans shootaround update: New Orleans 10-3 this season with Trey Murphy as starter

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