After taking a hard loss at the hands of the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, things won’t get any easier for the New Orleans Pelicans over the next few days.
Their next four games feature teams that have gone a combined 11-5 to start the season, none with a losing record (at OKC, Detroit, Atlanta, at Denver).
The Thunder are a significant challenge for the Pelicans, and have assumed the title of “young team on the rise” that once belonged to New Orleans. Last season’s home loss to OKC in the play-in tournament brought an end to a disappointing season for the Pels.
OKC has gotten off to a great start this year, winning three of four, including double-digit victories over the Bulls and Pistons.
The Pelicans have won their last two in a row in OKC, defeating the Thunder by a combined six points in those victories.
New Orleans will likely be without forward Brandon Ingram, who missed Saturday night’s game with knee soreness. With the Pelicans on a front end of a back-to-back, the team may be cautious with Ingram, especially considering the tough schedule ahead.
Keys to Victory
- Slow down SGA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was All-NBA last season, and with very good reason. Against the Pelicans he was at his very best, averaging 33.5 points and getting to the line more than 12 times per game. SGA is one of the rare players in the league who can get 50 without making three-pointers, and containing him is the top priority for the Pelicans’ defense.
- Use Jonas Inside. Jonas Valanciunas is averaging 10.3 ppg on 8.3 field goal attempts. However, only five of those are coming inside the three-point line. As the Pelicans’ only back-to-the-basket scorer, his ability to get points inside and draw fouls has to be utilized. The Pelicans didn’t have to deal with Chet Holmgren last season, but they do now. Getting Jonas involved in the offense could help make Holmgren less of a factor and force him to stay at home rather than roam and help on others.
- Work the corners. The corner three has been a point of emphasis for the Pelicans this offseason, but that hasn’t really translated to the regular season just yet. New Orleans shot 37.4% from the corner on 7.3 attempts per game last season. This year, attempts are up slightly to 7.7, but the percentage has gone down to 34.8%. Obviously, not having Trey Murphy III impacts the team’s shooting numbers, but the Pels have to be better than the bottom third of the league in that area.
- Rebound Agressively. The Pelicans are being outrebounded by nearly 10 boards per game this season, and those points are leading to second chance points for the opposition (NBA-worst 22.3 per game). If New Orleans wants to play with pace, it has to start by ending possessions on the glass. Zion Williamson is averaging 5.7 rebounds per game so far, and while you don’t expect Zion to average a double-double, he should be more active on the glass.
- Avoid the 3rd Quarter Slump. The Pelicans are the worst team in the NBA after halftime, with a +/- of -8.3 through three games. Offensively, the Pelicans are shooting 40% overall and just 23% from beyond the arc. They’re also averaging five turnovers in the period. Willie Green has to find a way to get his team to maintain its focus coming out of the locker room.
Probable Starting Lineups
| New Orleans Pelicans (vs OKC last season) | Oklahoma City Thunder (vs NOP last season) |
| G – CJ McCollum (21.5 pts, 9.5 ast, 46.7 3P%) | G – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33.5 pts, 8.0 reb, 12.3 FTA) |
| G – Jordan Hawkins (N/A) | G – Josh Giddey (15.8 pts, 7.3 reb, 3.8 ast) |
| F – Herbert Jones (8.8 pts, 2.3 stl, 1.0 blk) | F – Lugentz Dort (9.5 pts, 1.3 stl) |
| F – Zion Williamson (23.0 pts, 8.0 reb) | F – Jalen Williams (14.5 pts, 6.0 reb) |
| C – Jonas Valanciunas (11.3 pts, 7.3 reb) | C – Chet Holmgren (N/A) |
Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: Jose Alvarado (right ankle sprain), Naji Marshall (right knee contusion), Trey Murphy III (left knee partial meniscectomy) are OUT; Brandon Ingram (right knee soreness) is questionable
Oklahoma City Thunder: Jaylin Williams (hamstring) and Kenrich Williams (back) are OUT; Keyontae Johnson (G-League)
Who: New Orleans Pelicans (2-1) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (3-1)
Series history: Thunder lead all-time 40-31, Pelicans 3-1 in 2022-23
Where: Paycom Center
When: November 1, 6:30 PM CT
Where to watch: Bally Sports New Orleans, ESPN
Where to listen: WRNO 99.5
READ MORE
- Herb Jones-Led New Orleans Pelicans Defense Off To Fantastic Start
- Pels Host Knicks Seeking First Home Opening Win Since 2020-21 Season
- Brandon Ingram: Can He Elevate From All-Star to All-NBA?
- Matt Ryan: Great Story of Perseverance Now Also Pelicans’ 3-point Back-up Plan
- A Lot On Herb: Jones Remains Keystone of Pelicans Defense
- Dyson Daniels Needed For More Than Defense In Year 2
- Making a Difference: How Larry Nance Jr. Elevates the Pelicans’ Second Unit
- New Orleans Pelicans Better Positioned to Handle Adversity
- Can Jordan Hawkins Be A Real Shooting Option Off the Bench in 2023-24?
- How James Borrego Could Boost Pelicans’ Offense
You could probably list BI as questionable for all 82 games and be pretty close to the mark…
Jonas is contributing nothing
Well, I might get an early start on other endeavors tonight… looks like we are back to one on one and clear out moves..so much for pace and space
The team is lost…
Hawkins is one of the very few Pelicans who attacks the glass…
We are not getting very many easy shots.
Like Zion being more aggressive
Where was this team the first 20 minutes of the game?
Sad to hear Bob Knight passed away. Got to meet him at a high school all star game. I know a lot didn’t agree with him but he got the most out of his players. Taught them more than basketball
Massive games by CJ, Nance, and Herb..after completely slumbering through the first quarter, the whole team was tenacious….a totally unexpected victory.
Staring off 2-0 on the road, with wins against the Grizz and the Thunder…very nice to see.
Loved team never gave up when down by 22. Not pretty but I’ll take it. The Pels really need to improve FT. Fortunately didn’t cost them tonight but might future games. And Dyson 1 for 8 this year on FT. That’s unacceptable. Joel said tonight “And Dyson makes his first Free Throw of the year.” Thought AD was going to fall out of his chair. We really miss TMIII and Jose.