NEW ORLEANS – Last season ended with a thud for the New Orleans Pelicans, as they were swept out of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The front office promised changes in the offseason, and there have been several. The Pelicans let stalwart center Jonas Valanciunas go to the Washington Wizards in free agency and traded a trio of players to the Atlanta Hawks for point guard Dejounte Murray.
Head coach Willie Green has asked his team to embrace a “small ball” philosophy that will rely on speed, quickness, and increasing the Pelicans’ volume of three-point shots.
During the preseason Green never got to see his probable starting lineup on the floor together. Brandon Ingram missed the first two preseason games, Zion Williamson missed the third, and Trey Murphy sat out the entire preseason with a strained right hamstring.
The holdovers, Williamson, Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Herb Jones, all looked like themselves, and Williamson appeared to be as ready physically as he’s been since joining the Pelicans.
Dejounte Murray didn’t play his best, but his strengths are evident.
While Pelicans fans didn’t learn about the starters over the past few weeks, they did gain knowledge of the development of some key reserves.
Jordan Hawkins seems primed to make a statistical leap from his rookie year to his second year, much as Murphy did before him. He was impressive during the preseason, tying for the team lead in scoring and topping the Pelicans in free throw attempts. As one of the few true shooters on the roster, Hawkins should have a big role this season.
Javonte Green appears to be a “Willie Green” type of player. He works hard on both ends of the court and plays bigger than his size. If the Pelicans aren’t completely healthy, he isn’t in their top 10 talent-wise. But the Pelicans are already dealing with injuries, so expect Green to get minutes.
What little height the Pelicans do have, is on its bench, with Daniel Theis, first-rounder Yves Missi, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Karlo Matkovic. That quartet will need to come together to form one serviceable NBA center. Theis has the experience, Missi the length, athleticism, and upside, JRE is the best shooter, though Karlo is struggling to find a role.
While the reserves won’t get the spotlight often, they will have a lot of say in how the season unfolds. The second and third-string players have to grow into their new roles quickly.
Keys to Victory
RUN!!!: The Pelicans have put a heavy emphasis on their offense. The team features four players who scored at least 20 points per game last season (Williamson, Murray, Ingram, McCollum). For small ball to be successful the Pelicans have to score a lot of points, and they have to run. During the preseason, the Pels accomplished neither of those goals, finishing 29th in scoring (101.0) and 15th in pace (103.50). They were held under 100 points in their last two preseason games.
Beating the Bulls starts with winning the battle for fast break points.
The Bulls are adept in transition. Josh Giddey is a capable distributor with several options, including former All-Stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, and guard Coby White. The Pelicans must get back quickly when the Bulls start to run, to protect the paint while still contesting shooters.
Protect the basketball: While the Pelicans attempt to increase their tempo, they cannot see an increase in turnovers. New Orleans ranked 11th in the NBA last season in turnovers, averaging 13.0 per game while allowing only 15.6 points off turnovers.
Of the 11 teams that averaged 13 turnovers or less, nine played in the postseason, with Boston Celtics leading the league at 11.9 per game. 11 of the 14 teams that allowed fewer than 16 points off turnovers made the playoffs, also led by the Celtics (13.3).
Get those 3s up: Speaking of the Celtics, Boston launched 61 three-pointers in its opening-night win over the New York Knicks and tied the NBA record for made threes with 29. The Pelicans don’t have to put up 61 triples against the Bulls, but they do have to be committed to taking and making them.
After taking 40 shots from beyond the arc in their preseason opener, the Pelicans averaged 38.0 three-point attempts in three games.
Last season, the Pelicans were 15-8 (.652) when they shot at least 36 threes in a game. Over 82 games, that projects to a 53-win season. The Pelicans played at a 47-win pace in their other games.
Whether or not the Pelicans have the personnel and persistence to keep shooting the three-pointer, even when it isn’t going down, will be a storyline that lasts all season long.
Secure home court: The Pelicans were 21-19 at home last season, including a 106-114 loss to the Bulls. It was a major disappointment.
The Pelicans go on a four-game road trip after tonight’s opener, not returning to The Blender until Nov. 1.
With the fan base fully invested in another basketball season, it would be nice for the Pelicans to deliver a second consecutive victory in the home opener and a third straight opening night win.
Most Recent Starting Lineups
| Chicago Bulls | New Orleans Pelicans |
| G – Coby White | G – Dejounte Murray |
| G – Josh Giddey | G – CJ McCollum |
| F – Zach LaVine | F – Herb Jones |
| F – Patrick Williams | F – Brandon Ingram |
| C – Nikola Vucevic | C – Daniel Theis |
Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: Jose Alvarado (right knee contusion), Dejounte Murray (personal reasons), and Zion Williamson (non-COVID illness) are QUESTIONABLE. Trey Murphy III (hamstring strain) is OUT.
Chicago Bulls: N/A
Who: New Orleans Pelicans (0-0) vs Chicago Bulls (0-0)
Season Series:
- Oct. 23 – Bulls vs Pelicans
- Jan. 14 – Pelicans at Bulls
Series History: Chicago leads the all-time series 27-21, with the Pelicans 11-13 against the Bulls at the Smoothie King Center. Chicago won both games during the 2023-24 season.
Where: Smoothie King Center
When: Oct. 23, 7:00 PM CT
Where to watch: FOX 8/GCSEN
Where to listen: WWL Radio 870 AM
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- Pelicans open preseason against Magic looking to establish tempo
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- Pelicans add wing depth with the signing of Javonte Green
- The first 10 games: Looking at the start of the Pelicans’ schedule
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