HOUSTON – The preliminaries are almost complete. The New Orleans Pelicans will close the preseason on Tuesday night when they face the Houston Rockets.
New Orleans is coming off a 101-99 loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon, a defeat that dropped the Pelicans to 1-1 after two games. After looking like the team head coach Willie Green envisioned in their win over the Orlando Magic, the Pelicans took a step back against the Heat.
| PTS | 102.5 (25) |
| FG% | 45.2 (12) |
| 3PM | 10.5 (26) |
| 3PA | 38.5 (18) |
| 3P% | 27.3 (28) |
| ORTG | 99.5 (25) |
| DRTG | 99.5 (5) |
| NET | 0.0 (17) |
| TS% | 55.0 (14) |
| PACE | 103.00 (20) |
Defensively, the Pelicans have been fine. They rank fifth in the NBA in defensive rating during the preseason and are in the top 10 in steals and blocks.
However, there are areas of concern. The Pels are in the league’s bottom half in every other significant defensive category. New Orleans’ lack of height certainly plays a part in the team ranking 23rd in defensive rebounding and 25th in defensive rebounding percentage.
The Pelicans have done a poor job of keeping teams away from the offensive glass, allowing 14.5 second-chance points.
Their transition defense has not been up to par either, with New Orleans allowing teams to score 22.0 points per game on the fast break.
On offense, the Pelicans have been unable to burn out any bulbs on the scoreboard. The absence of Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy has severely hampered the efforts to build continuity on that end of the floor.
Their 21.0 turnovers per game rank 27th in the NBA, and have led to opponents scoring 23.5 points per game off their miscues.
Green has made the three-pointer a point of emphasis, as the Pelicans target 40 attempts per game. But the Pelicans remain among the worst teams at taking and making shots from deep.
They haven’t even played that quickly, something they must do to be successful. The Pels have been one of the slowest teams in the NBA during the preseason. In the first half, when the starters have played most of their minutes, they rank 23rd in pace. The philosophical transition to a more uptempo offense has not been an easy one so far.
Of course, all preseason results must be taken with several grains of salt. However, the Pelicans must get off to a good start this season. The Western Conference is too deep for them to cede ground early and expect to make it up later.
So now, with Ingram expected to make his preseason debut, Green has to be expecting a good showing from his starters. They must open the game with energy and intensity. They have to make good decisions with the basketball and generate better shots. The Pelicans have to be fundamentally sound.
If they can’t do that for at least a few minutes against the Rockets, the start of the season may be bumpier than expected.
Most Recent Starting Lineups
| New Orleans Pelicans | Houston Rockets |
| G – Dejounte Murray | G – Fred VanVleet |
| G – CJ McCollum | G – Jalen Green |
| F – Herb Jones | F – Dillon Brooks |
| F – Zion Williamson | F – Jabari Smith Jr. |
| C – Daniel Theis | C – Alperen Sengun |
Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy III (hamstring strain) is OUT.
Houston Rockets: Tari Eason (rest) and Jock Landale (rest) are OUT.
Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Houston Rockets
Preseason Schedule:
- Oct. 7 – Pelicans def. Magic, 106-104
- Oct. 11 – at Orlando Magic, Cancelled
- Oct. 13 – Heat def. Pelicans, 101-99
- Oct. 15 – at Houston Rockets
Where: Toyota Center
When: Oct. 15, 7:00 PM CT
Where to watch: Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network
Where to listen: WWL Radio 870 AM/105.3 FM
For more content, visit HITP Sports on YouTube or HITP Sports online.
READ MORE
- Despite late rally, Pelicans fall to Heat 101-99
- After layoff, Pelicans return to court looking to build on success
- Pelicans waive pair, Trey Murphy gives injury update
- Zion Williamson shines, Pelicans open preseason with 106-104 win over Magic
- Pelicans open preseason against Magic looking to establish tempo
- Pelicans forward Trey Murphy excels as an outside shooter while protecting basketball
- Pelicans add wing depth with the signing of Javonte Green
- The first 10 games: Looking at the start of the Pelicans’ schedule
- Pelicans to face familiar foes in second edition of In-Season Tournament
- Murray Brings Both Upside And Risk To Pelicans
- Missi Could Break The Mold For Pelicans Bigs
- Pelicans Add Murray; Send Nance, Daniels, Picks To Hawks In First Big Trade Of The Offseason
- Pelicans Add Potential, Production With This Year’s Draft Picks
- Jordan Hawkins Is A Shooter In Need Of More Shots
- Has Jose Alvarado Peaked In Value, Or Can He Add More For The Pelicans’ Bench?
- After Career-Best Shooting Season, CJ McCollum’s Value To Pels Is Clear
- Zion’s Journey: Bittersweet Ending Can’t Diminish His Growth This Past Season
- Herb Jones is the Pelicans’ MVP: Most Versatile Player
