New Orleans Pelicans: Offense Improving
By Owen Sanborn
Let’s face it, the Los Angeles Lakers are capable of fixing any offensive inefficiency and Wednesday night was no different for the Pelicans. Entering Wednesday night’s game, Los Angeles ranked dead last in the league at opponent’s points per game (111.5) and opponent’s field goal percentage (49.8 percent!!!!!).
Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans were able to take advantage of the Lakers defensive shortcomings by taking a page out of the Cavaliers playbook. They utilized motion principles that forced the ball to move crisply and opened up driving lanes to attack the likes of Jordan Hill at the rim.
After having a stagnant offense just last week against the Memphis Grizzlies, seeing this kind of improvement (albeit against the lowly Lakers) is encouraging.
Notice the beautiful set up and continuity of the players during the initial possession of the game for New Orleans:
Jrue Holiday trots his way to the top of the arc before dumping it down low to Anthony Davis at the left elbow (one of his most lethal places of operation). From there, Davis sizes up Jordan Hill before darting to the left to execute a dribble handoff/pick with Eric Gordon.
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While this is happening, Jrue Holiday cuts through the lane and gets just enough of Carlos Boozer to allow Omer Asik to freely lumber himself over to Gordon and set a second screen for Kobe Bryant to fight through. Gordon then makes the proper pocket pass to the rolling Asik, but it somehow gets tipped by the usually defensively challenged Boozer.
The possession results in a turnover, but holy hell was this a beautiful way to open up a game.
In the recent past, I have marveled at the way that Rick Carlisle and his staff creatively find ways to get Dirk Nowitzki open shots and was hoping that Monty Williams would be able to do the same for Anthony Davis at some point.
Although there is still a long way to go on that front, there was a sequence last night that got me all giddy.
While again using the dribble handoff method, Omer Asik is able to facilitate the offense and propel Davis into the painted area. Around the two second mark of the video, you will notice Luke Babbitt (that’s right, LUKE BABBITT!) screening two Lakers at once, giving Davis optimal room to operate.
Getting Davis a running start is simply not fair to opposing big men that already have a challenge keeping up with him. Carlos Boozer has no chance as he is a step slow for the accelerating Davis.
Jeremy Lin is the last line of defense for the Lakers because of Asik’s presence in the short corner, and he chooses to stand out in no man’s land rather than attempt to either help Boozer or make a play on the ball. Lin’s aloof nature naturally leaves a wide open passing lane for Davis to hit Holiday for the lay up.
All game long, New Orleans was able to hit big men rolling towards the basket by executing plays similar to the ones above. In the third quarter, they saved a special little piece of basketball poetry for Los Angeles and unleashed it when they were least expecting it.
I had to re-watch this play a solid five times to really appreciate all that was happening in such a short period of time.
Omer Asik again does his best Andrew Bogut impression and sizes up his defender at the top of the key before gingerly dribbling left and handing the ball off to Tyreke Evans, who started the play underneath the basket as a screener for Jrue Holiday.
As Evans receives the ball, Holiday (after wheeling around the court) is there to take yet another dribble handoff and set up the same type of scenario as the aforementioned first play of the game that resulted in a turnover.
Having seen this kind of action all night, Lakers forward Wesley Johnson aggressively cuts off Asik’s roll towards the basket, but leaves Tyreke Evans alone for a wide open three in the process. Holiday wants to make the pass to Asik (which explains the little hitch in his passing motion), but is heady enough to recognize Johnson’s presence and zips the ball over to Evans.
Plays like this really get the basketball nerd juices flowing.
Again, I am aware that the Lakers are a dreadful bunch on defense so we all should take each of these plays with a grain of salt. Having said that, it is still nice to see this kind of offense being put into action by the Pellies and something that I hope continues going forward.
Getting away from relying on awkward isolation packages and incorporating more ball movement will be a solid recipe for staking claim to a playoff spot in the bloodbath Western Conference.