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New Orleans Pelicans Lose To Atlanta Hawks, 93-87

By Owen Sanborn

Oct 6, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) pokes New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) in the face in a battle for a loose ball during the second half at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Pelicans 93-87. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 6, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) pokes New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) in the face in a battle for a loose ball during the second half at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Pelicans 93-87. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a 98-86 victory over the defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat on Saturday, the New Orleans Pelicans took a 93-87 loss against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. It was predictably a low scoring game given that it is still early on in the preseason and the playing time of the starters are usually limited.

There were plenty of bright spots on the floor on the night, but none shined brighter than Ryan Anderson for the Pelicans. He shot 4-of-8 from 3-point land on his way to a 14-point, six-rebound night in only 25 minutes played. Anderson, who missed most of last season because of season-ending neck surgery, is working his way back to becoming the stretch-forward force that the Pelicans lacked last season. It appears that his shooting touch is well on its way to being back into midseason form.

Another thing to keep an eye on as the preseason moves forward is who starts at the small forward spot during the absence of Tyreke Evans with a hamstring injury. Darius Miller has gotten first dibs against the Heat on Saturday and then again last night against the Hawks. However, after playing 32 minutes on Saturday, he only logged eight minutes Monday night.

Is there an explanation for this? Maybe.

Luke Babbitt, seemingly the other candidate to start at small forward (a John Salmons resurgence notwithstanding) logged 27 minutes while making five 3s on Saturday. Last night, he played 17 minutes but had a rough night of shooting, going 0-for-6 from the floor. Figuring out the correct direction to go at the small forward position could be key without the presence of Evans for the near future.

New Orleans’ “Big 3” (Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and Eric Gordon) all played a scripted 25 minutes in the loss, but had a forgettable night of shooting, going 14-for-36 from the field combined. The important thing though is that they are getting valuable time on the floor together, which was a rarity last season.

The fact that Jrue Holiday is getting through these games without any setbacks is a welcomed sight because the offense will need his playmaking abilities as the season approaches. New Orleans just wants to make it through the preseason unscathed of the dreaded injury bug.

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Omer Asik looked to be fitting in well with the squad in his first extended action (19 minutes) as a Pelican. He hauled in 12 rebounds and contributed solid rim protection with one blocked shot. If Asik can roam the low block and contribute on the offensive glass, that will go a long way towards creating valuable second chance opportunities on the offensive end. Plus, dealing with him and Davis on the defensive end of the floor is going to be a nightmare.

One more interesting note was that Austin Rivers tied for the team lead in minutes with 25. It seems that coach Monty Williams was giving Rivers an opportunity to showcase his skills and attempt to enhance his role on the team, but Austin didn’t answer the bell. He shot 1-of-8 from the field and only contributed four points.

Jimmer Fredette (coming off a 17-point effort against the Heat) scored 10 points in nine fewer minutes than Rivers. If I were a betting man (which I am)  I would assume that Fredette will get more run than Rivers at the start of the season.

Next up for the Pelicans are the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

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