New Orleans Pelicans: Defensive Struggles Start Outside
By Owen Sanborn
Entering Tuesday night’s semi-meaningful match up with the Phoenix Suns, the New Orleans Pelicans are far from a defensive juggernaut. Hell, they aren’t even playing at a respectable defensive pace right now.
They are giving up a putrid 106.9 points per 100 possessions per NBA.com, putting them within similar company as the Lakers, Knicks, Jazz and Timberwolves — who have all been punchlines on the defensive side of things so far this season.
Media pundits clamored that New Orleans would at the very least be a middle of the pack defensive team with enough offensive ability to have random flurries of scoring runs. The acquisition of Omer Asik would allow Anthony Davis to primarily slide to power forward and give the Pelicans two long-armed specimens to control the painted area.
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Well, so far that has narrative has failed to play out as scripted as the Pelicans have given up 19.9 field goal makes within five feet of the basket per game; the second-worst mark in the league and only 0.1 off of the pace that the Timberwolves have set.
Some of the blame for that scary number has to be put on the big guys’ inability to protect the paint as well as it was assumed they would. However, I would argue that most of the blame for the lack of paint protection has to do with what is happening along the perimeter.
Time and time again opposing guards are penetrating into the teeth of the Pelicans defense, forcing the bigs to come over and help (or not even help at all), and create easy scoring chances deep within the painted area. This was a significant reason why the Pelicans fell in defeat against the Pacers and Bulls recently.
Here’s a good example of guard penetration, a lack of defensive rotation and a resulting easy lay in courtesy of Derrick Rose doing Derrick Rose things:
Breakdowns such as these are too common for the Pelicans, especially within the half court. Zach Lowe expertly pointed out some of their defensive shortcomings during his column last week and he made some great observations as usual.
Ryan Anderson has never been known as a defensive stopper by any means, but he has struggled even more than usual so far this season. Lineups that sport Anderson and Davis in the front court tend to blitz opposing teams on the offensive end, but are highly susceptible to easy shots for opposing guards with the ability to penetrate.
Cough cough, like the three-headed monster of Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas.
Most of these breakdowns are the result of a young team that will occasionally lack the focus needed to be a superior defensive team. Being a good team defense is more reliant on effort rather than skill. Rotations need to be crisp and in sync. Communication is key and hopefully something that New Orleans can continue to grow on.
These things will simply take time.