The New Orleans Pelicans nabbed their first win of the preseason. Anthony Davis stepped up to the plate with a monster game to seal the victory.
The New Orleans Pelicans got their first win of the preseason, defeating the Chicago Bulls 108 – 95.
Anthony Davis had a monster game of 37 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Granted, it was against a team they should have beaten in the preseason opener, but progress was definitely made.
This win for the New Orleans Pelicans gave the fans and the coaching staff an idea of how they could move forward to prepare for the regular season.
Adjustments had to be made after the losses they suffered against the Bulls and the Oklahoma City Thunder during the preseason. The key for this team is to work with the strengths they have with the players on their roster.
Quick Thoughts
DeMarcus Cousins filled in the shoes that Rajon Rondo left behind: being the team playmaker. Boogie stuffed the stat sheet with 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, but the key stat that should have Pelicans fans jumping for joy is that he racked up nine assists during the game.
It was clear during the start of the game that Cousins would be dictating the offense by stretching the floor with his shooting and passing. There were a few plays where he bullied the defense in the paint and passed the ball to a teammate cutting to the basket.
One play in particular early in the first quarter where Cousins nabbed the defensive rebound and lobbed the pass to a cutting Davis for an easy basket. Those type of sequences will be deadly if they play a recurring theme during the regular season.
Anthony Davis might have had a monster game by scoring 37 points, but shot 36.8 percent from the field. He settled for a lot of jumpers, taking 19 shots but only making seven of them, and that isn’t his bread and butter. Davis flipped the switch in the second half and attacked the basket by getting to the charity stripe and making 22 of his 23 free throw shots.
The key for Anthony Davis is to constantly attack the paint because he can’t be stopped if he doesn’t settle for jumpers or 3-point shots. He should leave that for DeMarcus Cousins, who can normally make the jump shots that Davis has constantly been missing the past few games.
Role Players
The role players really did step up in this game, especially Ian Clark and E’Twaun Moore. For Moore, he was slotted in the starting lineup and he did not disappoint. Moore had nine points, nine rebounds and two assists and was also constantly disruptive on the defensive end of the ball. His versatility by stretching the floor as a shooter and being an engaged defender will be critical, especially if the Pelicans want to slot him in the starting lineup to start the regular season.
The same could be said for Ian Clark, who was a +21 for the Pelicans on the floor. He had seven points and was playing buddy cop with DeMarcus Cousins on the playmaking part by dishing out seven assists for the game.
This type of production is what the New Orleans Pelicans were expecting out of one of their prized signees during the summer. The key for Ian Clark was to get consistent minutes off the bench in order for him to make an impact for his team.
Many fans have been clamoring for him to be a starter for this team, but that would be a mistake. His skill-set is suited for the bench as he’s been known to be a player who can get hot from downtown. If he can average 25 minutes as a bench player for the New Orleans Pelicans, he could be a dark horse for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Adjustments
One adjustment that the New Orleans Pelicans will need to think about before their final preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies is how to handle Rajon Rondo when he returns from a sports hernia that will force him to miss a month.
It was clear that the pace of the game was a bit quicker and the offense flowed more smoothly with Jrue Holiday running the point. He was constantly in attack mode while Cousins handled the play-making for the team. It would be suited for Rondo to come off the bench and have him run the bench against the opposing second units.
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It’s clear at this juncture that the Pelicans need their bench to have any sort of success during the season, especially if they want to make the playoffs. Will Alvin Gentry make that drastic move after what he saw in the Pelicans’ first win of the preseason?