Pelicans' Keys to Defeat the Spurs
Eighty-two games have been played this NBA season, but none more important than the next game for the Pelicans. The next game will decide whether they stay alive or start their vacation plans.
The regular-season series with the Spurs wasn't too kind for the Pelicans as San Antonio took 3 of 4 games against the Pelicans, including 2 in New Orleans. If the Pelicans want to buck that trend, there are two key things they need to execute to secure victory.
Board Man Gets Paid
The line made famous by Kawhi Leonard in college needs to resonate on Wednesday for the Pelicans to win. Leonard once explained the meaning of the statement, "I used to say that back when I was in high school and college. You know, just wanting to get to this league," Leonard said. "It's about working hard, basically, outworking the opponent. Rebounds help you win games. Big rebounds, offensive rebounds, limiting the team to one shot, which used to be our motto."
The four games this season between these teams have proven this trend true. In three of the four games, the team that has won the rebounding battle has won the game. The only anomaly was a Spurs win in which the Pelicans won the rebounding battle. The story in that game was that the Spurs shot over 50% from the field and knocked down 14 3-pointers so there weren't many chances to rebound the basketball.
Securing the rebound is the last step to completing a defensive possession. The Pelicans should look no further than the last time these two teams got together to see the deciding factor.
In the 107-103 Spurs victory last month, the Spurs had 16 offensive rebounds, leading to 22 second-chance points for San Antonio. This season, the Spurs have had double-digit offensive rebounds in 3 of the 4 meetings.
3 & D
The Pelicans' bigs and guards make the team rebounding paramount to finishing off defensive possessions or extending offensive possessions for themselves. Easier said than done as the Spurs rank 7th in the league in rebounding per game.
There's no way to put it kindly. The Pelicans aren't an excellent 3-point shooting team. They rank 27th in the league in 3-point percentage and 28th in 3's made per game.
The last few games have almost been rock bottom for the team this season. They were a woeful 6 of 30 (20%) from beyond the arc in the Memphis blowout. The worst part Memphis was 18 of 35 (51%). Similar story in the Golden State game.
It's one thing not to shoot it well, but when you give up high opponent percentages, that is a recipe for disaster. The Pelicans rank 26th in the league in opponent 3-point percentage, so the disparity in a winner-take-all game may be the deciding factor.
The Spurs are not great 3-point shooting team themselves by any stretch, but they have had some success against the Pelicans this year. We referenced above the 14 made 3-pointer game earlier this year.
One would expect the Spurs to employ some zone defense schemes to clog the lane and make the Pelicans make shots from a distance, especially from the corners. The Pelicans are only shooting 30% from 3-point corners versus the Spurs this season, which would rank 21st in the league.
With the trapping pick & rolls and match-up zones, the Spurs will indeed implement, guys like Devonte' Graham, Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones must be ready and willing to knock down shots when called upon. Conversely, the Pelicans must communicate well on defensive rotations and close out on shooters hard.
It may be unfair that after 82 challenging, grueling games, the season comes down to this. The New Orleans Pelicans know who they are and what to expect from the San Antonio Spurs. The only lingering question is who can execute best for 48 minutes to keep their season alive.
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