Jonas Valanciunas Proves Playoff Value
New Orleans, LA- The addition of Zion Williamson to the rotations has negated some of what Jonas Valanciunas does well. The Lithuanian big man's duties down low were encroached upon by Williamson, a generational talent who needs the space to operate. The value of Valanciunas seemed to be lessened this season and some of the Smoothie King Center's most loyal fans were glancing at the trade machines.
No one could take their eyes off of Valanciunas last night in the brutal home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The defeat extended the New Orleans losing streak to four games but the front office got to see just how much Jonas can provide going forward. The Pelicans’ offensive hierarchy revolves around Williamson and Brandon Ingram. However, Valanciunas can be a hub for the team in certain matchups.
Valanciunas dropped 37 points and 18 rebounds on 14-24 shooting from the field and 7-10 from deep. He soldiered on for 37 minutes to try and keep the game close enough for head coach Willie Green's finishing five to have a chance. Valanciunas became the first player in NBA history to tally at least 37-plus points, 18-plus boards, and 7-plus triples in a single game.
Valanciunas got some extra opportunities not only because of a hot start to the night but also because Larry Nance Jr. was ruled out due to an Achilles injury. It just was not enough as the Pelicans lost 128-119. Still, Valanciunas was active on both ends of the court and served as a playmaking hub for CJ McCollum to work around.
There was space for the Pelicans to work inside and out against the Bucks. Averaging 13.7 points with 9.3 rebounds per game on the season, Valanciunas' minutes have fluctuated but the veteran has stuck to playing his well-respected game. The coaching staff will protect him in certain matchups, but in others like against the Bucks, the veteran will get some extra run.
Hitting six threes in the first half just led to more encouragement for the big man with the hot hand. The same development path led to Milwaukee's Brook Lopez (30 points, 7 rebounds) becoming the starting center for an NBA Finals team and a championship ring.
Valanciunas admitted, “I think spacing is the biggest key for us. We have so many great scorers on the court, so we’re just finding the spacing. Being out of the way is sometimes the best thing you can do. We’re still working on finding our spots, especially with Zion (Williamson), and getting to know each other on the court. It’s going to be a process, but we’re moving in the right direction."
McCollum showed his appreciation and even encouraged Valancuinas to be more of a shooter going forward, explaining, “I knew they were going to be in a drop most of the night, so his pops were going to be open. He was aggressive, and he didn’t hesitate. He took the shots that were there, and he played a great game for us tonight. It was a shame he played so well, and we weren’t able to come up with a win, but I think it will be good for him going forward to trust that jumper and let it go.”
Coach Green said after the loss, “I thought JV (Jonas Valančiūnas) was great. He followed the game plan. He knew that they were going to be helping off of him and he was going to have his open looks. He took shots and knocked them down. Unfortunately, it wasn't in the winning effort for us, but a really good game for JV.”
Valanciunas is a great asset to have both on the trade market and during a playoff run. The only other big men better in a clutch situation are MVP candidates like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. Any hypothetical moves for a Myles Turner, Nikola Vucevic, and Bam Adebayo would give the Pelicans a different look but many of the same rotational and usage issues would remain.
This front office does not seem like the type to make a lateral move, at best, just because they want to tinker. Kristaps Porzingis is also known as a shooter. Adebayo can play defense. At full health, Jonas is a luxury piece on both ends of the court, and one for which many teams do not have an answer.
Green agreed that “It’s a luxury to have JV (Jonas Valančiūnas), he’s a pro, he doesn't miss pretty much anything in practice, shoot-around, games, whatever it is. He’s a guy that is always available in the sense that he just guts it out. Grinds through everything. And then being able to settle us down, throwing the ball in the post to him and JV is making the right plays whether it’s in the post or the perimeter. I thought tonight he did an excellent job in his decision-making, his ability to make shots on the perimeter was evident tonight.”
Valanciunas cannot change up every game on a whim but he can help swing a playoff series or two. It's been a tough two months of adjusting to working around Zion Williamson's gravity but Valanciunas is finding his footing in his second season in Willie Green's system. This is just a one-game sample that his value to the team in games that matter is far more than it is in the trade market.
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