Pelicans vs. Pacers Preview: Zion's Perfect Bounce Back Game?
Ten games are enough of a sample size to get a sense of where a team sits going into the busy holiday season. The New Orleans Pelicans have not won consecutive games since the season's first week. Willie Green's squad has also not lost twice in a row either. They will need to continue that streak on the road against the Indiana Pacers to maintain their winning record.
It's not all doom and gloom since that 2-0 start. Three of the team's four losses have come in overtime. Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum have had some underwhelming performances of late. Brandon Ingram missed time with a concussion. However, this team's identity is still coming into focus. Can the Pelicans get back on track and stay safely above .500?
- When: 6:45 PM CST
- Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN
- Watch: Bally Sports New Orleans
- Listen: WRNO 99.5 FM
The good news is Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are not listed on the injury report. Herb Jones is also back to full health. Only Kira Lewis Jr., E.J. Liddell, and Garrett Temple have been ruled out for tonight's game.
The bad news is the Pacers have the ball handlers to give Williamson real problems on the defensive end. Myles Turner and Jalen Smith are good enough to punish the Pelicans in the paint if Jonas Valanciunas gets overwhelmed without any help.
The Pacers are flirting with .500 ball and just notched a big win over the Miami Heat. However, they lost Chris Duarte in the process which means a heavier dose of Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton for New Orleans. Herb Jones versus Haliburton is shaping up to be a heavyweight fight in the backcourt.
The Pelicans will not have a spot to hide McCollum on defense. Ingram has taken his defensive effort to another level and should be able to outduel Hield. McCollum's assignment all depends on Indiana's replacement for Duarte. Seeing TJ McConnell at tipoff is likely, just so the Pacers keep Bennedict Mathurin in his sixth-man role.
Dyson Daniels (picked 8th overall) could get a chance to square up with Bennedict Mathurin (6th). Daniels has shown the defensive chops to eat up some more minutes. It might be needed. McCollum and Jose Alvarado just do not have the size to stop Mathurin, who is averaging 20.7 points off the bench by shooting 46% overall, 43% from beyond the arc, and better than 86% at the charity stripe.
New Orleans is a top-10 team based on Efficiency Ratings but there have been drop-offs. They were 3rd in Defensive Rebounding last year. This year the Pelicans have fallen to 13th overall. New Orleans is giving away points and it has led to several early timeouts from Willie Green.
Second-chance points allowed, from 7th to 14th, and fast break points allowed, 4th down to 22nd, are two key areas the team needs to address. New Orleans is actually allowing 7 more points in the paint per game this season, even with the additions of Williamson and Larry Nance Jr.
The recovery process gets easier soon. There will be way less time spent rushing to the bus and then the airplane. The Pelicans have a game in Chicago on Wednesday before returning to the Smoothie King Center for a six-game homestand.
Expected Starting Lineups:
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, TJ McConnell, Buddy Hield, Jalen Smith, Myles Turner
