Pelicans Defensive Effort Praised By Coach

Pelicans fans have a lot to be hopeful for, with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, and Jonas Valanciunas leading the team to a 2-0 start to the season. The franchise had a strong start in the 2007-08 season, winning their first four games. There is speculation whether this current team can match or even surpass the achievements of the Hornets (56-26) squad, which finished first in the Southwest division and second in the Western Conference.

Willie Green's team possesses both skill and a strong roster, but it is crucial for them to remain in good health, as always. New Orleans' ability to perform well during the early part of this season can be attributed partially to their defensive abilities.

"Just multiple effort," Green said. "We were flying around, contesting shots in the paint, having each other's backs. We can do a better job of rebounding the ball, but for the most part, that's the defense that we want to see night in and night out."

PELICANS DEFENSE vs. NEW YORK

Defensive star Herb Jones tied a career-high with three blocks to go along with 10 points, two boards, and one assist.
The Pelicans held New York to 33-of-90 (.367) from the floor and 7-of-37 (.189) from behind the arc.
The Knicks turned the ball over seven times in the first frame, which led to 13 points for the Pelicans.
Brandon Ingram and Pelicans forwards held Julius Randle to 4-of-15 (.266) from the field, and 0-of-5 from behind the arc.
Knicks turnovers: 18

"Yeah, especially in the first half, just a lot of turnovers, definitely. Just getting easy baskets. At the end of the day, they still only

scored 96 points. So, it's not like it was something crazy. I think turnovers really hurt us," Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said about his team's turnovers.

Willie Green expressed his thoughts about how well his team played on defense and how the crowd at Smoothie King Center positively influenced their victory.

"It's the crib. This is our house, and we have to protect it. The energy is always great in here. I am glad that we could deliver a win in the home opener," Green told the media in his postgame interview.

The New Orleans Pelicans (2-0) must maintain a strong defensive strategy when facing the Golden State Warriors (1-1) in their upcoming game. There is uncertainty surrounding Stephen Curry's availability for Sunday's match against Houston due to a foot injury. Additionally, he may also miss Monday's game in New Orleans. Curry has been performing exceptionally well, averaging 34.0 points, 2.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in the two games. CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, and the Pelicans guards will face a challenging task in trying to defend against Curry, who has an impressive 45.8% accuracy rate from 3-point range.