The New Orleans Pelicans are going into a three-games in four-nights situation against two tough NBA Western Conference contenders. First up for CJ McCollum and company is a visit to the reigning champion Denver Nuggets to battle that altitude. The Dallas Mavericks await a visit from the Pelicans less than 24 hours later. New Orleans then has a Sunday off before another matchup against Luka Doncic on Monday.
No worries, according to CJ McCollum. The Pelicans are already 2-0 on this road trip, having blown out the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. More importantly, almost everyone listed on the injury report has been upgraded to probable before tackling the tall task of stopping Nikola Jokic.
McCollum was speaking with more of the long-term in mind after beating Steph Curry by 33 points but the message of focusing on the core principles every game remained steadfast. The wording may change some through the course of the season but the execution must remain consistent. Holding to that standard will help this unproven team through tough times, whether it be the next four games or the next four weeks heading into the NBA's trade deadline.
“Stick to the basics one possession at a time. Communicate more effectively. Take advantage of our switch lineups where we can switch one through four, one through five,” McCollum detailed. “Then the biggest thing is getting the rebound. It's hard to guard guys in this league so when you get a stop you have to secure the rebound. Then you have to play with pace off of misses.”
McCollum's Pelicans learn lessons from missed chances
Do what CJ McCollum is prescribing and these Pelicans aren't on the fringes of the NBA Play-In Tournament talk but rather in the first place, home court throughout the playoffs conversation. McCollum knows those close losses matter, and could reel off the last month's worth after a big win.
“I think we've been (sticking to the principles) outside of that Laker game. I think we've got two losses where we probably shouldn't have. Well, call it three with Memphis, Memphis, and Houston. Then we lay an egg at home against the LA Clippers. Outside of that, we are playing great basketball. We've been consistent for over a month now and we want to continue to stack those days.”
Stack those days indeed. McCollum's stats are all near career-best marks. The 11-year pro listened to the coaching staff's new directives, and they in turn heard McCollum's suggestions to turn around a congested, constipated offense. Part of that process was working out the best shot diet and offensive hierarchy for the Pelicans' All-Stars. The other part was learning to take what the other often overmatched and outclassed teams would give away to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, at least according to McCollum.
“We have to take advantage of matchups, take advantage of opportunities,” McCollum stressed. “Some nights it's your night, some nights it's going to be somebody else. Whenever the game is bogged down or a team goes on a run, we know we can throw the ball inside and take advantage of the elite players we have on this roster.”
McCollum even got ahead of film study when describing the strategy the Pelicans leaned on to keep a comfortable lead against Golden State.
“In the third quarter, (Valanciunas) had great matchups so we tried to get some pick and roll to get (the Warriors) kind of moving. Then it's hit the pocket, allow him to finish or throw it in and let him go to work,” McCollum said. “In the fourth quarter, (Williamson) did a great job of controlling pace and finishing around the basket. He set some great screens, then rolled so we'd get some side-to-side movement.”
McCollum making things easier for Pelicans reserves
Those actions did more than just get the guys cashing big checks easy buckets. Players still on rookie deals and looking to make the most of any opportunity got in on the action as well.
“(That) got some flare screens for Trey (Murphy III) and some dribble hand-offs for (Jordan Hawkins),” McCollum shared. “That's what it's going to take for us to win games. Everybody has to be ready to contribute. Coaches have to continue giving us a great game plan and we've got to go execute it.”
Lastly, McCollum wants the Pelicans to keep the pedal to the metal regardless of opponent or score. Curry's Warriors were to receive no mercy and be given no reprieve from constant New Orleans energy. That's why Naji Marshall was pouring in points while up over 40 points with only three minutes left in a wire-to-wire road win. McCollum couldn't help but be satisfied with the total team effort.
“We wanted to get off to a good start. We wanted to be dominant the entire game,” McCollum noted. “It's more about the mentality, playing with force, and playing with pace.”
Though New Orleans has the fifth-best offense over the past 10 games, the defensive end is where Willie Green's group sets the tone. No one in a Pelicans jersey is excused from not buying in and bringing a workman-like attitude on the other end of the court. It's why they have the number-one-ranked defense over the same span.
Be Rude: Pelicans can't adjust their defensive attitude
The Big Easy is known for hospitality. These Pelicans need to ignore that and be downright rude in their defensive attitude. No offense to the offense but it's not the most important priority, to hear CJ McCollum tell it.
“Everything starts at the defensive end for us. We've been a good defensive team all year. We've been an elite defense for the last 40 days. We know for us to win games it comes down to defense, especially on the road,” McCollum admitted. “Offense you can figure it out. You can run pick-and-roll, you can run motion, you can run auto. We have a lot of options on offense, and a lot of players that can score. For us to be successful we've got to guard at a high level, have good game plan discipline, and respect the opponent. I think we've respected our opponents throughout (the streak).”
The Pelicans got that victory alright. New Orleans was looking at a very daunting January schedule but has made quick work of the five games of 2024. This team needs just one more win in the entire month to go into February with a winning record. They have only two games against sub-.500 squads and four home dates in the next 20 days. The Pelicans only have six home games between now and the end of the NBA All-Star break (Feb. 21).
In a sign the entire locker room is on the same page, Green and the players are starting to give similar answers to differently phrased questions. The message is clear and it's being wholly adopted by all. Trey Murphy agreed with McCollum on all accounts, especially regarding defense and the All-Star's energy.
“It really starts from the top guys….,” Murphy echoed. “They've really been sharing the ball a lot and getting everyone involved. You can see the joy everyone is playing with right now and it's really infectious. On the defensive end, we're getting stops and running, getting out in transition which is something we do at a really elite level. I think that's really what it boils down to.”
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