Anyone around the New Orleans Pelicans for just a few hours will inevitably hear ‘Herb Jones First-Team All-Defense' at some point. The phrase comes out anywhere between an interview-interrupting whisper to a cross-gym shout.
Everyone knows where this locker room stands when it comes to the third-year defensive dynamo. Fans can even be forgiven for thinking ‘Herb Jones First-Team All-Defense' is one long Boondocks-inspired inside joke of a name.
Now in year three of being a Pelicans' fan-favorite, Jones won't talk about individual awards much. He's just glad fellow 2021 draft partner Trey Murphy III's shooting slump is over. However, the lead-by-example 25-year-old didn't mince words in letting the locker room know just how they can help out his NBA First-Team All-Defense and Defensive Player of the Year campaigns.
The Alabama alum sporting the well-earned Not on Herb moniker has simple answers to solve a fatal problem, especially when it comes to finishing possessions.
“Box out,” Jones stated flatly. “That's it. Box out.”
Jones was pressed to go into more detail.
“It's limiting the breakdowns. If you don't get beat off the dribble you won't be out of position. That way you give yourself a chance to box out and rebound. If you're scrambling all over the place it's going to be hard to find somebody (to box out).”
The Pelicans do not want to be scrambling for answers in the NBA Playoffs. Willie Green's coaching staff has continually insisted on a starting five sporting a negative net rating (as of March 2) whenever possible this season. Jonas Valanciunas and the Big Three of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum will not be mistaken for having defense-first games in any system. No worries for Green though. Herb has been heard loud and clear.
Pelicans getting out-worked on the boards
The stats say perhaps Green should have been screaming at a few lackadaisical rebounders earlier this season. Valanciunas is third overall in box-outs per game among players available for at least 45 games.
Raw numbers matter here as well and he has the most total box-outs this season. His 79 box-outs for offensive rebounds also lead the league. Valanciunas is sixth on the defensive end (107), right above Anthony Davis and Jarrett Allen. Valanciunas arguably replaced Davis and was rumored to be in a swap for Allen.
The rest of the team has been leaving the Lithuanian and Jones out to dry far too often. That trend helps explain how the Pelicans have let 17 double-digit leads turn into disappointing losses.
Zion Williamson is averaging a career-low in rebounds (5.5) and points (22.1). The scoring numbers have seen an uptick since the Point Zion philosophy was fully embraced. Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. are barely ahead of their rookie-year rebounding numbers.
Nance Jr. has been replacing Valanciunas to start some second halves. Green relegated Valanciunas to only seven minutes in a road loss to the Indianapolis Pacers. It could have been a rest day, and the starting nod was possibly given out of respect. Any further speculation was quelled when the Pelicans aced the Pacers at home in the back-to-back set rematch.
Nance Jr. however, leaves something to be desired. The Wyoming alum is shooting a career-high percentage from three-point range but not even averaging a box-out per half. He has been credited with 77 box-outs in 43 games this season.
It's in line with career averages but the role this season is different. The 31-year-old admits his bread and butter is rebounding. The Pelicans need him to get back to that calling card or they'll be toast against the better rebounding teams in the Western Conference.
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