Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans have discovered a formula that's breathing new life into the James Borrego-led locker room. Getting Herb Jones back in the fold allowed for a shift to a supersized starting lineup built around Williamson and Trey Murphy III's strengths. Derik Queen has been doing what's comfortable and limiting mistakes, while Saddiq Bey shines as the third offensive option.
That led to the basement dwellers eeking out three wins in the last seven games. It's perhaps the Big Easy's best stretch of basketball in 16 months. So, with apologies to those grumbling about a relatively quiet NBA Trade Deadline, Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver have some encouraging data to support sticking with the status quo. Borrego, who is 3-4 over the last seven games, can even be forgiven for boasting about improvements across the board.
“The defense has moved significantly,” Borrego began. “It's more switchable. It's more size, more physicality on the ball. I think at the point of attack, we're just better at the point of attack. We're more physical and aggressive there, more size on the floor. We're more switchable, so we don't have to stay in coverages.”
“We have four guys, if not five guys, that are switchable that can stay in front of the ball,” added Borrego. “So, we're containing the ball more. And then I think obviously, as long as we're not turning it over, that group's not turning it over. So, we're getting our half-court defense set, which allows us to guard. So, in general, more physicality, more size, more protection of the rim and the paint.”
Ball security has been paramount to the transformation, a good sign that Borrego's schemes are starting to stick. Since implementing the new starting lineup, the Pelicans have committed just 10.1 turnovers per game (1st), a dramatic improvement from their season average of 14.1 (9th). That's essentially one fewer mistake per quarter, and the impact extends far beyond the box score.
Pelicans protecting the nest
Those extra possessions have translated to fewer easy opportunities for opponents. New Orleans was allowing 18.2 points off turnovers per game (18th) this season. Over the last seven games, that number has plummeted to 13.9 (3rd). The benefits extend beyond ball handling. The Pelicans, traditionally a middle-of-the-pack rebounding squad at 43.7 boards per game (17th), have surged to 45.9 rebounds over the recent stretch (10th).
Rim protection has improved dramatically as well. Opponents were averaging 52.7 points in the paint (24th) against New Orleans this season, but that figure has dropped to 44.3 over the last seven games (6th). The Pelicans are now averaging 6.1 blocks per game (5th) during this stretch, a significant jump from their season mark of 4.7 (18th).
The team's active hands have remained a constant strength. Steals were already at a top-10 level at 9.0 per game (9th) this season, and they've maintained that production at 9.4 (10th). Progress is apparent past the traditional stats as well. Defensive Rating saw a four-point jump from 27th (118.4) to 17th (114.3). That correlates with a ten-spot move up in Opponent Effective Field Goal Percentage, going from 56.4 (28th) to 54.4% (18th).
Whether the supersized lineup is a long-term solution remains an open question, particularly against elite shooting teams that can stretch the floor. Still, in a season searching for structure, Borrego’s commitment to size and simplicity has at least given Zion Williamson's Pelicans a defensive baseline to build on moving forward.
