The New Orleans Pelicans have had a rollercoaster ride over the first 35 games of the 2023-24 NBA season. Their up-and-down experience is starting to stabilize, however. The locked-in locker room got a boost with the return of Larry Nance Jr. to the rotation and the offense has been firing on all cylinders.
Furthermore, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have fully bought into head coach Willie Green's defensive approach to build a sturdy foundation and it's been paying off for weeks.
Credit a renewed focus on defense is for why the Pelicans are surging up the Western Conference standings though, according to several key members of the team. The Pelicans (21-14) needed time and a few tough setbacks to find their footing but they could always fall back on core defensive principles. They are now 9-3 over the past dozen games.
“It starts on the defensive end for us,” Nance Jr. stressed after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves. “We've got guys who can score 20 in their sleep. The offense is going to come easy for us, that's not a problem. The defensive end is where we've got to hang our hat and take pride in…B.I. has been a catalyst of a lot of our defensive stops. His steals and blocks have been super impressive. What more could you want from your guy?”
Likewise, Green needed time to find an in-game coaching voice after over a decade of playing in the NBA. It did not take long to implement a defensive-first attitude in the Pelicans practice gym though. The approach is paying off after a 4-6 start to the season which required a special team meeting in early November.
“We've all been locked in and connected on the defensive end,” Williamson said of the in-form Pelicans. “It leads to better things for us on the offensive end.”
Pelicans push forward
Nance Jr. recently expounded on the habits of great teams, and how no championship squad has ever peaked in January. The Pelicans are on a great run but admit there is still room for improvement.
Finding the optimal rotations between now and the trade deadline is critical, if only so the team knows what else it needs to win a playoff series (or four). But those are worries for another day. The current task is simple and the effort is encouraging, per Green.
“We're getting better and better. We're improving for sure and that's the goal.” Green said before playing the Brooklyn Nets on January 2. “Continue to be honest with each other, hold each other accountable. Get on the floor at practice, work on things, watch the film, see areas that we like, and maybe see some areas where we can improve. To their credit, (Williamson and Ingram) are putting the work in. We're just starting to see it.”
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