LOS ANGELES – New Orleans had a vision for what its projected starting five might be capable of doing this season, but the Pelicans had to wait 44 games for the group to finally get on the court together. Since Zion Williamson made his NBA debut Jan. 22, the group has begun living up to the potential many believed it had back in the fall.
With 10 games in the books, the quintet of Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Williamson and Derrick Favors is putting up gaudy numbers, as one of the league’s premier lineups through 10 games and 120 minutes together. The Pelicans’ starters are scoring 117.0 points per 100 possessions, while only allowing 92.8, both elite figures that add up to a net rating of plus-24.2. New Orleans (25-32) and its first string will be tested Tuesday, when it faces the Lakers (43-12) and its starting group featuring LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“My (initial) impressions are great,” Williamson said after Tuesday’s shootaround in Staples Center of the starting lineup he joined last month. “Jrue can snap (and erupt offensively) at any time. B.I. can snap at any time. Fave is just so consistent – you’ve got to respect it. We started off a little shaky trying to figure out each other, but we’re picking it up, especially on the defensive end. We’re really improved there.”
Despite having a rookie and two other younger players in the mix, the defensive end is where NOLA’s starters have shone the most brightly. Among the team’s eight five-man lineups that have logged at least 50 minutes together, the first-unit quintet’s aforementioned defensive rating of 92.8 is 8.0 points better than any other combination. The Pelicans have two groups that have been slightly better offensively, topped by a 120.2 rating from Holiday, Ingram, JJ Redick, Josh Hart and Jaxson Hayes.
Other notes from shootaround in Southern California:
New Orleans opened this season 1-7 and endured a 13-game losing streak in November/December, but the adversity may have brought one benefit. As Holiday noted, it has made the Pelicans a stronger team and helped improve their cohesiveness on the court, particularly after dealing with such rough stretches as a group.
“Going through the struggle, really, and figuring out our identity and how we want to play, building chemistry that way,” Holiday said, when asked what led to New Orleans playing so well together in recent months. “When you come out of the bottom together, it makes it a lot easier on the way to the top. It’s been really, really fun (to experience the turnaround).” …
Leading into his first matchup against the Lakers and James, Williamson was asked to comment on the influence James had on his career, but 2019’s No. 1 overall draft pick opted to defer those kinds of questions on 2003’s top pick until after Tuesday’s game.
“Honestly, can we ask those questions after the game?” Williamson responded. “My main focus right now is trying to help my team get a win. I’ll tell you what LeBron and all of those other great players meant (to me) after (the game).” …
New Orleans is leading the NBA in assist percentage in February at 71.3.
“It’s great,” Williamson said of the Pelicans’ pass-first approach. “It definitely shows we’re moving the ball. Everybody’s unselfish. I think it makes us a better team.”
Holiday: “It’s been really fun. Thirty-plus assists almost every night. Everybody gets a feel, everybody gets a touch. From there, everybody stays happy. It’s fun. We have a good chemistry and great character on this team. Sometimes we might even pass a little bit too much, but I’d rather have that problem (than not enough passing).”
