There likely will be both objective and subjective ways to measure the conditioning levels of NBA players and teams when scrimmages begin Wednesday in Orlando, but for New Orleans, one tangible statistic in its matchup vs. Brooklyn could be fast-break points. The Pelicans rank fifth in 2019-20 among the 30 clubs in that category, generating 17.2 per game, aided by the fact that they also play at the league’s second-fastest pace (behind only Milwaukee).
Following Wednesday’s shootaround, forward Brandon Ingram noted that regaining that style of play – after four-plus months of no game competition – was an emphasis all July.
“That was the focal point in practice every single day,” the first-time All-Star said. “Every practice we got up and down (the court), going against each other every single day, 5-on-5 or 4-on-4. That’s basically what we’ve been harping on, trying to play at a fast pace every game, but playing smart.”
Working in New Orleans’ favor is the fact that it already played 64 games of the regular season and was able to mostly use the same lineup and rotation for the final 20-ish contests. Of course, power forward Zion Williamson will not play Wednesday, but the Pelicans played the first 44 games without him.
“I think because we went through three-quarters of the season, we knew what to expect,” guard Jrue Holiday said of already having a philosophy and plan of attack in place. “(Right now is) more so just getting your conditioning up. It’s a lot of running, a lot of basketball, to try to get your wind and your legs under you.” …
Other notes from shootaround:
It remains TBD in terms of who will start in place of Williamson. Asked where he is starting at forward tonight, Ingram replied, “I’m not sure what position I’m going to be playing. We’re just going to focus on us, trying to get better on the offensive and defensive end. Try to get some shots up, get our feet under us and our conditioning up.” …
Holiday on looking forward to some intersquad competition: “Just to play against another team. Just to see something different, something new. The pace of game is going to be different, the adrenaline. We’re just trying to get that out of our system early.”
Brooklyn scouting report/what’s at stake in Orlando
No NBA team among the 22 clubs invited to the restart enters with a more decimated roster than the Nets, who are playing without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan and Wilson Chandler, a five-man group that could do some damage on its own if it were healthy. Caris LeVert (17.7 ppg) now becomes the likely go-to guy for Brooklyn, the only remaining player who is averaging more than 14 points per game. For offensive punch, the Nets recently signed longtime NBA supersub Jamal Crawford, while also adding former New Orleans forward Lance Thomas.
In terms of objectives in Central Florida, Brooklyn (30-34) should be targeting the No. 7 seed, which would allow it to likely avoid NBA-leading Milwaukee in the first round of the East playoffs. The Nets also can skip participating in the 8-9 play-in round simply by remaining more than four games ahead of ninth-place Washington (24-40), which trails Brooklyn by six games. The Nets and Wizards face each other Aug. 2.
