This season is going to be a success for the New Orleans Pelicans regardless because they have a future superstar in rookie Zion Williamson and did quite well in the Anthony Davis trade with the Lakers. The Pelicans were 28-36 before the NBA season was postponed. Here’s an overview of their season. Here’s an overview of the New Orleans Pelicans 2020 season so far with NBA Odds and NBA Championship Odds.
NBA New Orleans Pelicans 2020 Season Analysis
New Orleans Pelicans Team Analysis
The Pelicans were making their final push for the playoffs when the league was suspended. New Orleans had won eight of its past 13 games and was looking at a favorable schedule over the league’s final month. In that span, Zion Williamson was averaging 25.9 points per game on 61.0% shooting, while Lonzo Ball was averaging 14.2 points while shooting 46.3% from deep.
This season almost is irrelevant because the Pelicans are on the rise behind the rookie Williamson and a breakout season from Brandon Ingram, part of the Anthony Davis trade from the Lakers. While New Orleans isn’t likely to reach the playoffs this summer, this is a potential powerhouse in two seasons.
Zion already is one of the most popular players in the NBA and showed his leadership by pledging to cover the salaries of all Smoothie King Center workers in New Orleans for 30 days following the NBA suspension: “My mother has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have,” Williamson said with his pledge. “These are the folks who make our games possible, creating the perfect environment for our fans and everyone involved in the organization. Unfortunately, many of them are still recovering from long term challenges created by Katrina, and now face the economic impact of the postponement of games because of the virus.” Very cool!
The rookie entered the NBA like a wrecking ball after suffering a preseason injury that required surgery and has not looked back. Williamson is averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds while thrilling crowds nightly with his highlight reel dunks. He is 17.3 points in the paint, ranked 2nd in the NBA; 4.4 second-chance points, ranked 4th in the NBA; and 4.2 fast-break points, ranked 6th in the NBA.
JJ Redick (hamstring) will likely be healthy by the time the season resumes, and that could mean a near-complete roster for New Orleans — outside of Darius Miller’s Achilles injury — for the first time all season. Redick was injured in late February and like to miss at least three weeks. He ranks 14th in the NBA in 3.0 three-pointers made per game and second in three-point field goal percentage (45.2).
New Orleans Pelicans Key Numbers & Key Players
Williamson became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to post 16 20-point games within their first 20 career games. Zion was the first teenager in NBA history to record three 30-point games in their first 15 career games. He needed the third-fewest total games played (14) needed for his first 10-game streak with 20 points, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Elvin Hayes (10 each) and George Mikan (11).
Zion had the 4th fewest games needed for his first career 30-point game, and the fastest since Allen Iverson (1996-97). Williamson also became the third player with seven 20-point games in his first 10 career games over the last 30 seasons, joining Grant Hill and Shaquille O’Neal, and the first player since Ron Harper (1986-87) to do it within his first 9 games.
Ingram was the likely Most Improved Player in the NBA. Ingram was on pace this season to cement career-highs in points (24.3), 3-point shooting (38.7%), rebounds (6.3), assists (4.3) and minutes (34.8). After posting at least 17 points, five rebounds and five assists in a combined seven games through his first three NBA seasons, Ingram accomplished that feat 17 times this season.
In the 17 games that the Pelicans have started Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Ingram, Williamson and Derrick Favors, that line has shown it can be among the best in the league. That group holds an offensive rating of 117.9, which is the 11th best five-man lineup in the NBA with at least 100 minutes together and would rank 2.0 points higher than the best ranked offensive team in the NBA (Dallas – 115.9).
Those five hold a defensive rating of 91.6, which is the 2nd best five-man lineup in the NBA that has played at least 100 minutes together, and is 10.0 points lower than the best ranked defensive team in the NBA (Milwaukee – 101.6).
Their net rating of 26.3, which is the 2nd best among five-man lineups with at least 100 minutes played together, and is 15.6 points higher than the highest rated net rating for teams in the NBA (Milwaukee – 10.7
New Orleans Pelicans Playoffs panorama and Championship Odds
If the playoffs started today, the Pelicans would not be in the field. New Orleans, which is 3.5 games behind No. 8 Memphis in the West, is +10000 to win an NBA title.
