We’re less than a month into the NBA season, and the New Orleans Pelicans are dangerously close to being out of playoff contention if they don’t turn around quickly.
That could be construed as a rash statement, but the Pelicans are — to steal a line from the James Bond movie “Spectre” — a kite dancing in a hurricane at the moment.
The Pelicans are 0-6. Their next two games are against Dallas and Atlanta, two teams that defeated New Orleans in the last week. Following those two games, the Pelicans play Toronto, a team off to a 5-2 start.
There’s plenty of time for New Orleans to right the ship, but the turnaround must start quickly because the Western Conference is always ultra-competitive. The Pelicans can’t afford to give themselves any more ground to make up because they might not be able to.
Now is the time for New Orleans to figure out how to get out of the hole it dug at the bottom of the Western Conference.
I believe it should start with the defense because the Pelicans have been woeful on that end of the court.
Opposing teams have put the rock in the hoop continuously against New Orleans. Allowing 114.7 points per game — dead last in the NBA — is not going to cut it. Somebody described the Pelicans’ defense as “saloon doors” to me, and I must agree.
Offensively, the Pelicans’ guard play needs to improve. Somebody needs to step up in the absence of Tyreke Evans and while Jrue Holiday’s minutes are limited.
Anthony Davis shook off a couple of poor performances and is beginning to look like his usual, dominant self. He’s averaging 25.2 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game and 2.8 blocks per game.
But Davis can’t afford any bad games while Omer Asik is sidelined with a calf injury.
People have talked up Davis as the second-best player in the NBA, and now is the time he must prove it. He must lift his team during this difficult period.
All the while, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry seems to have picked up where he left off in his last head coaching gig, when things went south in Phoenix.
Injuries or not, Gentry must have his team better prepared to play than it has been. His in-game coaching should improve, too.
New system or not, Gentry has to figure out how to get his players to play well for four complete quarters. The Pelicans have been good for long stretches and equally abysmal during others.
If New Orleans can just start to pick up a few wins, morale should improve. If the Pelicans can limit damage during the next few weeks, the return of Evans and Asik will be a massive boost, and Holiday’s minutes should increase.
A healthy Pelicans team could be a big threat to teams in the Western Conference, but this injured team must stay afloat or it will be too little too late by the time everyone is healed.
Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.