Category: Pelicans

Lonzo Ball says new jump shot feels more consistent

After spending the summer re-tooling his jump shot, Lonzo Ball feels more comfortable shooting the ball.

Lonzo Ball has digressed in nearly every statistical category this season, including, but not limited to, field goal percentage, rebounds per game, assists per game, steals per game and defensive rating. However, the one area he’s drastically improved is his 3-point percentage.

Through 16 games for the New Orleans Pelicans, Ball has shot 34% from 3-point range on 6.3 attempts per game. He’s still not an efficient 3-point shooter by any stretch of the imagination, but the progress is there thanks to the changes he made to his jump shot over the summer, and Ball feels it, too.

During an interview with Andrew Lopez of ESPN, Ball said that he’s more comfortable with the rhythm of his jump shot than he has been in the past:

“I think now my shot is just more consistent,” Ball said. “It feels the same throughout the game instead of how I had it last year when it was kind of adjusting throughout the game. It just comes with hard work. I’m going to keep working and hopefully [shooting percentages] will keep going up.”

The key for Ball continuing his improvement as a 3-point shooter will be getting live-game reps. Yes, getting shots up at practice will help, but the more he gets those shots in game situations, the better.

Luckily, Ball’s new head coach, Alvin Gentry, seems to want that for him, too.

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Pelicans vs. Bucks Preview: Kicking ’em while they’re down

The hits just keep coming for New Orleans as, in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, the team travels to league-best Milwaukee.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans at Milwaukee Bucks

When: Wednesday, Dec. 11, 9:30 p.m ET

Where: Fiserv Forum

How to watch: ESPN, Fox Sports New Orleans

The New Orleans Pelicans have not been at a lower point this season than the one they’re currently at. Fittingly, a trip to the best team in the Eastern Conference awaits them to only pile onto their misery.

While New Orleans is on a nine-game losing streak, Milwaukee is on a 15-game win streak. During the nine-game losing streak, the Pelicans are 28th in defensive rating, 26th in offensive rating and 28th in net rating. In that same span, Milwaukee is second in offensive rating, first in defensive rating and first in net rating.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has elevated his already MVP-level form this season, averaging 30.9 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per contest while playing fewer minutes per night than last season through the opening 24 games of the season.

This season, the Bucks take the third-most three-pointers per contest and have the best effective field goal percentage in the league. Defensively, the Bucks hold teams to the lowest effective field goal percentage in the league, though 27th in three-pointer percentage.

New Orleans could take advantage of that on the night as they take the fourth-most three-pointers in the league but only shoot the 11th-best three-point percentage in the league.

It’ll be a daunting task for the Pelicans no matter how it’s sliced as the team looks for an improbable win to stop its losing skid.

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Pelicans vs. Pistons Recap: The Good, the Bad and the Ball

Derrick Rose exploded in the fourth quarter and broke the hearts of New Orleans Pelicans fans in the process.

Derrick Rose was the difference for the Detroit Pistons in a tightly contested matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Here was the good, the bad and the Ball from the Pelicans’ 105-103 loss to the Pistons.

The Good: NOLA’s Interior Defense

Despite not having Zion Williamson or Derrick Favors for Monday night’s contest, the Pelicans were able to hold Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin to a combined 5-20 shooting from the field. Overall, the Pistons scored just 105 points, which is the third-least points they’ve allowed this season.

Brandon Ingram was also stellar, scoring a game-high 31 points on 11-21 shooting from the field, including 4-9 shooting from behind the arc.

Unfortunately, the combination of those two things wasn’t enough for the Pelicans to snap their nine-game losing streak. They came close, but Derrick Rose scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, including the crowd-silencing buzzer-beater.

The Bad: Free-throw shooting

The Pelicans missed seven of the 22 free throws they attempted Monday night. They lost by two. Do the math.

The Ball

In his first game back on the bench, Lonzo Ball tallied 6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and one turnover in 29:31. He looked a bit better on defense, but his overall offensive game is still rough.

Pelicans vs. Mavericks Recap: The good, the bad and the Ball

A stellar third quarter from the Dallas Mavericks blew open Saturday’s matinee match-up against the Pelicans as New Orleans dropped its eighth straight game, 130-84.

A stellar third quarter from the Dallas Mavericks blew open Saturday’s matinee match-up against the Pelicans as New Orleans dropped its eighth straight game, 130-84. The 46-point loss is the worst regular season loss in franchise history.

The good: Luka Doncic

It should go without saying that one of the leading MVP candidates was a highlight on the day but he went nuclear in the third period. He finished the night overall with 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds and took a 12-point halftime lead and blew it up to 38 points by the end of the third.

Doncic controlled the game on the offensive end unlike many sophomores ever have in the NBA. He’s a certified superstar who can take over a game and end it in a snap of a finger. Few players can do that in the league. New Orleans learned Doncic was one of those today.

Honorable mentions: Brandon Ingram, the start time of the game

The bad: Errr….everything?

It’s hard to pick one thing that was standout bad on the day. The Pelicans self-combusted in the third period, shot an impossible-to-believe 3-of-32 from three-point territory and shot 36 percent overall from the field.

Dallas, meanwhile, had no struggles. The Mavericks bench outscored the Pelicans 65-28 and had a lead as big as 50 points on the day. There was nothing not negative from the Pelicans on the day.

The Ball: Another disappointing shooting performance

After having arguably his best game as a Pelican, Lonzo Ball had one of his worst games, going 1-for-9 from the field and 0-for-7 from three. He finished with four points, four rebounds and two assists and had a plus-minus of -21, which, if you’re looking for small positives, was the best mark of anyone in the Pelicans starting lineup.

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Lonzo Ball says defense will help Pelicans break out of losing streak

Lonzo Ball pointed to the defensive end of the court as the main way to break out of its recent six-game losing streak.

The New Orleans Pelicans are stuck in a six-game losing streak and are a season-low nine games under .500. With the team looking for ways to break out of the streak, After practice on Wednesday, Lonzo Ball spoke to the media about how the team can snap out of its funk.

“It starts with defense first. We’re letting guys score too many points too easy. And then hopefully, we get in transition more. I feel like that’s where we’re best at. Get some more easy buckets and go from there.”

Over the six-game losing streak, the Pelicans rank 27th in defensive rating at 116.6. Compounding the problem is that the offense ranks 25th in that same span. Injuries have been a factor all season and have likely played a factor in the stretch but are not the sole reason.

As Ball and the Pelicans regain full health, though, it’ll be interesting to see if the team can overcome its struggles of late and go on a win streak to get back to .500 on the year.

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Pelicans vs. Suns Preview: What’s going to give for New Orleans?

The New Orleans Pelicans will be searching for their first win in December on Thursday.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Phoenix Suns

When: Thursday, Dec. 5, 8:00 p.m ET

Where: Smoothie King Center

How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans

With Aron Baynes and Deandre Ayton sidelined, the Phoenix Suns (9-11) have cooled off from their hot start and are one of five teams on the playoff bubble in the Western Conference.They’ll look to get a break in New Orleans on Thursday against a New Orleans Pelicans team that has lost their last six games and is 6-15 on the season.

The Pelicans will have other plans.

With most of the Pelicans’ rotation players returning to full health — sans Zion Williamson, who is still a few weeks away — they’re in prime position to upset Devin Booker and the Suns in New Orleans. However, in order for them to do that, their guard tandem of Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday has to live up to its reputation on the defensive end. Unfortunately, they haven’t done that on a consistent basis this season.

In 11 appearances together, the two-man lineup of Ball and Holiday have posted a defensive rating of 119.4 and a net rating of -15.5. It’s safe to say Pelicans executive of basketball operations David Griffin wasn’t expecting that when he acquired Ball in July.

The Pelicans will also be looking for more out of Ball offensively. Through 13 games, Ball has averaged 10.9 points per game on 37.3% shooting from the field, including 34.1% shooting from behind the arc. Remarkably, the former isn’t a career-low.

The Pelicans probably have enough offensive fire power with Brandon Ingram to punish the Suns’ small front court, but some insurance from their guards would be nice.

Tip-off is at 8 p.m. ET.

Pelicans vs. Mavericks Recap: The Good, the Bad and the Ball

The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t have an answer for Luka Doncic and dropped their sixth traight/

The New Orleans Pelicans are still looking for the first win of the month after losing to the Dallas Mavericks 118-97 at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday. The Pelicans are now 6-15 on the season.

Here was the good, the bad and the Ball from Tuesday’s game.

The Good: Luka Doncic

The Pelicans were the latest team to fail in their pursuit of slowing down second-year forward Luka Doncic. In just 28:29, Doncic scored a game-high 33 points on 9-18 shooting from the field, including 5-12 shooting from behind the arc. He also killed the Pelicans on the boards, grabbing 18 rebounds, more than the Pelicans’ two rebound leaders combined.

Saying he was “good” feels like a gross understatement.

The Bad: The Pelicans’ shooting

What’s been a strength of the Pelicans’ season failed them tonight, as they shot a lowly 26.8% from 3-point range on 41 attempts. Josh Hart led New Orleans in 3-point makes with three makes in six attempts. Jrue Holiday went 0-3 from behind the arc.

The Ball

Lonzo Ball ended his night with six points on 2-12 shooting from the field, including an abysmal 2-10 shooting from 3-point territory. The Pelicans allowed just 100 points per 100 possessions with Ball on the floor, but their offense was at its worst when he played. As a result, he ended the game with a -13.6 net rating.

The Pelicans will return to action on Thursday to take on the Phoenix Suns.

Pelicans vs. Mavericks Preview: Nearing full health, can New Orleans finally make a run?

With the team nearing full health, the Pelicans will be on the national stage on Tuesday against one of the early MVP favorites.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks

When: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m ET

Where: Smoothie King Center

How to watch: TNT

While the New Orleans Pelicans obviously still aren’t at full strength (come back soon Zion), they are nearing something close to full strength, While Derrick Favors (personal reasons) and Kenrich Williams (ankle) both remain out, the team has welcomed back the former Lakers into the fold and appear to be closing in on full strength once again.

However, this comes at a point when New Orleans is stuck in its worst rut of the season. Sunday’s loss to the Thunder was the fifth straight loss and second-in-a-row against Oklahoma City.

The struggles continue to come in close games against New Orleans. The Pelicans have played in 45 minutes that the NBA deems as “clutch” minutes, tied for sixth-most in the league. In clutch situations, New Orleans’ net rating of -35.2 ranks 28th with only the Spurs and Warriors worse this season, both in fewer minutes.

They’re also shooting 28.8 percent from the field in those minutes, ranking them 29th in the league. Going hand-in-hand with that, the Pelicans rank 30th in offensive rating in the clutch.

All those struggles heading into Tuesday’s game don’t even address the fact they’ll be going up against one of the best players in the game currently in Luka Doncic. In his sophomore campaign, Doncic is putting up MVP-caliber averages at 30.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 9.6 assists and has the Mavericks at 13-6 and in the top four in the Western Conference.

It all sets up for a particularly interesting night on national television for the Pelicans that could either be the start of a winning streak with a healthier roster or the continuing of recent struggles.

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Pelicans vs. Thunder: The Good, the Bad and the Ball

Lonzo Ball looked strong in his return for the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, but they were unable to pull out a win in Oklahoma City.

Despite their best effort, the New Orleans Pelicans extended their losing streak to five games with a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road on Sunday. Here was the good, the bad and the Ball from their 107-104 loss to OKC.

The Good: 3-point shooting

The Pelicans continued their hot streak from behind the arc on Sunday, shooting 44.7% from behind the arc on 38 attempts. Lonzo Ball made a team-high four 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick and Josh Hart made three each.

Without their 3-point shooting, the game wouldn’t have been as close as it was — especially with how easily Steven Adams was scoring against New Orleans’ depleted front court. Adams scored 17 points on  85.7% from the field. As a team, the Thunder scored 44 points in the paint to the Pelicans’ 34.

The Bad: Late-game execution

The Pelicans were in a great position to take the game to overtime, but a pair of mental lapses from Jrue Holiday and rookie Jaxson Hayes cost them the game. Holiday took his time to find a shot and while his basket went it, it left New Orleans with less than two seconds. Then, Hayes overplayed a ball that was going out of bounds.

Things like that are going to happen often for a young team. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, it happened at a crucial moment of the game.

The Ball

Lonzo Ball looked great in his first game back from a two-game absence. In 32:47, Ball scored 14 points on 5-11 shooting from the field, including 4-8 from behind the arc, to go along with seven assists, four rebounds and one block.

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Lonzo Ball to move back into starting lineup Sunday vs. Thunder

New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball will start in his return on Sunday.

After missing the last two games with a stomach virus, Lonzo Ball will make his return for the New Orleans Pelicans when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Smoothie King Center on Sunday.

Additionally, Ball will start for the first time since Nov. 8, according to Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry. It’s unclear who Ball will start in place of, but with both Kenrich Williams and Derrick Favors sidelined for Sunday’s matchup with the Thunder, expect Brandon Ingram to start at power forward alongside Jahlil Okafor, who Gentry said will start in place of rookie Jaxson Hayes. Jrue Holiday and JJ Redick will likely round out the starting lineup.

Ball has struggled to make impact on the Pelicans this season, in large part due to issues with his health, so hopefully Sunday is the start of a healthy rest of the season for the third-year point guard. If not, he could find himself on the bench once again when Derrick Favors and Zion Williamson eventually return.

The Pelicans and Thunder will tip-off at 5 p.m. EST.