The right personnel is needed to play at a fast pace in the NBA. For a team to play with high tempo, it must boast speedy guards, athletic wings and good team rebounding.
A team filled with youth, the New Orleans Pelicans are one of few squads that are built to run.
Lonzo Ball can race up the floor in an instant, and so can Zion Williamson, one of the most athletic players the league has seen in the past five years. The Pelicans rank eighth in defensive rebounds per game (35.8), and with them gaining possession from the glass, they can get out on the break easier and faster.
According to Michael Pina of SB Nation, the Pelicans are averaging 15.62 seconds per offensive possession this season after a made field goal. Per Pina, this number makes New Orleans the fastest team in at least the past 20 years for the stat category.
The Pelicans rank second in the league for pace, right behind the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pelicans’ ability to play fast is led by Ball, and Williamson is one of the chief beneficiaries of Ball’s floor presence.
Ball is one of the league’s best passers, and he’s particularly skilled at making outlet passes and advance passes. The video below is from Christian Clark of NOLA.com, and it shows how Ball gets the right amount of loft, speed and precision on his halfcourt passes.
Lonzo Ball is the king of the hit-ahead pass. Since Jan. 22, when Zion returned, he has 24 assists from behind half court. Gotten nearly 15% of his assists during that stretch that way. pic.twitter.com/X6iAsFJW3z
— Christian Clark (@cclark3000) March 9, 2020
Ball being a good rebounding guard only helps. If he grabs the rebound, he can simply start the break himself. Ball is averaging 6.2 rebounds a game, ranking fifth on the Pelicans. He ranks 11th among guards for rebounds per game, per NBA.com stats.
With 18 games left in their regular season, the Pelicans will take their high-speed offense to Sacramento on Wednesday night and play the Kings at 10:30 p.m. EST.
[lawrence-related id=20952,20947,20929,20915]