NEW ORLEANS – There are nights during an NBAWhen unfortunate circumstances occur, it is enough to cause a team loss before they even take the floor.
It was Tuesday, and New Orleans was due to receive it. The PelicansThey entered their nationally-televised play against the Dallas MavericksWith three startersZion Williamson, Brandon IngramHerb Jones, and a few others were injured after a two-day overtime loss. Considering the opponent and the time they caught New Orleans on the schedule, all signs pointed to this not being the Pelicans’ night.
On top of that, this franchise doesn’t exactly have a rich history of overcoming adversity without its best players. This is the same team which went 7-20 last season when Ingram was injured, and also had a 2-12 record before. CJ McCollumHe came to town. Williamson missed two of his first two seasons, and they were tied at 21-38.
Throw in the fact that the one remaining star, McCollum, shot 6-of-20 from the field, and it should’ve been a foregone conclusion where this game against Dallas was headed under normal circumstances.
But this isn’t a normal Pelicans team. They have serious aspirations of being a West contender not just because of their top-end talent, but also because they’ve managed to construct one of the deepest rosters in franchise history.
In a thrilling 113-111 victory over the Mavs, that depth was clearly on display. The Pelicans had eight players score in double figures despite the loss of Williamson, Ingram, and Jones. They also overcame a 37 point outburst by Jones. Luka Dončić.
The ability to win even when everything seems impossible is one of the best ways to determine if a team is good. To most, Tuesday’s victory fell under that category for New Orleans. However, Pels coach Willie Green didn’t view it that way. He saw it as an opportunity for his team to prove their worth when faced with the wall.
“I was listening to a message on the way home from shootaround, and the teacher talked about obstacles versus opportunities. I thought it was perfect for tonight’s game,” Green said. “That was my message to the team. We don’t want to be an obstacle team. We see this as an opportunity.”
“We relish these opportunities and these moments where we’re down a few guys. We are just happy to pursue it. No matter what happens, we’ll leave it on the floor. That’s what we did tonight.”
Obstacles vs. Opportunity.
Competed.
We fought hard.
Won. pic.twitter.com/OJiwYMAmJc— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 26, 2022
Any coach who is trying to get his team the same firepower as Green on Tuesday night will tell their players that they must play with maximum effort and share the ball. His team did more than just handle the basics Tuesday.
Even with the loss of McCollum and his offensive weapons, the Pelicans shot nearly 58 per cent from the floor. They also shot 44.4 percent from 3-point range. Excluding McCollum’s 6-of-20 outing, the rest of the team shot a sizzling 67.9 percent from the floor. This was against a Dallas defense that was seventh in points per 100 possessions allowed last season. The Pels’ role players attacked without fear and knocked down big shots repeatedly until McCollum got himself going in the fourth quarter.
Trey Murphy was the leader of this effort and continues to make significant improvements in his second season. He finished the night with 22 point and went an impressive 8-of-8 field from the field. This made him the sixth player in franchise history who scored at least 22 points in one game without missing a shot.
Murphy is shooting an incredible 13-of-19 beyond the three point arc in his four games so far this season. The spacing he provides will be essential to this team’s success down the road. But beyond that, the 2021 first-round pick’s improved confidence with his overall game is a big part of New Orleans’ 3-1 start.
Another second-year player Jose Alvarado also provided some big minutes in Tuesday’s win. He finished with 13 points, three assists and two steals, and though he didn’t close the game, the energy he brought early on set the tone for the rest of his team.
Naji MarshallJones was the first to be called up and he scored 15 points as well as strong defensive play. Devonte’ GrahamI made key hoops and hit four 3-pointers. Larry Nance Jr.With 11 points, he continued his strong start of the season.
Many coaches say they like the depth of their roster but only trust 6-7 players. Green is able to trust 10-12 players when he’s given a healthy roster. These qualities are vital in a long season with 82 games, particularly in the West, where every win counts.
“The bench is how you win championships. Playoff games are won by the bench. That’s how you win on the road,” McCollum said. “Guys who get paid a lot of money generally perform, and they’re generally expected to perform at a high level. It’s the role players who get that loose ball; they set that screen, they roll. They might not score … but those are the players you need to keep the engine moving.”
Trey Murphy was one of several Pelicans used to slow Luka Dončić. (Photo: Stephen Lew / USA TODAY)
Although Ingram and Williamson were clearly a blow offensively, Jones’ absence was just as significant on the other side given the opponent. Dončić is one of the most challenging players to defend on the planet, and he carried the Mavericks most of the night with 37 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Despite his impressive numbers, the Pelicans did an admirable job of slowing Doncic down and minimising his impact. Their strategy was to throw multiple bodies at Dončić, make him work for everything and force him to be a scorer rather than a facilitator. Marshall went head-to-head with Dončić most of the night, but Murphy also chipped in some solid minutes against him, as did rookie Dyson Daniels. Nance also held his own when he was forced to switch onto Dončić on the perimeter.
Though it may not look like it based on the box score, the Pelicans got the stops they needed against Dončić during the game’s biggest moments. The Mavericks’ star was held to 2-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter – 0-of-4 on 3s – and he only dished out one assist the entire second half. Dončić took hard falls on multiple occasions after his drives to the basket, and the pressure New Orleans put on him throughout the night eventually wore him down. Doncic’s trademark stepback jumpers hit the front of a rim almost every single time he attempted to score at the end of the stretch.
“He took 30 shots to get 37 points. He definitely impacted the game, but he was 2-for-13 from 3,” McCollum said of Dončić. “I thought we did a good job of crowding him, forcing him to play in different spaces. When it mattered most, we were able to get stops and we were able to control him down the stretch.”
As if Green didn’t have it hard enough finding minutes for all the talent at his disposal on the bench, Daniels made his life even harder with the way he performed in the first real minutes of his NBA career. The 19-year old was drafted No. 8 in this year’s draft, took on quite an assignment in his first extended stretch as a pro, defending Dončić for long periods without much help. But the rookie more than held his own, and even contributed a few highlight plays as he locked horns with Dončić.
🇦🇺 @DysonDanielsShines for the @PelicansNBAIn their victory over the Mavericks. #Pelicans
📊3 REB | 3 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK pic.twitter.com/5VvPdJNgm9
— NBA Australia (@NBA_AU) October 26, 2022
Daniels finished the game with 11 points and three rebounds. He also had three steals, three blocks, and three steals. His passion for the game, especially given his age, was evident. He is able to use his 6-foot-8, 200-pound frame to the best advantage. He is open to the contact that many rookies avoid, while keeping his hands active and avoiding the silly fouls that can often be committed by young players. Green compared Daniels with Jones because of their calm demeanors. They are not afraid to face situations that could scare younger players.
There’s still a lot of room for Daniels to grow, but it isn’t farfetched to say he’s among best one-on-one defenders on the roster not named Herb Jones. Daniels moves his feet well enough to stay in front of guards, and he’s strong enough to hold his ground when bigger players try to post him up.
As his offensive game continues to mature, it’s getting more difficult to justify Alvarado, Graham and Marshall all receiving minutes ahead of him in the rotation. While it’s possible to have one or two of these guys, having all three in the rotation seems a bit excessive.
Green will likely continue to bring Daniels along slowly as he did last season with Murphy. Because of the high-quality players on the depth chart, Daniels has this luxury. The Pelicans may be poised to add another great player to their roster if Daniels keeps taking advantage of his time, while Williamson, Ingram and Jones are in full health. Green can’t help but be intoxicated by the thought of Daniels, Alvarado, and Jones all on the floor creating havoc. If Daniels can keep producing like this in the limited time he’s given, it’ll only strengthen the depth within this group.
The most important thing about having a great roster is having a coach that can keep everyone on track as the minutes pass. Green is respected by his team and the players love him enough to let them make their own decisions, even if they do mean that they lose some playing time.
At this time last year, the depth of the roster was the Pelicans’ biggest weakness. Now, it may be their biggest strength, and it’ll play a major role in determining where this team lands in the final standings once the dust settles.
“Just believe in myself,” Daniels said when asked what message he received from his teammates before the game. “Go out there and do what I do – defend, cut, make shots. They believe in my abilities. I had my chance tonight. So, I went out there and took it.”
It is becoming a more common theme in New Orleans than in years past.
(Top photo of Trey Murphy – Layne Murdoch Jr. / NBAE via Getty Images
