Making the playoffs in the Western Conference was a challenging task last season and it should be an even harder feat after several teams improved this offseason.
The Warriors brought back their core in addition to bringing in Nick Young and they are likely to take home the conference’s top seed. The Spurs, Rockets, and Thunder should find themselves jocking for position behind them. The Clippers and Jazz each lost their best player in free agency, but both seem poised to reach the playoffs, albeit with a lower seed than they had last season. The Nuggets (adding Paul Millsap) and Wolves (trading for Jimmy Butler) made upgrades with the hopes of pushing the Grizzlies or Blazers for a playoff spot.
The Pelicans hope to surpass at least three of the aforementioned teams and sneak into the playoffs, but they might not have enough shooting or defense to reach that goal, as Thomas Rende of NBAMath explains. Rende notes that only 11 teams since the 2012/13 campaign have won more than 45 games (a number that should put a team in contention for a playoff birth) while ranking in the bottom third of the league in three-point percentage. Out of those teams, only two (the 2012/13 Nuggets and the 2014/15 Thunder) didn’t rank in the top 10 in points allowed per 100 possessions.
In his piece, which is a must read, Rende explains how New Orleans is ill-equipped to drastically improve its outside shooting, meaning a playoff birth appears unlikely.
What do you think? Can the Pelicans muster enough offense to make the playoffs in the ultra-competitive Western Conference or will their lack of shooting plague the team and relegate them to the lottery once again?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
With Solomon Hill as a potentially starter at the 3 and the likely poor combination of Holiday and Rondo, I doubt they’ll make the cut.
That isn’t poor at all. The key is going to be Jrue at the 2 full time. But Rondo is going to do so well with Boogie and Davis.
The spacing will be so bad, Rondo’s passing is tantalizing but the shooting is inconsistent and Holiday isn’t a great 3pt shooter either
I think they’re underestimated and will be a 5th seed. Do I think they can make a long playoff run, no but I think with the right coach they can be pretty good, and I don’t think they’ll succeed with gentry as the top man with the kind of offense that revolves around the bigs.
His two best players are bigs, who’s he supposed to model the offense around?
pelicans should sign ian Clark to a deal and start him at the 3 that would be a pretty decent linup
so you want Ian Clark at 6’3″ to play SF and defend who smh
Why is an 8 year old allowed on the computer? Seriously, that’s crazy a 6-3 small forward? A guy who hasn’t signed with anyone yet and it’s August? Most every team has the rotation set and he’s not signed yet? Too many questions and I don’t think that’s the right answer.
Didn’t know that July 29 was considered August
Whoa whoa this comment is outta hand. You burned that dude like bread in an unplugged toaster
The month’s over bro, but that was a wonderful post anyway… thanks for your contribution !
I think it will be tough for the Pelicans because there’s so many great teams in the west. If you look at the lower end amongst whom the Pelicans would be fighting for the last few spots Portland Oklahoma City the Clippers Utah they are all very very good teams. Davis and cousins have yet to find out how to play together really. I say they miss the playoffs again this year and maybe they should think about trading cousins to a team in the East for some valuable assets. Maybe the Celtics?
I’m not sure Boston has enough unnecessary salary to send out in a trade to match. They’d probably have to move Horford plus more, assuming Cousins would resign. Other than that there isn’t much $ left to move assuming Cousins is making upwards of 20 mil which I think he is.
The Pelicans have a better than 60% chance to make the playofffs LAC, Utah,won’t make the playoffs because the lost of Cp3, GH for Utah. Memphis are out so that leaves three spots so GS ,Spurs, Rockets,Portland, OKC, Pelicans, Wolves and Denver
What I think the standings will be like:
1. Warriors
2. Spurs
3. Rockets
4. Thunder
5. Timberwolves
6. Jazz
7. Clippers
8. Nuggets
9. Trail Blazers
10. Grizzlies
11. New Orleans
12. Lakers
13. Kings
14. Suns
15. Mavericks
You think the Blazers don’t make the playoffs?
Wow I’m not seeing that. I think the Clippers are the team to fall out, and I think you have the Timberwolves a little high. I would have them 7 or 8.
I just don’t the depth is there for Portland.
Even though CP3 is out in LA, they got a lockdown defender in Beverly and solid rotation players in Dekker, Williams, Harrell, etc.
I have Minnesota at 5 because they are stronger at more positions than the other three teams.
Yes true Portland is not very deep but they have potential Allstar talent at the 1, 2 and 5. The West is tough but I think the Blazers get in.
The Clippers are going to fall hard. Beverly is Scrappy but I don’t think he’s starter worthy talent anymore. Sam Dekker? He’s terrible. Can’t believe he got a new contract last year.
Minnesota added some nice pieces and they have a great coach, but in my opinion Wiggins and yes, Jimmy Butler are overrated. … just my opinion. They are very, very good players but not franchise, max types as we’re led to believe. Towns is incredible but it’s going to take a year for the Wolves to gel as a team.
If you are referring to Jusuf Nurkic as Portlands All Star at the 5 I don’t agree. I do think he’ll be good for the Blazers like he was when healthy last year for them but the front court is so deep in the west. Boogie, Davis, Durant, Draymond, Aldridge, Kawhi, George, etc.
Still don’t understand why New Orleans is even in the West. And I always forget because Louisiana is near Atlanta and Florida both of which are on the coast.
Anyway Pelicans did nothing this offseason and I doubt they do much better than they have in the past.
Yeah I think once Seattle gets an expansion team they move NO to the East.
Nah Memphis is more likely than them and if they add Vegas then we will probably move NO or Minnesota
Pelicans have questionable defense? They finished 9th in the league and had a month stretch after the Boogie trade that they were top 5. Solomon Hill and Jrue Holiday are two of the best defenders in the league.
Also these comments about how New Orleans did nothing in the off season, so they won’t be better than last season are nonsensical if you know anything about the team.
They had Boogie for 25 games last season with no practice and Jrue missed the first 20 games with his wife’s heath issues. They will certainly be much much better this season with everyone being healthy and the team having an off season to gel.
If the Pels would have traded for Boogie this off season then everyone would be predicting them to be a top 6 seed. But because fans have such a recency bias and the Pels aren’t the hot story, they predict the Pels miss the playoffs entirely.
Finally a comment from someone who knows the team. Rondo, Jrue, Hill, AD, and Boogie are great defenders also Moore and Poindexter if he could bounce back. I’ll admit Jordan Crawford is the only great shooters but Jrue, Boogie, AD, Moore, Healthy Poindexter, and Frank Jackson is very good. Hill isn’t a bad shooter and get hot at times and Rondo is a good spot up shooter.
People like to mention AD and Boogie didn’t work together but they both average 20 and 10 together. It was just to late in the season to make a run. Jrue and the rest of the team depth struggle to find their spots among the two bigs. An off-season with no major changes and a point Guard thats great at finding your spot for you will help.
I could see the team is very high on Frank Jackson basically gave him the backup point guard position, so I’ll say him and Chieck Diallo is the x factors for their season very high potential. If Poindexter who help them make the playoff a couple years ago could bounce back, this team has some great depth.
1St: Rondo, Jrue, Hill, AD, Boogie
2nd: Jackson, Moore, Poindexter, Diallo, Ajinca
3rd: Crawford, Darius Miller, Asik
If you don’t watch Pelicans basketball then yeah this Don’t look great but dont be surprise if they shook the league. They still have 2 open rosters spots, could still sign Micheal Beasley, Ian Clark,Shabazz Muhammad, Nikola Mirotic, JaMychal Green, or bring back Dante Cunningham. They also still have all their draft pick so a trade is still possible. Their been mixed in the trades rumors a lot lately.
My predict is they do a sign & trade JaMychal Green and Troy Daniels for Alexis Ajinca and a 1st round pick and make playoffs in 4th to 8th spots. The new teams in the West still have to prove themselves this year just like the Pels and the Pels already had 25 games head start. The Wolves are still very raw, Clippers was horrible before Chris Paul now he’s gone, Denver also very raw and Can an old Millsap dominate in a deep west?? Memphis still aging and lost key players. Spurs are still aging. Houston can that they make move that will kill their depth and hurt their team and Jazz lost one of their best player and a key player so all these things factor in.
You had me until “Rondo is a good spot up shooter.”
You may know your Pelicans, but you don’t know Rondo and you haven’t watched the Kings or the Celtics or the Bulls with him. He can’t shoot a lick.
Cousins and Davis are nice players…. Davis even a top 10 NBA player, but seriously, he gets hurt a lot ! Cousins will implode, and the rest of the roster is just “guys.” No one special.
Pelicans will miss the playoffs again.
Rondo isn’t good shooting at the 3, but is decent from long 2. With Davis and Cousins opening up space im sure his shooting will go up. With the Bulls it wasn’t enough space. On the Celtic and Kings he had very nice Fg%. It hard to argue Rondo shooting because he is horrible in places (3 and free throws) but he can shot from the elbow.
I agree Davis is top 10, I think Cousins is top 10 also, definitely best center in the NBA. Davis does get hurt a lot but it’s always minor, now picture a season fully healthy. Jrue isnt just a guy, he’s an above average guard, top 5 defense guards to me all around players. He’s problem is injuries and this year his wife health kept him off the court but now he’s fully healthy. Rondo also isn’t just a guy, a triple double threat every night, hustle and defense, and proven winner. 2nd best floor general to me behind Chris Paul.
As for Cousins imploding, this the most i seen him invest in a season. He lost ton of weight, he’s recruiting, him and Davis or training together. He seem happy, after the trade there were many times where he almost blowup but control his self very well. Matter of fact the whole team feel positive about the upcoming season, they all got together and started training camp early so I do expect big things from the Pelicans
Ok, great points. Fingers crossed for a successful season for them. It would be nice for the fans down there, and nice for Davis Cousins to make the playoffs.
Y’ALL trying to straight up Play the Pelicans like Fools, nobody knows whose gonna be in the Playoffs . For We know, One of the top teams might have their best Player(s) Injuried, so you can’t count the Pels out before even watching the Season! Am I the Only one Who Believes that the Pels still have a great chance to make the Playoffs!??
No, there’s 3 of you :)
Also the Pelicans can still make Trades and Signings. For example: 5 things Pels can do!
1.) trade E’Twaurn Moore for Danny Green (SF/G) (Spurs)
2.) Sign Jordan Hamilton (SF) back to the Pelicans!
3.) trade Alexis Ajinca for Troy Daniels (SG) (GRIZZLES)
4.) Sign K. J. MCDANIELS (F/G) to the Pels.
5.) trade two 2nd round picks (2018/2020) to the Nets for Joe Harris (SF ).
EACH trade/Signing gives the Pels exactly what they need, 3 PT shooters and Athletic players who can contribute off the Bench!
Let’s hope they get in the playoffs, for the fans sake and for Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.
I just don’t think they have enough pieces to get it done. The West is so brutal. For example, who’s their 20 point a game wing/slasher/athletic/ 6-7 guy ?
So your trade ideas are 1) trade a rotational player who is overpaid for an all defense wing 2) sign a dleague caliber player who is not even in the league
3)trade a center with little to no value for another teams best 3pt shooter
4) & 5) give up 2 second round picks for two guys who can’t get playing time on the Nets aka the worst team in the league.
Thank god you are bot in charge of the front office
Not*