Jake Madison here, the host of the daily Locked On Pelicans podcast, with your daily Locked On Pelicans newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Pelicans and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Pelicans’ Pivotal Home Stand: A Test for Willie Green
Photo by Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The New Orleans Pelicans are entering a pivotal four-game home stand that could define the trajectory of their season and the future of head coach Willie Green. Despite the early stage of the season, the team’s performance has raised concerns, especially given the talent on the roster. With Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram leading the charge, the Pelicans should be competitive, yet recent games suggest otherwise.
Injuries and Team Dynamics
Injuries have undeniably impacted the Pelicans, with key players like Dejounte Murray sidelined. However, the absence of a single player shouldn’t derail the entire team’s performance. The Pelicans’ struggles seem to stem from a lack of cohesion and energy, issues that go beyond just missing personnel. The team, which won 49 games last season, now appears disjointed.
The upcoming games against the Pacers, Hawks, Trailblazers, and Cavaliers present both challenges and opportunities. While the Pacers and Cavaliers are strong opponents, the Pelicans have the talent to compete. The key lies in rediscovering their rhythm and playing with purpose, something that has been missing in recent outings.
Zion Williamson’s Form: Why I’m Not Worried
Zion Williamson’s recent performances have sparked concern, but there’s reason to believe he’ll bounce back. Despite a disappointing game against the Golden State Warriors, Williamson’s overall play doesn’t indicate a decline. His shooting struggles are more about finding rhythm than a lack of skill or fitness. Watching his shots, it’s clear that Williamson is still the dynamic player we’ve come to expect.
Williamson’s ability to impact games is crucial for the Pelicans. His presence on the court can alleviate turnover issues and bolster the team’s defense. While his defensive play needs improvement, his instincts and timing remain sharp. Williamson’s rebounding has also been a bright spot, showing growth in his defensive contributions.
The Pelicans’ current predicament isn’t solely due to injuries. The team needs to address its lack of energy and focus, especially on defense. Green’s ability to motivate and adjust will be tested during this home stand. The Pelicans have the talent to succeed, but they must find their identity and play with the intensity that characterized their previous success.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Pelicans’ challenges and strategies, tune into the Locked On Pelicans podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Pelicans Podcast:
- Injury updates and G League recalls
- Analysis of the Pelicans’ recent performances
- Expectations for upcoming games against the Pacers and Hawks
- Discussion on potential coaching changes and team dynamics
As someone who just celebrated a birthday — a milestone birthday — I’ll admit that aging has been on my mind. Its privileges, its gifts, its expectations and assumptions (especially for women), aging can feel overwhelming, particularly wrought, even if you’ve made relative peace through the years with it.
Much of my writing is concerned with the nuances around basketball and its athletes, particularly the elements that underscore them as people. Strange to call “humanity” a nuance, but that can be the flattening of pro sports. Athletes aging is something larger fandom is pretty bad at processing, to the point where, in the NBA, anyone over 28 is considered long in the tooth and anyone over 35, ancient. The churn of the Draft, with its college phenoms and untapped prospects, makes it so we have a continually replenishing assembly line of young athletes ready to oust the old, often in a way that we don’t actually witness. Very few NBA athletes announce their retirements or make their exits from the league public, they just sort of… vanish, and with them goes our public consciousness of them.
In his postgame presser on Wednesday night, after the Warriors had beat the Pelicans for the second time on a two day back-to-back, Draymond Green touched on aging. Well, not explicitly, but his lengthy answer when asked about his impactful defensive efforts throughout Golden State’s first five contests was telling. Namely, because he brought up two of the youngest centers in the league, Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Fans The Pelicans are offering tickets for just $1 for tonight’s game against Indiana. In fact, the next five home games all have tickets for that cheap. (WDSU)
Odds Speaking of tonight’s game, the Pelicans are 4-point underdogs against Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers. (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Must Watch Every NBA player knows about The Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. Pablo Torre needed to know more, so he sent two reporters out to stay at what’s dubbed OKC’s “most haunted hotel.”
Feel Good They’re all kids at heart. Check out how players from around the league celebrated Halloween. (ESPN)
Must Read Pure talent, or being good in the room? Inc. looks at how certain personality types are affecting roster decisions in the league.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Paolo Banchero Injured - The Fantasy Basketball Fallout
Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) defends Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the second half at United Center.|Photo by David Banks-Imagn Images
As we dive into the latest NBA action, the fantasy landscape is ever-changing, with injuries and unexpected performances shaping our strategies. The recent news of Paolo Banchero’s injury is a significant blow for both the Orlando Magic and fantasy managers. Banchero is set to miss four to six weeks due to a torn abdominal muscle, which means a reevaluation around mid-December. This absence leaves a gaping hole in the Magic’s lineup, and the question remains: who will step up?
Orlando Magic’s Lineup Dilemma
The obvious choice might be Jonathan Isaac, but his limited minutes due to health concerns make this uncertain. Isaac’s potential is undeniable, yet his ability to sustain a starting role is questionable. Mo Wagner has been suggested as a possible fill-in, but his experience at power forward is limited. The Magic might opt for a more unconventional approach, possibly pushing Franz Wagner to the four and utilizing a three-guard lineup with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jalen Suggs, and Anthony Black. Black, although not a high scorer, could contribute across various categories, making him a viable fantasy consideration.
The situation is fluid, and while Wendell Carter Jr. should be a priority add if available, the rest of the lineup remains a puzzle. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on the Magic’s rotations in the coming games to identify any emerging trends.
Click the button below to see who should be on your waiver radar, plus the fantasy impact of Desmond Bane’s injury for Memphis.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Pelicans podcasts.
Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans fail to show up AGAIN Pelicans’ Struggles: Can They Bounce Back? The New Orleans Pelicans face a challenging period after two disappointing losses to the Warriors, even without Steph Curry. Zion Williamson’s unexpected poor performance, scoring just 12 points on 5 of 20 shooting, raises questions about the team’s current form.
Is firing head coach Willie Green the next move for the New Orleans Pelicans? Can the New Orleans Pelicans turn their season around after a crushing 124-106 defeat to the Golden State Warriors? With head coach Willie Green under scrutiny, the Pelicans’ struggles with three-point shooting and turnovers are in the spotlight.
Urgency Needed! Why the New Orleans Pelicans and Zion Williamson need to wake up Are the New Orleans Pelicans losing their edge? Despite a 2-1 record, the Pelicans’ lack of urgency and defensive lapses are raising eyebrows in the NBA world. With the Warriors taking more three-pointers, even without Steph Curry, can the Pelicans keep up?
