re: 6/4/2025: State of the Pelicans with Joe Dumars

quote:

---

You need to be able to have an efficient offense.

---

For sure, I use analytics to support the eye test. Reeves, Olynk, McCollum, TM3 are all good rotation spot shooters so I do not see that as a big problem. By far, more problems are on the defensive side of the ball. However, to your point, Pels could add a player who has a pull-up 3 in his game, but they don't come along often.

The bigger problem offensively is 2 point attempts and percentage. Zion, who has had the bulk of responsibility for paint scoring has declined in the last 3 seasons, he has to move this back up to near 60% but doubt he does this as the primary initiator and distributor . Teams have simply packed the paint. Aside from Husky and Karlo, the rest of the team is blah scoring inside the arc, McCollum, Herb, Tre, Olynyk, and Boston below average in this area and Hawk, Murray, and Alverado just bad. That is your main rotation.

Watching the playoffs you can see a big problem is that Pels do not finish well. Dunks becomes layups, layups becomes floaters, and floaters becomes a pull up because Pels lack physicality/skill in that area, although in fairness, the teams building walls for Husky already have the wall in place for everyone else too. This is the problem with having a lead ball handler not being able to dribble side or backwards, and not being able to pull up beyond the arc.