SB Nation's Pelicans Playoff Preview

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Rather than keep their powder dry during Anthony Davis' formative years, the Pelicans made big moves to build a good team around him right away. Goodbye, draft picks and cap flexibility. Hello, Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Omer Asik and others.

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How they beat you

The Pelicans offense is tough to stop. You know about Davis, but New Orleans has all the other elements to thrive. It has spot-up shooting with Gordon and Pondexter, the option to go offense (Ryan Anderson) or defense (Asik) inside and an attacking guard in Evans who puts pressure on defenses. The return of Holiday from injury is a big boost because he's a shrewd point guard who provides a different look from Evans' barreling style.

That combination of flexibility, shooting and attacking allows Monty Williams to open up his playbook. The Pelicans leverage their threats well, especially after timeouts. Defenses scramble thinking one player is the primary option on a play, only to get burned by the man they didn't expect.

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How you beat them

New Orleans' defense isn't as bad as the season-long numbers suggest, but it's still weak compared to other playoff teams. The Pelicans allow more shot attempts in the restricted area than any other team despite having both Davis and Asik, which is a basketball crime. Davis is often too far from the basket in New Orleans' scheme and still has to improve his positioning and timing.

The real problems happen when either Asik or Davis is on the bench. Anderson remains a dangerous offensive player, but his defense fell off badly this season. The Pelicans allow 109 points per 100 possessions when he's in the game and fewer than 102 when he's not. Smart teams attack him again and again in pick-and-rolls to take advantage of his slow feet.

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