Zion Williamson moves gear in Sophomore season, New Orleans Pelicans firing clutch times

Zion Williamson has moved into second gear just 17 games into his sophomore season but the New Orleans Pelicans are firing the clutch trying to keep up. Williamson played just 24 games in his rookie campaign, posting stellar numbers (22.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.1 apg in 27.8 mpg) to earn a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team. He fell very short in the Rookie of the Year vote but this year he is growing to his potential and living up to his expectations from the new year of high school. However, the New Orleans Pelicans fall short in the playoff race as the team shoots chances during most of the clutch times in each stage of the game.

Williamson has upgraded his game to match his increase in minutes played per game. It’s up to 32.9 minutes per game this season compared to 27.8 last year. It has increased its averages in scoring (23.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (2.3), free throws (66.7%) and field goal percentages (58.7%) while not he coughs any more turn in that extra court time. He has more blocks (9) and steals (17) in the first 17 games of this season than he did all of last year. Williamson is looking for ways to play more minutes of winning basketball that will help the team win while still finding its way to defense.

Williamson’s offensive look and gentle touch are obvious. Once his defensive ability is captured, his talent will need a competition roster as support. Brandon Ingram has been signed for a full five – year contract as he is at Williamson level. However, the rest of the squad must get caught or risk being seen as a deadweight holding back that winning duo. However, Stan Van Gundy knows that defense is the last piece of the puzzle. Until then he has to defend the mistakes of a young team.

Van Gundy said after his home win over the Bucks, “My challenge is to create a better offensive framework and space for [Williamson and Ingram]. Their challenge is to take charge defensively, to step forward and become better defenders and part of the solution at that end of the floor. ”

The problem is consistency on the defensive end and taking advantage of the clutch times on offense. Ingram has had a rough field but the team needs to find other ways to stay in and close out games. The Pelicans let the Bucks make a close game out of a blow. Moreover, the Pelicans fall behind far too often.

The latest example came on Jan. 30 at home against the Houston Rockets. New Orleans played in a back-and-forth home game situation and was up 35-27 after the first quarter. They were taken out 48-22 in the second quarter and no longer threatened the Rockets. New Orleans took that case going into the locker room and then on to win the second half by just four points. Tonight after Williamson and Brandon Ingram were very effective in a 131-126 win over Jrue Holiday and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Pelicans lost everything in that second season: their sharpness, their defensive specifications, and their firing friction. In fact, the Pelicans lost their identity for a quarter. It’s a new day in New Orleans under Stan Van Gundy and the new roster. An extension of winning one of nine games at least once can be expected, as happened in mid-January. The identity is still being created but the team cannot lose the plot for such a stretch or lose sight of the playoff race.

New Orleans is still very close to the playoff spot. They are only 2.5 games out of the tenth seed and play position into February. However, the office picked up the front of this team with more interesting loft goals. Being as close to last place as last playoff place is not the “sustainable competition culture” that Basketball Operations Vice President David Griffin had when he took the job, and he did not. that was the pitch when General Manager Trajan Langdon was hired. That’s why they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves squad in the final spot where Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell looked in street clothes. That loss was another missed opportunity to put together a winning season even though it brought another piece of the assessment puzzle to the front office.

The off-season New Orleans Pelicans started firing on all the cylinders and courting the first place after a week or two. Then came three home losses and a postponed road game to start a swing on the west coast that only got one win in six games. The loss in Minnesota could be frozen up to an adrenaline drain coming off two emotional losses for the Utah Jazz. New Orleans had more talent on the court that night, they proved that in the first few weeks of the season and the close losses in Los Angeles for the Clippers and Lakers.

Now they need to prove they can keep up with the Williamson star’s ability and not fall off the main lap in the playoff race. Van Gundy says he is relieved of the challenge of releasing Williamson explaining, “We’re trying to create more situations for him … Getting the ball on the edge and being able to to attack. Whether it’s handling pick-and-rolls or getting opportunities to drive the ball… that will take time. Not just for him but for our team … This guy is one of the most unique talents I’ve seen in the league. Trying to create a package for him is challenging but fun at the same time. ”

The team has a few weeks of time to test before they have to find a winning combination or the front office has to start badly looking at the changes needed for the next two seasons. The pressure will then continue as Zion Williamson will be eligible for a contract extension that is guaranteed to be offered as a blank check limited by the bargaining agreement only. That’s also when Williamson and Ingram’s experience carries the competitive expectations and responsibilities of competition. The Pelicans need to keep that finish line in mind but they can’t let this all-Star capitalist season from Williamson get out of control.