Halftime...Kind Of

Dylan Mckneely • February 19, 2024

"You're saying we are eleven games over .500, and I'm saying we've got to learn how to maintain leads. So, if we were able to maintain leads, we'd probably be fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen games over .500. So I think we are in an okay spot, but when we come back from break, we've got to be able to fine-tune some of the small nuances of the game." This quote by Zion Williamson is the perfect overview of the pre-All-Star break Pelicans. Blown leads fundamental mind lapses, yet still good enough to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. More than halfway through the season, the Pelicans are one of the more challenging teams in the league to understand because some of their biggest strengths can also be their biggest weakness, depending on the night. Experiencing exhilarating highs (see 30+ point back-to-back victories over the Kings and Warriors) and debilitating lows (see 20+ point back-to-back losses to Thunder and Bucks), the season thus far has us asking one question:" Would the real New Orleans Pelicans please stand up?" It's halftime(kind of) now, so let's look at what's working, and what needs work.

Point Zion Is The Best Zion

The Zion that posts up is a star-level player, but the Zion that initiates the offense is a superstar-level player. In three of his six appearances before the all-star break, Zion scored 30+ points three times. With a skillset like Zion's, this probably isn't as surprising as him averaging six assists simultaneously! Since becoming the primary ball handler, Zion's scoring has gone up, and so have his playmaking opportunities, which has led to an uptick in his assists per game. Not only has Zion's numbers benefited from him being the primary offensive initiator, but also has The Bayou Sniper's Trey Murphy III and Jordan Hawkins. Trey is shooting a blistering 40.5% on three-point shots created by Zion Williamson, and Jordan is not far behind at 39.6%. One of the more deadly sets that the Pels have often deployed in the Point Zion era is the ghost screen-to-flare screen action often run between Murphy III and Zion. This action creates quite a problem for the defense, having to choose between letting a guy that shoots 40% on passes made by Zion get an open three if you help too hard or overreacting to the screen and giving Zion a straight-line drive to the rim. Point Zion creates the space needed for the shooters around him to do what they do best. It also places CJ McCollum in the more familiar scoring position on the floor. Zion, as the primary facilitator, is already showing positive returns in a small sample size.

"CJ from three....BANG!" - Mike Breen(probably)

After an extended summer break due to the Pelicans' inability to make the playoffs, CJ McCollum has come back  on a tear from three. CJ has bypassed the "make them respect you" level of shooting from deep to the "don't let him see the rim" level. Out of players who have shot 300 or more threes thus far this season, CJ is tied for second place in percentages, shooting a blistering 42% from deep. CJ's ability to space the floor allows Zion and midrange Marxman Brandon Ingram to operate inside the three-point line. McCollum has made a career of being a tough shot-maker from the midrange area, but extending his range has led to a more efficient midrange output from McCollum, shooting 50.9% from two, which is well over his 48.7% career average. CJ's ability to reinvent himself in year thirteen shows his level of commitment not only to winning but also to winning as a New Orleans Pelican, becoming what the Pels need most... a knockdown shooter.

Herb Jones = First Half MVP

From guarding the opposing team's primary scoring threat to hitting timely corner three-pointers, Herb Jones has been the most valuable Pelican thus far this season. Jones's ability to cover his assignment and take on teammates' assignments mid-position without blinking is the primary catalyst for the Pelicans' seventh-ranked defense rating. Not to be outdone by his world-renowned defensive abilities, Jones is hovering around the exclusive 50/40/90 club, shooting 49% from the field, 40% from three, and 86% from the free throw line. Jones is becoming much more than a defensive specialist, making his four-year / $53,827,872 deal one of the most team-friendly contracts in the league. Often the odd man out when the talent level of this team is being quantified, one could argue that the New Orleans Pelicans' stars can be stars because of Jones' ability to cover up their mistakes on defense and become a deadly space creator on offense. Herb Jones is my first half Most Valuable Pelican.

The Adjustments

Paging The Bayou Snipers

Jordan Hawkins and Trey Murphy III have hit a shooting slump. While Hawkins' lack of playing time could be a primary contributor to his dip in shooting percentage(don't even get me started), as a professional player, the opportunities are few and must be capitalized on when they arrive. Murphy III's slump has affected his entire game, often looking stagnant on the offensive end and becoming the primary point of an attack on the defensive end. Hawkins and TM3 are all world shooters. If the Pelicans have any chance at a deep playoff run, they'll need them to be every bit of that down the stretch.


The Curious Case Of Zion And Brandon

Statistically speaking, Williamson and Ingram have the worst Net rating(2.1) of the top 6 teams in the West. With that being said, the Pelicans should not choose between Brandon Ingram or Zion Williamson. Instead, there should be an honest conversation on roles and complete buy-in. As I previously stated, the New Orleans Pelicans are at their best when Zion is the primary ball handler and facilitator. I want to take it a step further and say when in the game, Williamson should be the primary focal point of the Pelicans' offense. The gravity Zion's presence causes in itself should create efficient looks for Ingram and the rest of the team. Ingram is in line for a significant payday; one could argue that the best way to get that payday is by showing that, like CJ McCollum, winning matters more than shot attempts and touches for Ingram.


Shoot More Three's

The Pelicans are eighth in the NBA in three-point percentage at 37.7% but twenty-third in three-point attempts per game at 32.1. This can be attributed to multiple things, including the need for lineups featuring shooters. Coach Green's commitment to playing defense first lineups hinders the Pelicans' ability to deploy the arsenal of shooters they employ fully. Going into the final stretch of the season, as games get more competitive due to the jockeying for playoff position, the Pelicans could benefit from relieving the paint presence Zion faces on a night-in and night-out basis by willingly committing to a lineup that includes Hawkins, Murphy III, and McCollum and to a lesser extent Matt Ryan. Another factor could be your primary scorer's desire to be midrange and paint guys. Will Coach Green adjust and move forward, or will we run the risk of watching an often-injured Zion play basketball in a phone booth?

In Conclusion

The New Orleans Pelicans currently hold the sixth place in the Western Conference, with a 33-22 record. Achieving a fifty-win season for the first time since 2007-2008 is possible with a few minor adjustments. However, the task won't be easy, as they only have seven matches left against non-playoff teams out of their final twenty-seven games. The Pelicans will be facing the young and energetic Houston Rockets on Thursday night, in their journey towards achieving fifty wins and securing a playoff spot. Let's go Pelicans!The Pelicans sit in the sixth spot of the West with a 33-22 record. We could look at the first fifty-win New Orleans professional basketball team since 2007-2008 with a few minor adjustments. With only seven of their final twenty-seven games against none playoff teams, it will be a challenging feat to accomplish. The journey towards fifty wins and an outright playoff bid continues Thursday night against the young, energetic Houston Rockets. Let's Geaux Pels!

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LSU vs Florida Week 3 Review

By Erik Trosclair • September 17, 2025
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New Orleans Saints vs San Francisco 49ers 2025 Week 2 Recap

By Greyson Jenkins • September 14, 2025
New Orleans Saints 21 - 26 San Francisco 49ers  What I was Looking for Following last week's game, where the offensive playcalling and time management appeared questionable, this team sought to bounce back on offense. In addition, the defense looked solid against the Kyler Murray-led Cardinals, so I wanted to see them look good against a 49ers team led by the average at best Mac Jones. The Notes I made before the game to look for were: How does Rattler look against a solid 49ers defense? How will Kellen Moore bounce back after a poorly called game 1? Does Juwan Johnson continue being a top target? How often does Brandon Staley blitz Mac? Rattler: Spencer Rattler had one noticeably bad missed touchdown to Olave on the first drive, but after that, he showed up and showed out. Rattler had his first multi-passing touchdown game of his career, finishing 25 of 34 for 207 yards and 3 touchdowns. This was by far Rattler’s best game of his career, and I believe this performance should encourage both the team and fans about his potential future as the starting quarterback. As I mentioned, the start was iffy, with him missing a wide-open touchdown to Olave behind him (should’ve been caught), and multiple drops by Juwan Johnson. He then went out and finished the game strong, at one point having 13 consecutive completions. Rattler looked confident in himself and his receivers, and also used his legs in multiple situations to help the team. All in all, this was a B+ performance by him, and if he can build off of it, it could completely change the team’s rebuilding decisions. Moore: I was avidly down on Kellen Moore as a playcaller last week, as he abandoned the run game and giving Alvin Kamara touches in the second half. This week, it appeared that Kellen Moore realized Alvin Kamara is a crucial playmaker in this offense, as he gave Alvin 21 carries spread throughout the game, which resulted in 99 yards. In addition, the passing game seemed much more diverse in depth of target as well as the routes being run, which is definitely encouraging in terms of his confidence in Rattler. In the future, I want to see Moore continue to improve each week as well as show some emotion on the sidelines, something I feel is lacking at the moment (and reminds me of Dennis Allen too much). Juwan Johnson: Juwan Johnson was the leading receiver last week, so I wanted to see if that would continue this week. He ended up being the 2nd leading target for Rattler, with 9 targets being just behind Olave’s 10. Outside of the 2 horrific drops, which justifiably made fans get the torches ready, Juwan was very productive and ended up bringing in a great touchdown reception. It appears he and Rattler do have a great connection brewing, and I would love for the redzone targets to continue this season. Brandon Staley Blitz Rate: The Saints blitzed just over 35% last week, and the defense seemed to get pretty consistent pressure against the Cardinals. This would lead one to believe that Brandon Staley would blitz an offense led by Mac Jones (who struggles against pressure), right??? Wrong. Throughout this game, I found myself dumbfounded by the lack of blitzing, and it seemed as though Mac Jones had all the time in the world to find at least one receiver down the field with lots of room around them. The worst part about this is that the Saints failed to get out of 3rd down situations, with two long 3rd down conversions on the 49ers' final touchdown drive, where Mac Jones faced zero pressure. With Chase Young missing from this DL, I knew Cam Jordan wouldn’t be able to replicate his 1.5 sack performance from last week, but I just wish Staley knew this as well. I hope Staley sees the lack of pressure this front 4 got for most of this one, and that he brings more pressure next week against the Seahawks. The Offense The Good: Alvin Kamara is still Alvin Kamara. As I previously mentioned, he had a great game on the ground, but also back as a pass catcher with 6 receptions for 21 yards. Spencer Rattler was also great on the ground, as he picked up multiple clutch 1st downs with his legs, making defenders miss tackles in the process. The Passing game looked to have significantly improved, with routes being more diverse and the ball being spread out to 7 different receivers. I love the confidence Rattler has in his guys, and I would also love to see more Vele targets in the redzone after his touchdown today. Finally, the last thing that is great to see is that the Saints went 3/3 in the redzone today, something that will be huge this season if they can continue succeeding at a high clip in that area. The Bad: The Saints' offense had more sloppy moments again today, with penalties bringing back 1st downs, easy balls being dropped, and big losses on early downs. Kellen Moore seemed to call a better game, but I hate that he went away from tempo, which was working wonders for Rattler and the offense. The offense struggled to convert on 3rd down, only being able to do so on 36% of them. Finally, although Kelvin Banks and the offensive line looked solid today, Banks and Fuaga both got beaten on crucial downs on the last two drives, something you don’t want to see from the two first-round picks. Something that also belongs technically in the bad column, but I see more as unlucky than anything, is that Alvin Kamara lost a fumble on a bang-bang play. I won’t hold it against him, as I’ve seen similar plays get ruled incomplete after review multiple times when watching NFL games. The Defense The Good: The Saints' defense looked solid to start the game, forcing a quick 3 and out after the Saints' offense stalled in 49ers territory. In addition, this defense stood up after struggling for the majority of the game after that first possession, by forcing two crucial stops in the 4th quarter. Carl Granderson continues to be a crucial piece for this defense in the absence of Chase Young, finishing the game with 2 sacks and now being tied for the NFL sack leader title. The safety play again by Justin Reid felt like a great piece of this defense, as he played great in the run game and was doing a good job communicating with the younger DBs around him. Kool-Aid McKinstry seemed to have a better outing this week, something the young corner can hopefully build on next week, going against a solid receiver group for the Seahawks. The Saints also forced their first turnover of the season, with Chris Rumph II having a huge strip-sack in the 3rd quarter. The Bad: After the pressures accrued early again in the game, the pressure felt non-existent in the second half, and Brandon Staley seemed to completely abandon all blitz packages. Alontae Taylor and Isaac Yiadom struggled massively in this one, with Alontae Taylor blowing a coverage on Christian McCaffrey, allowing a touchdown before the half, and Isaac Yiadom simply was picked on early and often throughout the game. The Saints need to consider Lincoln Riley starting over Yiadom, as the Saints will miss out on a compensatory pick if they continue with Yiadom this season. There were numerous big down plays that you could tell the 49ers would design to attack Yiadom as a weakness, and it worked wonders. In conclusion, I was extremely discouraged by the cornerback group, and I hope Staley goes back to blitzing at a higher rate next week against Sam Darnold. Special Teams: No positives jumped out to me with this group; the return game was solid, but punting seemed hit or miss by Kroeger, and Blake Grupe again missed another field goal. If Grupe makes that field goal early, the Saints would have possibly only needed a field goal on the final drive. Closing and Team MVPs This game felt like another game the Saints took themselves out of, and not one where the opposing team beat them. I did love the sparks that showed on offense, and if Spencer Rattler can build off of this and continue to play at this level, I can say that I’d feel okay if the Saints decided to go with another position than quarterback in the upcoming draft. Offensive MVP: Spencer Rattler Defensive MVP: Carl Granderson Special Teams MVP: NONE
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