Any time youre down, especially an All-Star like him, youre going to miss him and we did tonight, Barrett said. Randle struggled in the first round against the Cavaliers, averaging 14.4 points a game on 33.8% shooting (and a dreadful 45.9 true shooting percentage). To answer key questions, uncover hidden truths and peel back the curtain on why some numbers matter more than others. Regardless, the Pelicans need to find some answers to fix their lagging offense, and theyre running out of places to look. 1 pick, and not to mention the trade deadline is less than two weeks away. 1, Kia Rookie Ladder: Haliburton climbs to No. More than just spacing, on Tuesday New Orleans settling for Brandon Ingram or Zion or other players going at the Jazz in isolation rather than having player movement. For example, look at where two-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobertis before he leaves his feet to challengeWilliamson's shot on this possession: It looks like Gobert believes Williamson should've been whistled for an offensive foul he doesappear to extend his arm ever-so-slightly but Williamson almost knocking Gobertoff of his feet goes to show how powerful he is when he gains any sort of momentum. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Per Cleaning The Glass, the Pelicans current starting lineup is scoring just 88.1 points per 100 possessions in half-court situations, which is one step above punting the ball into the stands on every possession. His 75.1% shooting in the restricted area is the best mark among 36 players with at least 200 restricted-area attempts. In 68 career games, Williamson has made 19 shots (on 56 attempts) from outside the paint. Kyle Lowry scored 18 points. Its how Zion ended up with 32 points against Gobert and the Jazz. Zion Williamson Shooting Stats NBA Stats | FOX Sports Josh Hart and Obi Toppin are in the starting lineup. And he's getting better at reading defences. And he's getting better at reading defences. While the Lakers game was an obvious example, weve seen the Pels react similarly in other games during this stretch. His shooting form isnt great and his shot is flat. Golden State will need more out of Jordan Poole than they got against Sacramento. Kevon Looney's historically elite rebounding provided separation in a winner-take-all Game 7. Pelicans executive David Griffin said Friday that Williamson (hamstring) was never cleared for 5-on-5 or even full-court 3-on-3 work before the If he catches him leaning in the direction of the screen, hell go the other way , And one reason for Williamsons effectiveness off the dribble is an improved handle, like a wicked in-and-out dribble , Its all about space. The pre-playoffs conventional wisdom on how this series might play out became the reality of Game 7: Curry and the Warriors are going to get theirs, could the Kings score with them when it matters? Though hes made just eight 3-pointers, Williamson has the highest true shooting percentage (66.2%) among the 47 players with a usage rate of 25% or higher. He made 51 percent of his shots in the midrange after getting traded to New Orleans last season. This aggressive Curry had some help, but as it has always been with the Warriors, it starts with him. Ingrams passing has gradually improved throughout his four seasons in New Orleans. Smart stuff.). You can e-mail himhere, findhis archive hereandfollow him on Twitter. Back-to-back bad closeouts from Zion leads to five quick points for Utah. But watching Valaninas this year underscores how he hasnt been same force he was during his first season with the Pelicans. Theyre getting destroyed. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. In the East, the Detroit Pistons would be in playoff position if we only counted games that were within five points in the last five minutes. If his defender anticipates the screen, he'll take off in the other direction. Butler had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the No. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. See where all 30 teams rank after a busy week of player movement across the league. Kevon Looney's historically elite rebounding provided separation in a winner-take-all Game 7. Stephen Curry had one of the greatest games of his career and that is saying something and the Warriors survive and advance, winning Game 7 on the road 120-100. The Pelicans have beat the Nuggets, Lakers, Mavs and Celtics over the last 11 days, but L.A. was missing both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while Dallas was missing both Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. It's scary to think that Williamson is doing this while having played less than a season's worth of games in his career. Stephen Curry dropped 50 in Game 7 Sunday the most points ever scored in a Game 7 lifting the Warriors into the second round with another epic performance. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 30, 2023. Malik Monk was 4-of-14. Rockets guard struggling to hit jumpers as we dig into 5 noteworthy stats, Plus, a look at zone defense and Al Horford's play without Joel Embiid, Clippers star in midst of worst shooting season as we dig into 5 noteworthy stats. Also, 44 percentof his baskets were unassisted, similar numbers to Jaylen Brown and Tyler Herro. Dyson is really good with the ball in his hands making decisions. The Pelicans have teased with wins over good teams before and still have a lot of work to do to secure a Play-In spot in the West. First, it's the highest mark in the league. At 33-36, they sit in 12th place in the West, a half game out of the final Play-In position. His passing chops caught my eye early in his rookie season and he's shown real signs of improvement this season. Before joining The Athletic, he was a writer at The Times-Picayune/NOLA Media Group, and he's been on the Pelicans beat since 2016. The pre-playoffs conventional wisdom on how this series might play out. How deep into his offensive bag will Zion Williamson go this But the No. Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images Back in the spring, after he averaged 26 points per Zion Williamson Is Primed to Take a Leap Forward for By the way, there was a Bol Bol sighting in this game, with him going coast-to-coast for the slam. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports Randle is likely out (which means hes out). Williamson has recorded eight 30+ point performances without a basket outside the paint. Their average margin of defeat in their 16 losses is 6.3. If his three-point shooting (30.4 percent for Boulogne-Levallois in France's Pro A league) continues to lag, the Pistons may not get the extra breathing room they want for their offense. It gives CJ more of a balance being on the floor where he doesnt have to have the ball in his hands and initiate every time, Green said. After getting traded to New Orleans, McCollumembraced the opportunity to show he could be more than just the single-minded scorer he was in Portland. The reports of the death of the Warriors era have been greatly exaggerated. Breaking down the Golden State-Los Angeles matchup with 3 things to watch, 1 X-factor and a series prediction. Allen described the shot, back around 1998, that changed how he perceived golf. While hes had some exemplary moments as a point guard during his time with the Pels, he still tends to fall back on some of his bad habits. But among 163 players with at least 100 shots both inside and outside, only Jabari Parker has a bigger differential between his field goal percentage in the paint and his effective field goal percentage from outside the paint. NBA Season Preview: Will Ja Morant become the Memphis Grizzlies first superstar? NBA Play-In - West - 9th Place vs 10th Place, Stephen A.: Zion might've cost Pelicans an NBA Finals appearance. Through his first 85 career games, NBA defenses have not found an answer for Zion, but that has not stopped his game from being critiqued. pic.twitter.com/D6eYVF3ubi, John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) January 23, 2020. Since Jan. 1, New Orleans is 28th in the league in both 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage. If you were amazed by Curry's record-setting performance on Sunday, let's just say you weren't the only one. Zion Williamson's evolution to superstardom Hes been, throughout his career, at about one or two 3-pointers per game, Lakers coach Frank Vogel told NBA.com this week. Were trying to get him to up that to four or five. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Terry Roziers 12-for-23 (52%) is the best mark among 16 players with at least 20 attempts. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. (To boot, many of his "unassisted baskets" were putbacks). Zion While hes doing that, hes a developing shooter from the perimeter, from the standpoint finding more opportunities to get clean looks.. His crossovermakes him a tough cover in space because of how quickly he takes advantage of the smallest of openings. Quentin Grimes is also a game-time decision for the Knicks. With a full season officially under New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamsons belt, we got to see the dominance that made him a viral sensation in high school, executed at the NBA level. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Here are the 3-point numbers for everyone not named McCollum or Murphy since Jan. 1: Lately, its been tough to believe anyone on this list will knock down a spot-up shot when the ball finds them on the perimeter. All of this is to say:Williamson a walking mismatch. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Durant, Lillard, NBA Twitter react to Curry dropping 50 in Game 7, NBA playoffs first round results, schedule, times and where to watch, There will be a Game 7 Monk, Fox run Kings past Warriors for win, Knicks Julius Randle out for Game 1 vs. Miami Heat, Three things to watch: Miami Heat renew rivalry with New York Knicks, Butler leads Heat to Game 1 win on road against shorthanded Knicks, step-back three in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA finals. Pelicans executive David Griffin said Friday that Williamson (hamstring) was never cleared for 5-on-5 or even full-court 3-on-3 work before the Pelicans' Play-In Matchup against the Thunder, Andrew Lopez of ESPN.com reports. Draymond Green is going to have to be special (and will get time on LeBron and AD). Instead of driving into the same fate, Williamson stops and pulls up for a smooth jumper, something thats been in his bag since he first started going viral as a teen. December feels like a lifetime ago for the New Orleans Pelicans. So why dont we see these tools more frequently? This alone demonstrates that Zion is already more than the limited player hes often painted to be. UPDATE: The Knicks have made it official, Julius Randle is out for Game 1 vs. Miami. Good luck making up those 45 points and getting a win. Since Williamson injured his hamstring, Valaninas hasnt provided that reliable third option needed to take pressure off McCollum and Ingram. With their loss to the Clippers on Tuesday (in which they led by one with less than three minutes to go), the Mavs are 10-13 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. While the Mavs have scored 116.4 points per 100 possessions (No. (By the way, notice how low Steven Adams set the screen for Williamson? Players his size shouldn't be able to move and change directions as quickly as he does. Davis still ranks fifth in the league with 13.2 points in the paint per game. I can make cuts off the ball sometimes to break the play. It was not near enough against Utah, who were in control most of the game and won 118-102. The Pelicans were more efficient from the 3-point line when Williamson was healthy early in the season. Hes also shooting 43 percent on midrange Their win in Boston on Monday began a stretch where the Pels are playing 12 of 14 games against the Eastern Conference. The Warriors need a Klay Thompson game or two. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onNew Orleans Pelicans and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. He's slightly undersized to play power forward or centre at 6-foot-6, but he has the size to power his way through bigger defenders when he gets intothe paint. Your default site has been set for 7 days, Stat Just Happened: Zion Williamson is dominating the paint in a way we haven't seen since Shaquille O'Neal, Shaquille O'Neal-type force of nature with a point guard skill set. The result is the Pelicans trade their twos for opponent threes, and that math does not add up. Zion Williamson Will Miss Start of Season Due to Injury Again, Which is Extremely Worrying. Here are some things of note as we head into the Week 14 weekend. With better luck in close games, the Mavs might be in second place in the West instead of sixth. The Heat fell behind by 12 points in the second quarter, but that wasnt going to faze a team that eliminated deficits of 15 and then 16 points in the last two games against Milwaukee. The Pelicans are going to ask a lot of Williamson and he's not going to have the workload of your average 19-year-old NBA rookie. Will the East finally overtake the West in the 2021-22 NBA season? And one may wonder how much that affects their approach to trade talks with the deadline now less than two weeks away. First, it's the highest mark in the league. NBA players and a few celebrities were blown away and went to Twitter to react. I mean, hes that good, Steve Kerr said. Again, it helps when a dominant force is out there demanding attention from the defense. His decision-making has been erratic at times, and hes trying to do more than necessary to open up things for his teammates. It was an all-time performance from an all-time great. Best Centers Before the next rankings drop on Monday, here are some of the storylines hes keeping an eye on this weekend. He practiced everything. He rather not settle for a low percentage outside shot when hes getting to the basket at will. Zion Williamson Lets break down a few of the problems: The most important skill in the modern NBA is the one the Pelicans lack the most. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.

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