Four Significant Keys for Pelicans Two Game Series Against Golden State Warriors

The New Orleans Pelicans will play two straight games on the road against the Golden State Warriors.

Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans have started the season out strong. 

Despite the unfortunate injury to recently acquired guard Dejounte Murray, the team earned a two-game split to begin their first road series of the season on the West Coast against the Portland Trail Blazers. 

The Pelicans will finish the trip with a two-game stop in San Francisco to take on the Golden State Warriors. Like New Orleans, Golden State is 2-1 on the year after losing for the first time on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams will head into Tuesday’s matchup on TNT looking to get back in the win column in what is set to be another challenging year in the Western Conference.

Here are the four biggest keys for the Pelicans to be successful in their trip to the Bay. 

Pelicans must establish their identity early. Over the first few games, the overall plan has been to play ‘small ball’ and make a lot of three-point shot attempts. That wasn’t very successful on Sunday, as New Orleans was only 27 percent from behind the arc. The team only made one successful three-pointer in the first half. Establishing their identity early will give Willie Green an opportunity to dictate how to manage his bench. That starts when the team's three-point shooting improves.

They will need to be quicker when it comes to defending the perimeter. By no surprise, the Warriors sit towards the top of the league in three-point efficiency. The team is sixth in the league, with 38.3 percent behind the line. They are also averaging 47 attempts from three per game. Over the first three games, New Orleans has struggled to properly defend the perimeter, leaving plenty of open shots for three. If that continues into this series against a team that puts up nearly 50 shots beyond the arc, these games will be over quickly. 

Both Andrew Wiggins and Buddy Hield have averaged over 50 percent from behind the three-point line so far this season, taking over six attempts each per game. Steph Curry considered the best three-point shooter in the game's history, is 40.7 percent on nine attempts per game. They are going to let it go from three. It will be important for the Pelicans' defense to adjust accordingly. 

Keep the rebound game close. With the way the Pelicans have constructed their roster, the ‘small ball’ rotation will probably not win the rebounding battle overall in any particular game. However, if the team can keep it close against Golden State, it will limit the extra possessions the defense will have to face. The Warriors are shooting 47.7 percent from the field so far this season. The fewer opportunities they have to shoot the basketball, the better. 

Go with the hot hand. As the team continues to look for its new identity without Dejounte Murray leading the charge at the point, the Pelicans must get creative. Over the last few games on this road trip, former UConn Huskies guard Jordan Hawkins has stepped up and has averaged over 20 points per game off the bench. If the paint isn’t working for players like Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, they will need to adjust quickly and possibly often. In-game adjustments will be critical when scheming against a veteran squad like the Warriors.