Observations From New Orleans Pelicans Second Preseason Game

The Pelicans dropped their first game of the preseason after a sloppy performance against the Heat.

Oct 13, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dunks against the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans were defeated 101-99 by the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon. It was each team's second preseason game after Hurricane Milton disrupted plans to hold any preseason games in Florida. New Orleans played without Brandon Ingram, who won't play until the final game of the preseason, and Trey Murphy III, who is still out with a hamstring injury.

The Pelicans utilized the same starting five from their opening preseason game against the Orlando Magic. Here are a few key observations from the game.

Zion Williamson looks dominant: The Pelicans will only go as far as Williamson takes them this season. Early indications suggest he's ready to embrace the superhero role. The former No. 1 overall pick was sensational again on Sunday. He led the team in scoring with 13 points on 50% shooting from the field.

Williamson played just 17 minutes in the first half and did not play any in the second half. He capped off his afternoon with a thunderous one-hand alley-oop that amazed the crowd. This performance comes after his 16-point, 8-rebound game against the Magic. Simply put, Williamson is ready to dominate.

Welcome back Elfrid Payton: It was Deja Vu for the New Orleans-area native on Sunday. Payton was back in a Pelicans jersey for the first time since 2019 after spending one season in New Orleans. The former first-round pick dished out a game-high seven assists in 12 minutes off the bench.

Payton had a knack for recording triple-doubles in his only year for the Pelicans. He recorded a triple-double in his Pelicans' debut and, at one point, went five straight games with a triple-double, making him just the sixth player in NBA history to do so. New Orleans announced earlier this week that they signed him to a deal. Sunday was his first preseason action after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Pelicans must cut down on turnovers: The one glaring issue for them in the first games is the number of turnovers they commit. It's true that with so much roster change, this is the first time these players are competing together against another team. Still, the carelessness with the basketball is the one area that must be fixed before the season starts.

New Orleans turned the ball over 24 times on Sunday, leading to 28 points off turnovers for the Heat. The Pelicans only had 19 assists, and that is not a recipe for success in this league. They will be smaller on most nights, which means they may often lose the rebounding and second-chance points battles. New Orleans can't have empty offensive possessions because they turned the ball over, leading to easy baskets for the opposition. The Pelicans committed 18 turnovers in their opening game.

With the road game against the Orlando Magic completely canceled, the Pelicans have one more preseason game before the start of the regular season. Brandon Ingram expects to play for the first time this preseason when New Orleans travels to Houston to battle the Rockets.