Roster makeup in the NBA is a delicate balance. You want your superstar, of course. Throw in a few shooters, big and small defenders, and some rebounders to complete the mix. It’s more complicated than it looks, though. Teams with multiple superstars have salary cap restrictions, forcing a deviation from the ideal mix. Defenses force shooters to be slashers, rebounders to defend on the ball, etc. The New Orleans Pelicans are interesting because the roster (when fully healthy) is a perfect mix of everything. The Pelicans are my NBA Western Conference dark horse to make it to the NBA Finals.
What is a Dark Horse Contender
A dark horse contender is a team not expected to win a championship that season. The early front-runners were the defending champion Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns. These can change throughout the season. Now that 2/3 of the games have played out, the Timberwolves and Thunder have entered the conversation. A healthy Clippers team with James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George is a tremendous threat. However, take a look at the standings.
Updated West Standings ‼️
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The New Orleans Pelicans are just a handful of wins from having home-court advantage in the first round. Yes, they have a brutal strength of schedule remaining, but this is the perfect time to cut your teeth with the NBA elite and push for a higher seed.
The Dark Horse Recipe
Superstar player? Check. This is where you expect the Zion Williamson praise to manifest itself. But no. Brandon Ingram is superstar 1-A for the Pelicans. A forward and former All-Star, Ingram is the guy who will get the ball at the end of the game to win it or lose it. He is on pace to play the most games he has played since his rookie season. Zion may be having a slightly better statistical season—credit him for staying in shape and earning that contract extension. Williamson is superstar 1-B for the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s just the kind of one-two punch that makes a team dangerous in the playoffs.
Shooters? Check. Veteran shooter in CJ McCollum. Young shooters in Jordan Hawkins and Trey Murphy III. I watched them in person make tough shots during In-Season Tournament play, a fantastic facsimile for the playoff atmosphere.
Defenders and rebounders? Check and check. In just his third season, Herb Jones is one of the most dominant wing defenders in the entire league. Jonas Valanciunas is averaging a near-double-double in points and rebounds and is a load in the paint.
What Are They Missing
Playoff experience! The entire roster, from the coaching staff to the players, is extremely limited in playoff experience. The New Orleans Pelicans just went to New York and beat the brakes off of the NY Knicks. They are going to want to start logging in some playoff wins now. The baby Spur, Victor Wembanyama, is growing up fast.
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1 Comment
The Pelicans should not be considered a dark horse. They are more like a gray horse (black&white). When playoffs come, teams like Denver, Phoenix, Minnesota, Clippers, Dallas, Warriors, and even Lakers will ride them wild!