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. Van Gundy is also limited in the things he can do with Zion because of his games limitations right now. Al Horford was out for the night for Oklahoma City, which meant they threw their long-and-athletic but young and inexperienced big men such as Isaiah Roby out to defend Nikola Jokic. He put those guys on his back and said, Im going to make sure were not losing tonight. He shoots the mid-range jumper with a beautiful touch, even if he only attempted 16 of them all season long. Our guys know how to do it, theyve got to go out there and put it together, Green said. Sunday was a disappointing end to a breakthrough season for the Kings. He Outside of his sometimes inconsistent outside shot, Luka's offensive game is near-perfect. Shooting just 41.9 percent from the field entering the game against New Orleans, Mitchell has began to turn the corner when it comes to his scoring efficiency early in the 2021 season. (No other player has more than four attempts without a make in those situations.). According to NBA.com , the New Orleans Pelicans star averaged 20.3 points per game in the paint. I know hes going to see me and try to find me I think it definitely opens up the game for me a lot with a player like him.. Quentin Grimes is available to play. The Knicks won the last three of those but have work to do if theyre going to take this one. Zion Williamson did something last season that we haven't seen in a very, very long time. They have stocked up on a number of young players the team would have imagined could grow and develop alongside Williamson, but instead, most have struggled to adjust to life in the NBA. To tie a bow on it, Williamson is a good passer. 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. They did hold off a Wizards comeback on Tuesday, with Rozier getting a couple of key 2-point buckets late. Andrew Wiggins is going to get the LeBron assignment and generally has done well defending him, but the Warriors need Wiggins to have a series like he did in the Finals last year. NBA players and a few celebrities were blown away and went to Twitter to react. Theyre getting destroyed. They couldve used his shooting on a day they went 7 for 34 behind the arc, missing a chance to break open the game early and then hindering any chances of coming back. WebRotowire Apr 14, 2023. Which is pretty insane when you think about all the other times he has left our jaws on the floor. Harrison Barnes is a free agent and may be priced out of what the Kings want to spend. * The 54% is if you call the 6-8 Julius Randle the center in last seasons Davis-Randle frontline. While the Lakers game was an obvious example, weve seen the Pels react similarly in other games during this stretch. Ball isnt just good a pushing the pace via the dribble. It would also help if Green played him next to another point guard more often. Explore all New Orleans Pelicans NBA player stats - including scoring, rebounding, shooting, assists & more! So the Pelicans will sometimes try to set those screens as low as possible, like at the dotted circle , A low screen can make it tougher for the defender to get under and give Williamson a runway , Switching the ball screen can keep Williamson from being able to get downhill, but it can also put him in a matchup he prefers , Williamson has also shown an ability to read his own defender. He made 51 percent of his shots in the midrange after getting traded to New Orleans last season. Will the East finally overtake the West in the 2021-22 NBA season? Will Guillory is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering the New Orleans Pelicans. If nothing else this postseason, the Kings went from the team everyone thought they wanted to face to the team everyone is glad they didnt have to face. On the other end of the floor, Butler is great at avoiding the whistle. Its easy to spot their damaged confidence when other teams start racking up triples quickly. 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. Quentin Grimes is also a game-time decision for the Knicks. They gradually narrowed the deficit before halftime, blew by the Knicks with a 21-5 run in the third quarter and pulled away to a double-digit lead in the fourth. According to NBA.com , that's how many points per game Zion Williamson is averaging in the paint this season. More space means more opportunity for him to gain steam. But even then, they were still in the bottom five in the league in 3-point attempts, a constant gripe of head coach Willie Green. New Orleans Pelicans news fromFanSided Daily, 5 bold predictions for Cowboys against Patriots, Bills zoom into AFCs drivers seat, Chiefs reach crisis and more. Dropping a 7-foot-4 centre with a 7-foot-10 wingspan to the paint should work but Marjanovic probably wasn't expecting Williamson to take off around the dotted line and jump so high that he could softly lay the ball in. I also think his approach to these games is hes gonna go down swinging. Instead, those opportunities have been few and far between, and the results havent been nearly as successful when they occur. In total, the Pelicans outscored the Spurs, 29-21 in 8:28 with Williamson at the five. It's scary to think that Williamson is doing this while having played less than a season's worth of games in his career. De'Aaron Fox was 5-of-19. Back then, they had one of the best records in the Western Conference, with Zion Williamson playing at an All-NBA level. In what looks on paper to be an even series, this is an advantage the Heat might regret squandering. But theres more to the story of this teams shocking demise. Zion is as strong and explosive as anyone who has ever played the game, and when Gobert would play back daring Zion to shoot from the outside, he would use that on a runway, get rolling downhill, get his body into Gobert and get a bucket. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Just ask two-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who had the task of guarding Williams for large chunks of Utahs win over New Orleans Tuesday. 2021 Zion Williamson: 20-1972007 Dwight Howard: 21-631993 Shaquille O'Neal: 21-248, Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) January 20, 2021. New Orleans is making strides this season, they are getting better, but Tuesday night showed just how far they and Zion have to go to become one of the better teams in the West. There are also times when the Pels need a perimeter player who can get into the paint and collapse the defense. The Pelicans players know how hard theyll have to work to match that kind of production with their limited 3-point shooting. After sweeping their New York back-to-back, the Lakers complete their five-game trip in Philadelphia on Saturday (8:30 ET, ABC). Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports. But its been a more balanced diet and the continued development of his off-the-dribble game will be critical going forward. Ive got to be better.. But his work in the paint, along with the seventh highest free throw rate (52 attempts per 100 shots from the field) among those 251 players, has Williamson ranking eighth in scoring at 26.4 points per game. 8 seed to beat a No. It's worth noting that Williamson was the The start of Zion Williamsons NBA career hasnt come easy. Not only can he play through contact, but he can also absorbcontact and adjust while he's midair. By the way, there was a Bol Bol sighting in this game, with him going coast-to-coast for the slam. 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. After the ball goes out of bounds, New Orleans immediately gives the ball back to Zion and he adjusts. Well, the Mavs average margin of victory in their 28 wins is 14.7 points. Williamson's body control is incredible. Williams is injured and Melli played just over a minute, late in the first quarter. To be clear, Williamsons paint dominance is comparable to Shaquille ONeals, but they are achieved in different ways. For one, he's built like a tank. One reason is their performance in close games. Very uncharacteristic by me and this ones on me. First, it's the highest mark in the league. 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? Former Pelican Anthony Davis has played about 65% of his minutes at power forward this season, down from *54% over his last two seasons in New Orleans. As he showed Sunday, that can be enough. With Williamson rarely looking to score outside of the paint he's taken a grand total of eight shots from midrange and 24 shots from 3-point range this season Allen described the shot, back around 1998, that changed how he perceived golf. I was in Mexico, I was standing over I dont remember what course I was playing but I was standing over, I was about 100 yards in, and there was nothing. In that same game, we also saw a glimpse of how good defense forces Williamson to get deeper into his bag, allowing everyone else to see how special he really is. His decision-making has been erratic at times, and hes trying to do more than necessary to open up things for his teammates. Over the last 10 years, Kawhi Leonard (four times, including this season) and Tyus Jones (three times, including this season) are the only players whove had more steals than personal fouls (with a minimum of 500 minutes played) more than twice. If a few shots arent falling, then mix it up: get to the paint, get to the free throw line, throw the ball down to (Valaninas). WebFour arrested in Mason County after man found shot dead near Tahuya Lets break down a few of the problems: The most important skill in the modern NBA is the one the Pelicans lack the most. Williamson took DeRozan into the paint and Ball lofted a lob pass over the helpless defender. 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). The 37 games hes missed this season have certainly made it difficult for Ingram to gain a rhythm. WebFind detailed Zion Williamson Shooting Stats on FOXSports.com. Davis has an effective field goal percentage of 39.4% on shots from outside the paint, a mark that ranks 117th among 122 players who have taken at least 200 shots from the outside (not including backcourt shots). PPP = Points per possession. The Kings are still learning. Before the next rankings drop on Monday, here are some of the storylines hes keeping an eye on this weekend. In time, well certainly see some minutes with Williamson at the five and Ingram at the four, what may be the Pelicans most potent configuration. Smart stuff.). Still, 67.4% (1.35 points per attempt) is a great rate of return. The Kings have hard choices to make. It brings to an end one of the best, highest-level first-round series in recent memory. That led to stat lines like 37 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assist even with his team shooting an abysmal 18 percent from 3. To get past the Heat, the Knicks will need something closer to All-Star Randle. 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 10-year veteran is shooting 43.4 percent from the field, his lowest figure since his second season in the league. He has seen an increase in his ratio of 3-point attempts to mid-range attempts in each of the last three seasons (from 0.2 in 2016-17 to 0.8 this season), but that ratio could (and should) be higher. Why is that notable? The reports of the death of the Warriors era have been greatly exaggerated. 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. It was not near enough against Utah, who were in control most of the game and won 118-102. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. How does that work? Hard not to be skeptical of the 3-point shooting (though it's great that he shot without hesitation), but what got an audible "Wow!" His shooting form isnt great and his shot is flat. In Game 7, Sabonis was 8-of-10 on shots in the paint, 2-of- 6 from everywhere else (he took and missed one 3), and Looney dominated him in the paint. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. Winning in the postseason with Sabonis is something the Kings need to figure out his lack of floor spacing and defense (although he was better on that end this series) hinder Sacramento in the playoffs. Good luck making up those 45 points and getting a win. All of this is to say:Williamson a walking mismatch. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Freq = Percentage of his total possessions 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. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. The 10-year veteran is shooting 43.4 percent from the field, his lowest figure since his second season in the league. Williamson finished 14th in true shooting percentage and fourth in PER last season, largely because he refused to settle for shots he wasnt comfortable taking. Zion Williamson scored 30 points on 9-of-13 shooting in New Orleans' 113-109 win over Denver on Sunday, marking the 20th straight game in which Williamson The biggest number is the one turnover. The 6-foot-7 Williamson, in his second season out of Duke after becoming the No. To answer key questions, uncover hidden truths and peel back the curtain on why some numbers matter more than others. So, because he had space he was able to attack and be really aggressive.. Listed at 284 pounds, there are only three players Tacko Fall, Boban Marjanovic and Jusuf Nurkicwho currently weigh more than Williamson. Even if his game is simple strength, power, quickness it works to a historic degree. But since Jan. 1, Ingram is averaging 3.6 turnovers per game, a significant jump from the 2.7 he averaged last season. New Orleans, by contrast, has reached 15 3-pointers in a game only once since the start of the new year. first episode of NBCs new Beyond the Fairway podcast. Jokic is averaging a triple-double this season: 25.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 10 assists a game, with a ridiculously efficient 65.8 true shooting percentage. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Being a great 3-point shooting team isnt a requirement to win, but it makes life easier. The lack of success is especially strange considering the same lineup with non-shooting big Jaxson Hayes in Murphys place posted a plus-7.1 net rating last season while averaging a sizzling 123.5 points per 100 possessions. WebZion Williamson is an obvious choice here after playing in only 29 games. Smart stuff.). I stood over that shot [and thought], I dont know where this ball is going to go. That backpedaling three was no accident Allen had practiced it. And he once again lived up to the billing. The pre-playoffs conventional wisdom on how this series might play out. 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. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. The player closest to Williamson is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 16.9points per game in the paint. And all of Williamsons minutes at the five were at the start of the second and fourth quarters, when Ingram was on the bench. Donovan Mitchell had 28 and some fantastic kick-out assists back to the top of the key, Gobert added 13 points and 18 rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson (18 points) and Joe Ingles (15) provided a spark off the bench. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. Nothing worked consistently. He took 18 threes. This season, hes destroying his own record, averaging 17.9 restricted-area points per game. Including his preseason minutes, New Orleans is a plus-52 in 54:03 with Williamson at center. Players his size shouldn't be able to move and change directions as quickly as he does. While the Pelicans lack of spacing and dearth of supplementary scoring options have played a large part in the offenses stagnation, the ball getting stuck with McCollum (and Ingram) has also hurt. That went about as well as you think it did. His 3-point shot would be the one nit-picking outlier of his offensive arsenal. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Power Rankings, Week 15: Jazz climb to No. With Williamson rarely looking to score outside of the paint he's taken a grand total of eight shots from midrange and 24shots from 3-point range this season you'd think giving him space would be the easiest way to contain him. Entering his third season, how much of his game has New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson unveiled? Part of what works for Zion is Stan Van Gundy putting him in positions to succeed. While Ingrams two-month absence due to a toe injury has been the main cause of his rocky season, there have been some issues even when he does take the court. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: Turner climbs to No. Hes missed the last 32 games and is a week away from being re-evaluated for a possible return this season. With new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sitting courtside, Love fired three long passes for scores, with Butlers basket on the last one capping the run and giving the Heat a 74-66 lead. 3P%:3-Point Field Goal Percentage; 3PT:3-Point Field Goals Made-Attempted; AST:Assists; Interestingly, all those preseason minutes were played with Brandon Ingram, Nicolo Melli or Kenrich Williams playing the four alongside Williamson. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans -- 5 percent Any way you slice it, that is a shocking number to see Zion that low. WebZion Williamson is an obvious choice here after playing in only 29 games. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports Randle is likely out (which means hes out). Give the Warriors defense credit for some of that, but a lot of it was just the Kings learning how to play in these moments. Not only can he play through contact, but he can also absorbcontact and adjust while he's midair. The problem? Transition and cut (non-roll-man catches in the paint, for the most part) play-types are still where Williamson is doing the highest volume of work. Now, they dont take 3s, and when they do, they rarely go in. Even if a team thinks theyhave one player who has a decent shot at hanging with him, they almost certainly don't have two, making switching against the Pelicans adangerous game. Latest on New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson including complete game-by-game stats on ESPN. RJ Barrett scored 26 points and Jalen Brunson had 25 for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Jimmy Butler is a master at drawing fouls. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. We all remember Allen for his step-back three in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA finals, forcing overtime against the Spurs and changing that series. 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. Players his size shouldn't be able to move and change directions as quickly as he does. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Davis has an effective field goal percentage of 39.4% on shots from outside the paint, a mark that ranks 117th among 122 players who have taken at least 200 shots And until he shows he can make shots outside the paint, teams will play far off him to take away the drive. 71.4: This is Williamsons shooting percentage this preseason.No, not his free throw percentage. No wonder everything on offense looks difficult for them. Four of those 19 came in his rookie debut. In 68 career games, Williamson has made 19 shots (on 56 attempts) from outside the paint.