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The New Orleans Pelicans will be heading into the new season on the back of troublesome times. The NBA franchise ended the regular season in bad form, losing their final four games of the season, whilst finishing eleventh in the Western Conference. The poor season-ending result left the team in a lowly position. It extended the Pelicans’ wait for the playoffs entry to another season, thus leaving their team and supporters in a disappointing position heading into the offseason.
What followed the disappointment was an evident clear-out and the restructuring of an ambitious side’s roster. Head Coach Stan Van Gundy, along with a host of players including Lonzo Ball and Steven Adams, left the squad. The New Orleans Pelicans decided to make younger additions, no doubt with the aim of building around the strengths of starlet Zion Williamson.
How the New Orleans Pelicans' shooting fared last season
The New Orleans Pelicans performed excellently as an attacking unit last season and were part of the top 10 offensive NBA teams statistically. They posted incredible numbers despite having important attackers like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram out for some games. However, their attacking brilliance was badly stalled by their defensive weakness.
They placed ninth for points in the NBA, scoring 8,251 points over the season, and had the ninth-best number of field goals in the league with 3,060. They placed only higher in their shot efficiency, posting a 47.7 field goal percentage, the seventh-best amongst NBA teams during the regular season.
However, their stats take an ironic turn when compared to the amount and efficiency of their three-point shots last season. Placing a lowly 20th for three-pointers made in the league. A blemish on their offensive repertoire, one they would be hoping to straighten this season.
With the new season already here, let’s check out the best shooters on the New Orleans Pelicans roster.
#5 Jaxson Hayes
The 2019 round one pick has blossomed into an important player for the New Orleans Pelicans, playing 124 regular-season matches in the past two years. He scored 449 points for the team, averaging 7.9 points per game, placing him in sixth position in the team. He registered 280 field goal attempts, ranking seventh on the Pelicans roster for field goals made with 175.
Hayes outperformed every other New Orleans Pelican player for shot efficiency, scoring a remarkable 62.5% of his shots attempts. With more game time entering his third season with the Pelicans, you can bet on his numbers seeing an increase.
#4 Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson is widely considered to be the best player on the New Orleans Pelicans roster. He is one of NBA’s young basketball stars, it is only right that Williamson makes it to the list of top shooters on his team’s roster.
After a promising but injury-interrupted rookie campaign that saw him emerge as one of the brightest talents in his first season. Williamson was finally able to take the next step and fully show the NBA why he was the No.1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
In his first full season, the power forward showed his skills, dominating in multiple metrics across the league. He put up 1,647 points (10th highest in the NBA), raking in the eighth-highest points per game record in the league with 27 points per game. He made the most field goals for the New Orleans Pelicans with 634 shots, also posting the eighth-highest field goal percentage in the league with 61.1%.
His brilliant performances across the season saw the youngster bag his first All-Star appearance, with the chances of a repetition seeming ever possible.
#3 Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is another important part of the New Orleans Pelicans’ upcoming core of young talent. The 23-year-old will be hoping that last season's breakout performances endear him to new coach Willie Green, ensuring his starting berth in the squad.
The shooting guard ranked fifth for points scored by a Pelican player, finishing his season with 508 points. His 76 successful three-pointers also ranked in the top five players on the team’s roster, and New Orleans Pelicans supporters can hope to see the rookie’s seasonal numbers rise this season, after posting a 1.7 three-point average. He finished the season with the fifth-highest shot made on the New Orleans Pelicans roster (192), with a 41.9 field goal percentage.
#2 Jonas Valančiūnas
The new signing from Memphis Grizzlies has an important role to play this season if the Pelicans are to achieve their targets in the NBA. Brought on as a replacement for the terrific but often flailing Steven Adams, the center will be hoping that he hits the ground running. Valanciunas needs to justify the often questioned trade deal that brought him to New Orleans.
Never one to be singled out for his performance, Jonas Valanciunas has performed consistently in the NBA over the years, appearing for different teams in six of the last nine playoffs. The 29-year old enjoyed a terrific season last year and seems to be getting better with age, posting a career-high 17.1 points per match.
He made 21 three-pointers and recorded 440 field goals with the Grizzlies, placing him third on Pelican’s player rankings when compared to their roster, with only Williamson and Ingram with more.
If his consistency is not proof enough of his impending success with the Pelicans, his shooting percentage should do the trick. Posting a remarkable 59.2 shooting percentage in the previous season – another career-high record.
#1 Brandon Ingram
The second most influential offensive player on the New Orleans Pelicans roster is Brandon Ingram. He would still be hoping for a better statistical output than the one he managed in his first season with the Pelicans. The small forward endeared himself to the Pelicans fans with an excellent performance in his sophomore season, bettering most of his first season stats.
He scored the New Orleans Pelicans' second-highest points, raking in 1,450 points in the 61 matches played in the regular season. The departure of Lonzo Ball also saw him emerge as the team's top three-point shooter, shooting a brilliant 143 three-pointers last season, the second-best after Ball. Ingram also ranked second for field goals made, scoring 513 of his field shots and posting a 46.6 percentage rating.
Guess the Lakers players!
