Pelicans practice report: New Orleans focuses on defensive improvement

Naji Marshall without a doubt didn’t get to ease his method into the 2023-24 marketing campaign, making his common season debut following an harm through looking to decelerate Dallas’ All-Star mixture of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on Sunday.

“To match up against Luka and Kyrie in my first day out, that’s the NBA for you,” Marshall mentioned after Monday’s practice.

Despite getting again one among its best possible defenders Sunday, New Orleans (4-6) persevered to battle at that finish of the ground, posting its fourth-worst potency ranking amongst its 10 video games. In a pattern that’s contributed a great deal to a five-game shedding streak, the Pelicans’ two poorest rankings each took place at the beginning of this stretch, in defeats vs. Atlanta and at Denver.

“It’s a little bit of everyone doing their job individually,” reserve middle Cody Zeller of the way New Orleans can opposite the hot defensive efficiency. “That’s on each one of us. I mean (the Mavericks) have a lot of good players – Kyrie and Luka had big nights (combined 65 points) – but that’s going to be every team we play. We’ve got to limit those guys and make sure the other guys don’t have big games.”

“Bring the energy,” Marshall mentioned of the way he needs to have an effect on the staff’s effort. “Hopefully I can bring a spark back to the defense, get out running. Make the game easier.”

New Orleans ranks twenty third in defensive ranking (114.5 issues allowed in line with 100 possessions) out of the league’s 30 groups, after hanging 6th final season (112.0).

Other notes from Monday’s practice:

Fourth-year ahead Marshall on what the Pelicans are going via early within the season: “Adversity doesn’t last forever. I feel like all four years we went through some things but came out better. The time will come around when we’re going to be rolling. Once we start getting more (injured players) back, we’re going to be rolling.” …

Zeller on receptiveness to modify when a staff isn’t enjoying smartly: “Guys are definitely more willing to listen, more willing to learn. Any team I’ve been on, when you go on a five-game losing streak, guys want to get it right. We’re all competitive. We want to get it fixed quickly, but not just for one game. We want to be playing well at the end of the season and play playoff basketball. Big picture, we still have plenty of time, but plenty of things we want to do better tomorrow (facing Dallas a second straight time).”

Asked concerning the Pelicans’ brand-new In-Season Tournament pink and inexperienced courtroom that can debut Tuesday in opposition to the Mavericks, Marshall had an inventive solution: “It’s pretty cool. It reminds me of Barney. I used to love Barney when I was a kid. But it’s cool, though.” …

Marshall on the component of enjoying Dallas two days after shedding to the Mavs in one-sided model: “I feel like it’s more of an internal thing, pride. Especially if they won (the first game), now you’re going to buckle down, get stops, do what you’re supposed to do and correct yourself from the last game. It’s more of an internal fight.” …

Pelicans head trainer Willie Green used to be no longer at Monday’s practice because of no longer feeling smartly, in line with staff PR.