A total of over 100 points per game is missing from New Orleans’ rotation, but the Pelicans (30-49) have not experienced a major drop-off offensively you’d expect from a group headlined by several unproven NBA players. While relying on only nine healthy players, including three who spent time in the D-League this season, Alvin Gentry’s team has still been able to score enough points to win games, going 4-3 over the past seven games. The head coach credits his players’ approach as a major reason for the commendable stretch, highlighted by several instances where New Orleans has dished out roughly 30 assists as a team.
“I think if you are willing to pass the basketball and share the basketball, and just move it on or if you’re in a position to shoot it, it’s been proven (to be effective) over the last seven or eight games,” Gentry said in pregame Saturday. “You have to be very unselfish and you’ve got to be willing to give up the basketball, and you have to be willing to get it to the next guy.”
Gentry was asked if it’s easier to get players to work in a system when they are trying to prove themselves in the NBA, as opposed to guys with extensive experience in the league and a track record of individual success.
“I think it’s tough sometimes to convert guys who are really locked in in certain ways,” Gentry agreed, before going to recent examples of veteran players changing their approach to help his teams win. “But we did it in L.A. (with the Clippers) – Chris Paul is used to having the ball all the time, (but) there is a way of sharing it that can come through. Obviously last year in Golden State (when Gentry was a lead assistant coach for the Warriors), they proved that you can pass it, be a running team and a three-point shooting team. Contrary to what a lot of people say, you can win playing that way. They won a championship playing that way. So I just feel like we have the pieces here, when we’re healthy, that if we’re willing to share and move the basketball, we’ll have an opportunity to have some success.”