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Pelicans shootaround update: Starter minutes may increase in final scrimmage

As tip-off approaches in seven-plus hours for the final New Orleans scrimmage game, it’s uncertain how many minutes Pelicans starters will log vs. Milwaukee (7 p.m., Fox Sports New Orleans, 100.3 FM), but guard Jrue Holiday indicated that there may be an increase.

“I don’t know our minutes tonight, but I expect it to be similar to a regular game,” Holiday said after Monday morning shootaround. “Probably up there with the (normal) averages, just to prepare for these next (seeding) games.

Holiday, who only played 16 and 13 minutes, respectively, vs. Brooklyn and Denver, is averaging a team-high 34.9 minutes in 2019-20. That’s slightly more than fellow starter Brandon Ingram (34.3), as well as Lonzo Ball (32.4) and Derrick Favors (24.2). Zion Williamson, who is in quarantine prior to being cleared to rejoin the Pelicans on the court, averages 29.7.

Other notes after Monday’s shootaround:

Frank Jackson (averaging 12.9 minutes this regular season) has been a bright spot during the two New Orleans scrimmages, including scoring 16 points against the Nuggets in 29 minutes. He has benefited from the Pelicans constantly pushing the tempo, resulting in a couple Jackson highlight-reel slams Saturday.

“That’s how we want to play,” Jackson said of fast-breaking vs. Denver. “It’s fun to play that way too, when you can get out and push the pace. It puts pressure on the other team’s defense. It allows you to get into a rhythm that way. It brings a little juice to our team.” …

Prior to the suspension of the NBA season in March, Jackson was part of the New Orleans rotation and had logged double-digit minutes in four consecutive games, the first time he’d done so since mid-January.

“He’s played great,” Holiday said of Jackson’s performance in the two scrimmage victories. “He’s brought energy. He’s showed off a little bit of athleticism. He pretty much can do everything – he can pass, he can get to the rim, he’s intense on defense. Hopefully this kind of gives him a chance to play more and more.” …

Jackson on NOLA’s apparent readiness for the return of basketball after four-plus months: “I think we’ve done a really good job of pushing ourselves, to ultimately get back into shape and get ready. It’s been good. It’s been a lot of good competition. (It’s) not surprising at all. From the minute we stepped foot on campus here, we were ready to go.”

Milwaukee scouting report/what’s at stake in Orlando

The Bucks are coming off a Saturday scrimmage in which 12 players logged between 16 and 25 minutes of playing time, with top players Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton both on the lower end of that scale. Milwaukee already appears to be rounding into form, rolling to a 131-123 win over Sacramento, highlighted by 20/45 three-point shooting as a team. Like the Pelicans, the Bucks have countless perimeter threats who can’t be left open beyond the arc.

For a second straight season, Milwaukee (53-12) boasts the NBA’s best regular season record. The Bucks have a magic number of just 2 to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, meaning they probably won’t have much tangible to play for during many of their seeding games. They could factor significantly into the fate of the West’s race for eighth and ninth place, however, because Milwaukee’s final seeding game Aug. 13 is against current No. 8 Memphis (32-33).