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Pelicans shootaround update presented by Entergy: Revamped Spurs off to 2-0 start

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In the fourth game of Eric Bledsoe’s NBA career back in October 2010, he suited up for the LA Clippers against San Antonio, an accomplished Spurs team that started Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and eventually collected five championships. A decade later, the Spurs are in the midst of a new era and have completely different personnel on the floor, but some things remain the same: Gregg Popovich is still the head coach and San Antonio remains a feared opponent, despite coming off an exceptionally rare non-playoff season in 2019-20.

“It’s a lot different from when they had Tony and Manu running the offense,” Bledsoe said after Sunday’s Pelicans morning shootaround. “At the same time, they’ve got some great, talented players over there, who can put up big numbers and win games. They are playing at an extremely high level right now. That’s one thing about Pop’s teams – even if they don’t shoot the ball well each and every night, they give 110 percent effort on the court and give themselves a chance to win the game.”

At this exceptionally early stage of 2020-21, San Antonio has shot the ball well in wins over Memphis and Toronto, ranking in the top 10 of the NBA in shooting percentage and three-point percentage. The Spurs came from behind late in the fourth quarter Saturday to edge the Raptors.

Other notes from Sunday’s shootaround:

New Orleans is trying to tighten up defensively after some communication mistakes led to too many wide-open three-pointers by Miami collectively and Duncan Robinson in particular.

“I think just talking cleans up a lot of things,” guard Lonzo Ball said. “We went over it in the film today. We had a lot of breakdowns in pick-and-roll, and ultimately that led to good shots for Miami, which they hit the majority of the night. We’ve just got to talk more. I think people know what to do; we’ve just got to call out the (defensive) coverage.” …

New Orleans is one of a handful of NBA teams opening its home schedule with fans at games. Ball on what he misses most about not having crowds of 17,000-plus in the Smoothie King Center: “We love our fans. You play the game your whole life with fans, but then to have them not be there is a little different. I think the (NBA) arenas are better than the bubble, though, because you can have some fans in some arenas. Hopefully we can get better to some sort of normal life soon and get the fans back in.”

San Antonio (2-0) scouting report

Offensive efficiency rank: 6 (117.4 points per 100 possessions, via NBA.com)

Defensive efficiency rank: 17 (109.4)

Streak: Won 2

Go-to guy: The Spurs may be transitioning to a new, up-tempo style of play, but the focal point of their attack is still guard/forward DeMar DeRozan, who’s averaging 27.5 points over two games. He is San Antonio’s leading scorer by a wide margin (Patty Mills is next at 17.0). Whether he’s been in Toronto or the Alamo City, DeRozan is a master of the mid-range shot, having only fired four three-pointers so far, compared to 27 attempts inside the arc. However, one of his three makes was a crucial score Saturday vs. the Raptors.

On the rise: Now two seasons removed from an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2018-19 campaign, fourth-year point guard Dejounte Murray is a two-way presence who made the NBA’s All-Defensive second team in ’17-18. He’s off to a fast start this season, averaging 16 points and 9.5 assists through two games.

Pelicans keys to victory

BOUNCE BACK FROM THREE-POINT RANGE

This applies to both ends of the court. The outcomes of New Orleans’ two games have been greatly dictated by how the Pelicans shot and defended the three-point arc. On Christmas, Miami went 16/37 on threes, while New Orleans was just 10/35.

GET BACK ON DEFENSE

These aren’t your father’s methodical, plodding, walk-it-up-the-court Spurs. San Antonio ranks fourth in the NBA in fast-break points per game (19.5) and seventh in pace (106.50 possessions per 48 minutes).

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM EVERYONE

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are off to excellent starts this season, including combining to score 60 of NOLA’s 98 points at Miami, but the rest of the team shot 13/41 from the field against the Heat.

Sourced from Pelicans

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