The Pelicans Have EVERYONE FOOLED…

The Pelicans Have EVERYONE FOOLED…

The New Orleans Pelicans have everyone fooled as they were a team coming into the season last year with high expectations but failed to make the playoffs so a lot of that hype dwindled out and obviously this season there have been a ton of players in the NBA putting

Up near 30p Point triple doubles in that mvp conversation and the Pelican star Zion Williamson at least his box score stats have not been to that level so at first glance a lot of people are looking at this New Orleans Pelicans team and kind of overlooking them as a team in

The Western Conference that could actually make a playoff run however that shouldn’t be the case that is the wrong take because the New Orleans Pelicans day by day are proving that they are legit creating some separation that Western Conference they’ve been winning a ton of games as of late and they’ve

Surpassed the curry Le Golden State Warriors the LeBron Le LA Lakers the KD Le Phoenix Suns and creating separation between the Dallas Mavericks who have been a hot streak lately as well as well as even the Sacramento Kings who were the Third seed in the Western Conference

Last year the Pelicans are fifth in the Western Conference and they continue to play better as The Season’s gone along so we’re going to break down what’s going on in New Orleans why some pundits have picked them to make the NBA finals and what we should expect from this Core

Group you know going forward in this postseason and for the future so lots of stuff to sink our teeth into but JJ reick made some headlines basically today as he came out and said he picked the New Orleans Pelicans to come out of the Western Conference uh Western Conference playoffs basically I’m

Actually going to go with the New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson for the last two months is playing the best basketball of the season and the nuggets are still the favorites but he’s still running with the New Orleans Pelicans on who he thinks has the best chance to

Make the NBA Finals so that’s a very interesting quote that took a lot of people by surprise when JJ reck who obviously sound NBA analysts you knows had some weird takes here and there but is highly respected in terms of his opinion across the NBA he’s picking the

Pelicans to come out of the Western Conference so what’s going on what’s happening with New Orleans well obviously the main guy the first player that people look at with the Pelicans is Zion Williamson and a lot of headlines were made about Zion especially during the inseason tournament time when the

Pelicans made a little bit of a run they were in these big games and it looked like Zion was a little bit out of breath a little out of shape to keep things going during big moments particularly Stephen A Smith had a lot of comments

Had a lot of things to say about his weight and how he could really handle the top guy on a team that’s actually going to be competitive well Zion apparently took that to heart took all the criticism that was thrown his way to heart and news has basically come out

That Zion has reportedly lost 25 pounds since the inseason tournament I’ve got a lot of people in New Orleans telling me that since December when the inseason tournament happened that Zion Williamson has lost 25 or more pounds and his performance has been excellent so that’s coming from Brian windhorse there and

You can even look at the sort of visuals again this is a picture Zion’s not out when people say Zion’s out of shape that’s something that’s crazy because again everyone is different body types he’s an NBA level athlete now for his size for his frame would it be

Beneficial for his health for his cardio to maybe drop some of those pounds that makes sense but I do want to address like he’s even here in shape you know relatively good straight his strength is a MAG all that type of stuff but now you look at the most recent photo we found

On Getty Images of him you can see he’s clearly trimmed down visually you can see the sort of weight lost and Zion stats are indicating that he’s been really good for this team as well I mean just looking at sort of the numbers for Zion this season again his numbers are a

Little bit down from last year just overall but in terms of efficiency terms of what’s going on things are still really really good for a 23-year-old Zion Williamson averaging 22 points per game six rebounds five assists for the New Orleans Pelicans you know he’s a guy that’s really efficient around the

Basket he’s taking a few threes here and there as well you know he’s taking some jump shots but again his G is around the basket around the paint and he’s doing everything that’s sort of asked for from the New Orleans Pelicans but the thing you should be most encouraged by by

Those stats you know for Zion Williamson is 56 games already played this season in previous years you know 29 games last season obviously missed all of 2021 2022 you know had a big sort of 2020 season played 61 games in that year but again that’s still not a lot of the full 82

And then 24 is rookie season so Zion’s been playing a ton of games this year for the Pelicans staying level and his minutes have been down that’s another sort of thing people are look have to look at with these numbers is his minutes he’s been on a little bit of a

Restriction they’re not playing him too too many games or too many minutes so he’s able to sort his body to hold up as The Season’s gone along so that’s been paying off in dividends for the Pelicans this year and it’s paying off because he’s peing now at the right time over

The past sort of five six games or the past five games Z Williamson averaging 29 points per game nine rebounds per night we can see the minutes have gone up and that’s a that’s a huge positive because in the playoffs he’s going to need to play some serious minutes so

When he’s playing you know not even 36 minutes per night but 35 minutes third 29 Points nine rebounds four assists 1.4 steals 1.4 blocks 63% from the field and this is the thing right his numbers are getting overlooked because they are ramping him up they’re not trying to get

Him to do everything over the course of this season and as we get closer and closer to the playoffs then we’re going to see what Zion Williamson is truly able to do when he’s Unleashed in those big moments in what’s really happening so Zion Williamson is ramping up come

Playoff time and it’s why the New Orleans Pelicans have been able to sort of inch their way up in the Western Conference as of late so that’s a that’s a big factor obviously Zion Williamson having that star potential all the he’s a star definitely super star potential

Out there in the Western Conference and all these top teams I mean shil just Alexander for the Thunder has been ridiculous he’s number one in the MVP odds you know Nicole yic obviously is the reigning or not R reigning Finals MVP of two-time MVP you know Anthony

Edwards has been a beast but I think the overall box score stats have kept a lot of people from actually talking about Zion Williamson so you know keep an eye out for him putting up some star numbers but it’s not just him on this New Orleans Pelicans team there are a lot of

Guys playing well for this squad playing well for this New Orleans Pelicans group I mean Brandon Ingram’s averaging very similar stats you know for this Pelican squad for this Pelicans team you around that 21 sort of points per game sort of number they have just a deep deep group

You know CJ mcen people almost forget he’s down there in the New Orleans as well you know since he’s been traded from the Poland Trailblazers they have herb Jones coming off the bench playing uh playing defense out there they have Murphy thei you know splashing three setting records knocking down

Three-point shuts Theona salus is a big man that can sort of Step In you know when needed in terms of getting some stats getting some numbers you know probably won’t close a lot of games for this Pelican Squad but definitely is a dude that uh is nice to have on this

Current roster and then they just have a ton of guys right Jordan Hawkins a rookie you know for this Pelican Squad coming in be able to shoot threes be able to knock down shots right Matt Ryan’s even giving them some good Ms niji Marshall Jose Alvarado Off the

Bench giving them different sort of energies different looks Dyson Daniels this team is filled to the brim with quality NBA players and they have that star they have that complimentary star in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram so basically if this team is capable of staying healthy of continuing to ramp up

That load for Zion Williams and Brandon Ingram as we inch closer and closer to postseason which has been the case it looks like a master plan perfectly executed down there with the New Orleans Pelicans I mean I don’t know if I’m you know the LA Clippers where kawh Leonard

Right now is out with backs spasms right you know if I’m the LA Clippers if I’m super confident in facing a New Orleans picans team in that four five sort of matchup I don’t know in the second around if I’m the Oklahoma City Thunder right they’re thinner on that front line

Obviously Chad hren is able to sort of guard down low but they don’t have a big Running Center that could really build a wall in front of Zion Williamson in that paint I don’t know if these are sure thing matchups if you’re facing off against the New Orleans Pelicans so you

Know they have a clear path to sort of Make some noise Make a run in that Western Conference so I don’t know let me know what you guys think about uh the Pelicans potentially making a run in the Western Conference playoffs I’m not sure if I’d pick them just yet but they’re

Team that I wouldn’t be shocked if they do make a deep playoff run end up making the NBA Finals especially if Zion Williamson continues to elevate his play but let me know what you guys think in the comment section down below you guys the best make of the St subscribe to the

Channel if you guys haven’t already I’m signing out cheers

The New Orleans Pelicans have been overlooked this entire season. However, they have begun to peak at the right time. Zion Williamson has played at an MVP level in recent weeks, and JJ Reddick even chose the Pelicans as a team that can make it out of the West. Ben Rogers breaks down the rise of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Courtside Digest is a channel that covers the latest NBA news and topics. Subscribe to stay current on the latest trades, signings, transactions, injuries, and everything else in the NBA.

Check out our Discord: https://discord.gg/KBCYDFVF

Check out our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtsidedigest