HeatCheck – Preseason Week 1

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday are leading the resurgence of New Orleans in 2013

On Fire

The New Orleans Pelicans are on fire, but just barely.  New Orleans (4-0) has not lost yet in the preseason, but the most important fact is that they’re winning close games.  For a team that’s used to losing, learning how to win close games is vitally important for their future and for the younger members of their roster.  They beat a Dallas team that wasn’t lacking any All-Stars by 2 points after taking a lead with 21 seconds left.  They beat a Houston Rockets squad that is expected to challenge for the Western Conference title by 1 point after holding onto a slim lead in the final 2 minutes.  They defeated Orlando by 4 after staving off an 11-0 run that culminated with 1:33 left in the game and left the Hornets up only 91-89.  Did I happen to mention that all three of these games were on the road?  When they finally played their first “home game” (played in Biloxi, MS, just over an hour outside of New Orleans) this past Sunday, they absolutely obliterated the new-look Atlanta Hawks and forced fans to reconsider the Hotlanta moniker.

Judging by their off-season moves (trading MCW & Nerlens Noel to get Jrue Holiday), this team is looking to contend now rather than later.  After a very solid 4-0 preseason start, the Pelicans are definitely showing progress with their young team.  Anthony Davis actually looks like a number 1 pick, and the team is even playing without talented guards Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans (who exited the first preseason game with an ankle injury).  Expect New Orleans to cool off soon, however this could be a team that sneaks up on the Western Conference this year.

Ice Cold

As surprising as it may seem (cue the sarcasm), the Milwaukee Bucks are very nearly ice cold this preseason.  Some can make a case for Indiana, who are allowing a paltry 101.7 PPG so far after being 2^nd in points per game last season.  However, Indiana played Derrick Rose and Co. very closely in the opener and lost twice to a championship contender in Houston (who the Pelicans were able to handle, as stated earlier).  Milwaukee lost to an improving Cleveland squad by 12, a possible playoff contending Minnesota team by 9, and a reformed, albeit far from playoff bound, Charlotte Bobcats by 7 without one of their best players, Big Al Jefferson.  In the loss to the Bobcats, the fourth quarter box score was 33 for the Bobcats, 9 for the Bucks.  Talk about a collapse of epic proportions.

This team is a far cry from a playoff squad, especially after sending their best (and one of the league’s best) sharpshooter JJ Redick off to Los Angeles and sending Brandon Jennings to Detroit.  Make no mistake, this team has some young talent, including John Henson, Brandon Knight, OJ Mayo, and Larry Sanders, as well as veterans Caron Butler, Ersan Ilyasova, Luke Ridnour, and Zaza Pachulia, but this roster doesn’t scream playoffs just quite yet.  When the talent does develop, there will definitely be great foundations for a successful team.  I just believe it’ll be a year or two before they’re ready to really compete on that level.

By Jon Elliott
Follow @TheJontlet