INDIANAPOLIS – As New Orleans second-year head coach Alvin Gentry says, the Pelicans want to be a top-five team in the NBA in pace. The Pelicans have recently moved into the top 10, but are seeking more.
According to NBA.com’s advanced statistics, New Orleans (16-25) is now ninth in pace, averaging 99.90 possessions per 48 minutes. Although several of the top 10 clubs in the statistics have losing records (8-32 Brooklyn is No. 1 at 104.35, for instance), two teams that have benefited from playing fast are Golden State and Houston, under head coaches Steve Kerr and Mike D’Antoni, respectively.