It’s no coincidence that when you peruse NBA.com’s video highlights from the 2015-16 season, the first two plays that pop up on Alexis Ajinca’s page are baskets that were assisted by point guard Tim Frazier. In an April 3 video on the site, Frazier’s spectacular 13-assist game at Brooklyn features three dimes to the 7-foot-2 center, leading to two dunks and an easy floater, in a rout over the Nets.
Alvin Gentry’s proven offensive system relies heavily on moving and sharing the ball, but it wasn’t until the late stages of last season that the Pelicans seemed to genuinely execute that necessary component of the attack.