New Orleans spent considerable time during training camp and preseason focusing on the defensive end, and based on the ultra-early numbers, the Pelicans have made some progress, ranking 14th in efficiency at that end. That middle-of-the-pack ranking (based on 103.2 points allowed per 100 possessions, via NBA.com) comes despite facing two of the league’s highest-powered teams, Golden State and San Antonio.
Offensively, New Orleans (0-3) ranks second-to-last among the 30 teams – ahead of only Philadelphia – but that poor start is fairly easily explained. The Pelicans have several key players who’ve proven to be average or better three-point shooters during their NBA careers who simply are not making those attempts early in 2016-17.