Pelicans Season Almost Over… But are they any Better? | Borrego Lineups, Zion’s Role & Offseason Decisions
Episode Description
Welcome back to New Orleans.Basketball, your home for detailed New Orleans Pelicans analysis, roster breakdowns, and NBA discussion.
Hosted by Raphael Rattler alongside Garrick “G-Money” Rattler, we break down everything happening with the Pelicans as the season winds down.
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Key Topics in This Episode
1️⃣ What to Watch in the Final 16 Games
With 8 home games and 8 road games, plus three back-to-backs, we’re watching:
• Can Dejounte Murray unlock the Pelicans’ fast break offense?
• Will the defense show more accountability vs playoff teams?
• What does the rotation look like moving forward?
• Are DeAndre Jordan’s minutes more valuable than Karlo Matkovic’s development?
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2️⃣ What We’ve Learned About Borrego’s Lineups
James Borrego has hinted that tough rotation decisions are coming now that the roster is healthier.
Current lineup trends:
• Yves Missi should start at center
• Herb Jones may become a matchup-based starter
• Saddiq Bey’s impact keeps growing
• The rookies may be best used off the bench
• Karlo Matkovic remains the only shooting big on the roster
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3️⃣ The Pelicans’ Hierarchy Problem
Borrego recently mentioned that the team hasn’t fully defined its on-court hierarchy.
Our thoughts:
• Zion Williamson must be the focal point of the offense
• Zion’s motor and consistency must improve
• Dejounte Murray should elevate everyone around him
• Trey Murphy has All-Star upside as a play finisher
• The rookies are developing but not ready to lead yet
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4️⃣ Offseason Changes We’d Consider
Beyond internal development, we discuss potential offseason changes:
• Uniform redesign ideas (Tulane, LSU & Saints comparisons)
• Whether James Borrego deserves the permanent head coaching job
• Why Jordan Poole’s $32M contract might not fit the future
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Pelicans Fans — What Do You Think?
Should the Pelicans keep building around Zion, or is a bigger roster shake-up coming?
Drop your thoughts in the comments.
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#Pelicans #NewOrleansPelicans #ZionWilliamson #NBADraft #DejounteMurray #TreyMurphy #JamesBorrego #NBA #PelicansBasketball #NBAPodcast