The new Fab Four: Jonas Valanciunas' surprising engine driving Pelicans' 2-0 start
The New Orleans Pelicans are picking up where they left last season. That was the expectation for those within the organization before the season tipped off on Wednesday. The surprise is the Pelicans are not being anchored by Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram; not even C.J. McCollum for that matter. While all three have been instrumental in the team's 2-0 start, it's center Jonas Valanciunas who has been the Pels' best player.
In the admittedly incredibly small sample size of two games, Valanciunas' player efficiency rating (PER) of 38.4 trails only Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (39.3).
That is an unprecedented number to sustain for an entire season — Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (32.8) broke Wilt Chamberlain's (32.1) 60-year record a season ago — but it demonstrates the depth the Pelicans have on offense.
At 2-0, they are off to their best start since the 2018-19 season. That team started 4-0 but quickly faded, going 4-6 in their first 10 games and finishing the season 33-49. This team looks built for the long haul.
They’ve been dominant in their two wins; at no point during their first two games have the Pelicans trailed.
Last season, Valanciunas struggled out of the gate, scoring nine points on 3-of-19 shooting in the team's opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. In year two with the Pelicans, Valanciunas' hot start demonstrates a player establishing his role on offense. He will invariably get open looks with opponents focusing on stopping Williamson, Ingram and McCollum. He's making defenses pay.
The Pelicans, and Valanciunas, will look to keep their hot streak going in the team's home opener Sunday against the similarly hot Utah Jazz (2-0). Last season, Valanciunas averaged 13 points and 9.3 rebounds in four games against the Jazz. That Utah team was anchored by Rudy Gobert on the defensive end. They traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason.
Per Stat Muse, the Jazz's offensive rating (119.8) through their first two games ranks third in the association, and their defense (107.1) is 10th. The Pelicans are second (123.2) in offensive rating and ninth (106.7) in defensive rating. Their net rating of 16.5 is the best in basketball. Utah is second at 12.7.
There's a Fab Four brewing in New Orleans. Like the British ones before them, the upcoming invasion could sweep the nation.
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