Jordan Poole Is the Biggest Loser of Pelicans' Win Over Mavs Despite Not Playing

The New Orleans Pelicans finally got on the win column earlier this week and are currently on their first win streak of the season after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 101-99 on Wednesday. The fact that the Pelicans' two wins came without Zion Williamson in the lineup is noteworthy, but the biggest takeaway going forward should be regarding Jordan Poole.

Poole missed his first game of the season on Wednesday due to left knee soreness. In his absence, Saddiq Bey got the start, while Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins saw an uptick in their minutes. The difference, especially on the defensive side of the ball, was evident for the Pelicans.

While it's important to note that the Mavs are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, holding any team to 101 points per 100 possessions, like the Pels did on Wednesday, is not an easy task. It was easily the best defensive performance of the season for New Orleans, and the absence of Poole certainly played a part.

Jordan Poole's Absence Immediately Improves Pelicans' Defense

For the season, the Pelicans are 19.4 points per 100 possessions worse with Poole on the floor than off, per Cleaning the Glass data. Almost the entire difference comes on the defensive end as the Pelicans give up a whopping 128.4 points per 100 possessions when Poole is on the court. This would rank as the worst defense in the league by a mile.

Knowing Poole's track record and his overall level of play so far this season, this is hardly surprising. Giving his minutes to Bey and Alvarado, players who play with much more intensity and effort, was obviously going to make a positive impact on defense, and it did. Similarly, Hawkins played with a lot more energy, logging two steals. Even though his shot wasn't falling, he was a positive player against the Mavs.

Poole is playing over 30 minutes per game this season. He has a 25.5% usage rate, the second-most on the team after Williamson, but is only shooting 35.4% from the field. When one of your top offensive players is so inefficient from the field, that is a recipe for disaster for your offense.

The Pelicans' identity going forward needs to be their defensive intensity. They need to put as many capable defenders as possible around their two rookies, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. With Fears needing to get as many reps as possible because of his endless upside, there is no choice but to marginalize Poole in the rotation. He can still be useful in limited minutes off the bench, but Poole's days as a 30-minute-per-game player in New Orleans need to come to an end.