Pelicans Finally Found Their Ideal Starting Lineup

Pelicans' New Starting Lineup Is Elite on Both Ends of the Floor

Alongside Murray are Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones in this newest iteration of Borrego’s lineup. The lineup this season has a +7.3 net rating when on the court together. The quintet has one of the better defensive ratings, even when including Williamson, who has been a liability on defense most of his career. Their defensive rating is 108.3, which, although based on an extremely small sample size, would be second-best in the NBA. Borrego realized that a change was needed, especially with Derik Queen, who has one of the worst defensive ratings on the team when on the floor.

The first change came on February 21st, against the Philadelphia 76ers, when veteran center DeAndre Jordan was inserted into the starting lineup. The 37-year-old made an immediate impact, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking four shots. Jordan remained in the starting lineup until Murray's return, and this current lineup has been in place for the last week. While they lack the size in the frontcourt without a seven-footer on the floor, they make up for the difference in space and pace. Over the last ten games, the Pelicans are fifth in the NBA in pace, with a 102.5 rating and seventh in offensive rating at 118.

While Borrego has pushed the right buttons now, it's still unclear if he will be the head coach next year. He’s shown the will to bench players, i.e., Jordan Poole, who don’t quite mesh well currently with his philosophy and style of play. He’s done the same with both rookies and stuck with the hot hands during winning stretches of play. Even if Borrego is not retained, the film from these lineups can help future coaches to employ what’s been working this season. The lineup has proven both offensive and defensive flexibility against a myriad of schemes.

These stretches of games are crucial for New Orleans to figure some things out before the offseason. The Pelicans don’t have a pick in this year’s upcoming draft, so most of this roster looks to remain intact next season unless some major trades take place during the summer. This experimental lineup has paid surprising dividends for the team towards the end of the year. New Orleans may be far from the playoffs this season, but the minutes this lineup plays together could help build cohesion for next year as the team attempts to put together a winning basketball team.