The pitch chart for basketball legend Duke, Zion Williamson, is being analyzed.
A myriad of failures explain why the New Orleans Pelicans – including three big names in basketball Duke in Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and JJ Redick – are starting an increasingly disappointing 4-7 start. These problems were exhibited on Friday night, when the team gave up a 15-point lead on their way to a 112-95 defeat by the Los Angeles Lakers 11-3.
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One of the most noticeable problems appears to be inadequate spacing in the attack. And this appears to be a symptom of a starting team that contains two great men, striker Zion Williamson and center pivot Steven Adams, who pose no real threat of shooting beyond the bow.
When it comes to Williamson, the 6-foot-6, 284-pound tank has yet to bring down an attempt beyond 5 meters in his 10 appearances this season. Perhaps to make matters worse, such attempts were virtually nonexistent.
With an average of 21.8 points and 8.5 rebounds, the 2019 No.1 overall draft is 0 to 3 over 16 feet and only 3 to 3 from 10-16 feet. In contrast, Williamson is 67-to-114 around the edge (19-to-21 in attempts to bury) and 17-to-39 from 3-10 feet.
Some argue that Williamson has no need to try his hand from the bottom when his soft, emphatic touch ends with low yield, a percentage of field goals of 54.7. However, since that mark is a definitive drop from his 58.3 percent as a rookie and an astonishing 68.0 percent as a basketball duke, defenses may be gradually figuring out how to control the young man’s MO 20 years.
Williamson may soon have no choice but to throw three points at times, both for his own benefit and to encourage less predictable movements of the ball in the New Orleans attack. After all, it’s not like your 3-point percentages are terrible: 33.8% at Duke and 37.5% at Pelicans.
But keep in mind that four of Williamson’s six downtown brands as a professional came on his NBA debut last January.
In-game reviews of the Duke basketball product
Against the Lakers, Zion Williamson finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and four twists while kicking 9 out of 19 on the field.
It’s not too bad.
However, despite occasionally bringing the ball up in the absence of an injured Lonzo Ball (knee), the former Blue Devil once again dodged open gazes around the perimeter. Granted, as is usually the case, he had his fair share of highlights anyway.
His visible apprehension even for pumping fake ones out of the post, however, certainly caught the eye of ESPN commentator Mark Jackson in the second half. Here is an excerpt of Williamson’s rather harsh approach to the ex-All-Star, who pleaded with the rising star to focus on developing a formidable pull-up hopper:
“He is absolutely dominant in painting. The good teams will stop that … At some point, you have to make them play with you honestly and at least be willing to shoot. “
Jackson then tried to identify the root of the problem:
“I think he understands that the spotlight is on him every night, and he is not about to be exposed with the lights on. He has to get over it. “
Zion Williamson and the Pelicans, who have now lost five consecutive points serving as spinning machines, are ready to play their third game of a six-game trip when they face the Sacramento Kings 5-8 at 9 pm EST on Sunday.
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