Fansided

Each NBA team’s best X-Factor

By Cody Williams

Apr 11, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) is fouled by Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) is fouled by Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 28, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) shoots over Portland Trail Blazers forward Mason Plumlee (24) during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) shoots over Portland Trail Blazers forward Mason Plumlee (24) during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

New Orleans Pelicans: Jrue Holiday

If the beginning of the 2015-16 NBA season has taught us anything about the league and where certain teams are at, one of the most clearly defined things is that Anthony Davis can’t do it all for the New Orleans Pelicans. As the Pelicans have started the season short-handed, the Pelicans have also struggled to just pick up a win, much less look like a playoff team in the Western Conference.

With those struggles for the Pelicans, the obvious thought might be to think that the injured Tyreke Evans is the X-Factor for this team. However, the more important player in terms of helping Davis get it done for New Orleans is point guard Jrue Holiday. Holiday has been on a minutes limit to start the season while coming off of injury and has yet to really look like himself on a consistent basis.

Obviously a point guard on a team with Davis is going to be huge because you need a guy who can create space for and then feed one of the best players in the league. However, Holiday scoring himself is also important to help alleviate pressure from Davis on that end of the floor. On the other end of the floor, alleviating pressure is the name of the game for Holiday again. Holiday has been a good-to-great perimeter defender in the NBA before, but it’s important for him to provide that for the Pels so that Davis isn’t being asked to do it all by protecting the rim.

Next: New York Knicks

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