Fansided

1 move every NBA team needs to make to beat the Warriors

By Brad Rowland

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11), guard Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with the Larry O
Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11), guard Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with the Larry O /
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Apr 9, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis during the fourth quarter of a game against the Phoenix Suns at the Smoothie King Center. The Suns defeated the Pelicans 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis during the fourth quarter of a game against the Phoenix Suns at the Smoothie King Center. The Suns defeated the Pelicans 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

New Orleans Pelicans: Wing help and more wing help

Quincy Pondexter is not a household name by NBA standards. The 28-year-old forward from the University of Washington holds career averages of 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game with a 9.9 PER and a 53.5% true shooting at the NBA level, and Pondexter is nothing more than a glorified role player that happened to miss the 2015-2016 season with injury.

Why in the world, then, am I bringing him up now?

Well, the New Orleans Pelicans strung together their best run of the Anthony Davis era… with Pondexter by his side. The Pelicans acquired Pondexter midway through the 2014-2015 season, and with him in the lineup, the team went 28-17 and pushed its way into the playoffs. Pondexter did nothing special outside of acting as a legitimate 3-and-D option on the wing (and making 43% of his threes), but given the ugly nature of that position both before and after his arrival, that made all the difference in the world.

The Pelicans fell apart in 2015-2016 largely due to injury, but having a single above-average forward to pair with Davis would go a long way. The backcourt will be fine if healthy, led by Jrue Holiday, but New Orleans invested tons of money in (bad) centers, with the real possibility that Davis may need to play there sooner rather than later.

New Orleans must add some wing talent, preferably in the form of players who can defend opposing 3’s and 4’s, and it needs to happen now.

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