The Pelicans face the Dallas Mavericks this weekend as part of NBA Saturdays, the NBA’s European primetime game initiative. Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday talked about coming up against Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, as well as what they have to do as a team to improve this season.
Q: Can you pinpoint some of the issues the team is having at the end of games?
A: “I need to find a play or two that when we go down the stretch, we can get a good shot and be proud of that shot. I guess you can say its execution at the end of the game. If we’re up three with like three minutes in the game, those are times we really have to close out games.”
Q: Is there anything you’ve done these past few games that’s been different or trying to figure out during meetings?
A: “Today in film the consensus was in the 4th quarter we slow the ball down where they want us to keep pushing the pace. When it comes down to those moments, we can try that. We can try to keep pushing the pace and when teams get tired and when we’re not tired, we can keep going and going and going. That’s something we’re going to have to try to run.”
Q: Can you talk about the Dallas Mavericks who you play on NBA Primetime and have hit their stride. Especially Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis?
A: “They looked pretty good when we played them in November – they’re a good team. I feel like they know themselves, they know their identity. They go through Luka and KP so, to be able to stop them is going to take a team effort. Great role players like Delon Wright and all those players.”
Q: What makes Luka (Doncic) so good?
A: “He has everything. There’s nothing he can’t do.”
NBA Saturdays presented by NBA2K20 on Sky Sports – part of a record 48 Primetime games live on Sky Sports starting from 8.00pm every weekend. This week on 7 December the Dallas Mavericks host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sky Sports Arena from 7.00pm.
