Success for Pelicans depends on staying healthy, ‘Big 3’ playing more games together

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - “We definitely feel like we have unfinished business,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green says.

For a team that was once at the top of the Western Conference last year, being eliminated in the play-in left a lot to be desired.

There’s no denying this team has talent, but their success largely depends on how healthy they are able to be through the season.

“Health is a big component to what we can achieve,” Green says. “Those are things that are out of our control. Right now we’re looking at it, especially our starting group, they’re healthy. They’re ready to play.”

The reality is -- injuries prevented the Pelicans ‘Big 3′ from spending much time on the court.

Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum only played 10 games together last season.

This team knows that those guys staying healthy and playing together is the key to reaching their full potential.

“I think we can be very good, very potent, very dangerous,” McCollum says. “As you said, we gotta play more than 10 games. We got to get a body of work in. I think the more we play together, the better we’ll be, from a continuity standpoint to a comfort standpoint. I’m looking forward to this season. I think it’ll be a good year for us.”

After getting injured on January 2nd, Williamson did not return to the court the remainder of the season.

But he’s healthy now, and he spent more time this offseason than in years past working at the team’s facility.

“I wanted change,” Williamson says. “If I want change, I gotta do something different. Stayed in New Orleans for a big part of the summer, working with the Pels, being on the same page with them, with my personal trainers, just really locking in to every aspect of my body.”

Trey Murphy III, Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance Jr. won’t be able to start training camp on Tuesday due to injuries..

But the hope is that Alvarado and Nance will be ready to go for the regular season opener on October 25th.

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