Will Jonas Valanciunas Dominate Again?
The San Antonio Spurs are no stranger to the Play-In Tournament – last season, the Spurs entered as the 10th seed and lost the first play-in game to Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Should Pelicans fans go back and watch that game, though, they might see a familiar face leading the way for Memphis.
It was Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas who opened the scoring for Memphis in their Play-In win over San Antonio – but he did much more than just that.
In last year’s Play-In, Valanciunas posted 23 points, 23 rebounds, and 3 blocks, leading the team in +/- with a +26 against San Antonio.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Lakers-Spurs Trade Features Anthony Davis To San Antonio
Though he showcased his jump shooting on his first bucket, Valanciunas was a problem for the Spurs on the offensive glass. Valanciunas pulled down five offensive rebounds, many of which he turned into easy second-chance points.
The San Antonio Spurs will likely have similar trouble with Valanciunas on the glass this time around. The Pelicans are 3rd in the NBA with 11.8 offensive rebounds per game. On the flip side, the Spurs allow the 2nd most offensive rebounds at 11.4 per game.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Lakers-Spurs Trade Features Anthony Davis To San Antonio
The Pelicans have a lot of size in their line-up, with Jaxson Hayes (listed at 6’11”) and Valanciunas (7’0″) both in their starting front-court.
As rotations tighten to start the postseason, look for the Pelicans’ big men to continue to play a big role.
