{"id":467564,"date":"2026-10-16T06:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T06:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/467564\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T06:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T06:03:13","slug":"active-disruptive-pelicans-defense-shows-positive-signs-progress-in-dallas-preseason-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/467564\/","title":{"rendered":"Active, disruptive Pelicans defense shows positive signs, progress in Dallas preseason win"},"content":{"rendered":"

A disruptive defensive performance by New Orleans in Wednesday\u2019s preseason win at Dallas featured numerous high-impact plays, including 14 steals and seven blocks, but the possessions that caused the biggest reaction from the visitor\u2019s bench didn\u2019t include an individual stat. En route to holding the Mavericks to a rough 18-point first quarter, the Pelicans\u2019 defense quickly forced multiple shot-clock violations, preventing the hosts from even a chance to score within the allotted 24 seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought our guys were very connected; I think that\u2019s a great word (to describe them),\u201d New Orleans head coach Jamahl Mosley said following the 101-97 victory. \u201cThey were communicating with one another, flying around, covering for one another, doing it without fouling. We had two or three shot-clock violations. That\u2019s just their ability to sit down and take on the challenge of being the most physical team early, to set the tone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just shows that you\u2019re locked in throughout the whole defensive possession,\u201d Pelicans wing and top defender Herb Jones said of Dallas’ clock violations.<\/p>\n

After allowing 110 and 128 points to Oklahoma City and Miami, respectively, while splitting two previous exhibition games, New Orleans (2-1 in preseason) clamped down significantly on Dallas, holding the Mavericks to 35 percent shooting from the field and 20 percent on three-pointers (10 of 49). Dallas was playing without top scorers Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving, but New Orleans demonstrated improved energy, physicality and communication at that end of the floor. It\u2019s perhaps the biggest key for the Pelicans in 2026-27 to make a jump in the Western Conference standings, after placing 29th and 23rd in the NBA on defense in consecutive non-playoff years.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Jamahl Mosley on goals for final preseason game, Herb Jones | Pelicans Preseason 2026<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach Jamahl Mosley speaks with the media following practices at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Herb Jones on team defense, Jeremiah Fears | Pelicans Preseason 2026<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans guard\/forward Herb Jones speaks with the media following practices at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Karlo Matkovi\u0107 on his performance, Zion Williamson | Pelicans Preseason 2026<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans forward\/center Karlo Matkovi\u0107 speaks with the media following practices at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Yves Missi talks Pelicans preseason win vs. Mavericks 10\/14\/2026<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi’s postgame interview after the Pelicans’ win against the Dallas Mavericks on October 14 during the 2026 NBA Preseason.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Pelicans Highlights vs. Mavericks | 2026 NBA Preseason<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans highlights vs. the Dallas Mavericks on October 14 during the 2026 NBA Preseason.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Jamahl Mosley recaps Pelicans’ preseason win vs. Mavericks 10\/14\/2026<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Jamahl Mosley’s postgame interview after the Pelicans’ win against the Dallas Mavericks on October 14 during the 2026 NBA Preseason.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Jeremiah Fears Highlights vs. Dallas Mavericks 10\/14\/2026<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears’ highlights vs. the Dallas Mavericks on October 14 during the 2026 NBA Preseason.<\/p>\n

\"article-image:Jeremiah Fears on-court interview after Pelicans win vs. Mavericks 10\/14\/2026<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears’ on-court interview after the Pelicans’ win against the Dallas Mavericks (10\/14\/2026).<\/p>\n

\u201cThey believe that\u2019s what\u2019s going to get you over the top,\u201d Mosley said of his players\u2019 defensive focus. \u201cUnderstanding we can score the ball at times, but defense sustains you. There are going to be things we have to clean up in our process of getting better, but I did like the effort, the energy and us flying around. Setting the tone physically early is exactly what we\u2019ll need to continue to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yves Missi anchored New Orleans\u2019 defense in the paint by swatting four Dallas shots, while 20th birthday boy Jeremiah Fears seized a team-best three steals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were physical,\u201d said Missi, who ranked second in the NBA in blocks per 36 minutes after the All-Star break last season, behind only Victor Wembanyama. \u201cIt was good intensity. Everyone was moving their feet and communicating\u2026 you can see us getting better at (defense) and more comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

While trying to start the regular season in much better fashion after going 0-6 a year ago, New Orleans is scheduled to face Indiana (Wednesday) and Utah (Oct. 23), potentially two of the league\u2019s most improved teams. Next up are consecutive meetings vs. Denver, the NBA\u2019s top-ranked offense in 2025-26. New Orleans will need to immediately be ready to defend at a high level, something Mosley indicated is a priority at the outset of every first quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe coaches are doing an unbelievable job of putting in the system, understanding what we need them to be doing,\u201d Mosley said of his defense. \u201cI was very happy with (Pelicans players\u2019) intensity and the way they started the game. It\u2019s so important the way you walk into an NBA game, setting the tone early.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust keep improving,\u201d Missi said of one of Mosley\u2019s defense-focused messages to players. \u201cEveryone is buying into that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A disruptive defensive performance by New Orleans in Wednesday\u2019s preseason win at Dallas featured numerous high-impact plays, including…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467565,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[102,104,103,223],"class_list":["post-467564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=467564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/467565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=467564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=467564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=467564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}