Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry calls it the “go-to move” for any NBA coach who wants to explain to a player why moving from starter to substitute isn’t always a demotion or a bad thing. Last season, career-long NBA starter and former All-Star Andre Iguodala willingly accepted being shifted from the first unit to a reserve role with Golden State, but ended up being named the 2015 Finals MVP for the champion Golden State Warriors, where Gentry was lead assistant.
When Gentry decided in early December to make Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday a second-unit player instead of a starter, the coach cited that example in explaining the decision. Like Iguodala, Holiday is a former NBA All-Star with Philadelphia.
“That’s the go-to move for every coach in the NBA, if you have to ask a guy to come off the bench,” Gentry said of Iguodala’s unselfish reaction to the move and how it paid off for the Warriors. “Because here’s a guy who did it, who had started over 700 NBA games I think and ended up being the (Finals) MVP on a championship team. That’s as good a go-to move as any coach can have.”
The difference in Holiday’s effectiveness on the floor has been dramatic since the move, including increasing his scoring average from 11.1 points to 15.9. His field-goal percentage has spiked from 40.4 to 49.5, including three-point accuracy climbing from 32.4 to 48.7. Part of the improvement can be attributed to Holiday’s continued progress as minute restrictions are loosened on the 25-year-old. Despite playing 27 minutes yesterday at Miami, Holiday is playing tonight vs. Houston, only the second time he’s been cleared to play in a back-to-back set by the Pelicans (9-20).
“I think he’s coming along health-wise, but they’ve been very cautious with what he’s done,” Gentry said. “I think he’s in a good place. He’s really embraced the role that I asked him to do, coming off the bench. It’s not something easy to do. It’s something we went through last year with Andre Iguodala. I think when you embrace that role, it puts you in a comfort level. I think Jrue is playing as well as he’s played for us this season in these last five or six games. He’s accepted that role and knows it’s something we need from him.
Other notes from pregame:
Alexis Ajinca is back in uniform for the Pelicans after missing games due to injury. Gentry said he will play Saturday vs. Houston …
Gentry on Anthony Davis coming off a 50-minute game: “That’s a lot of minutes, but he is a young guy.”
