BOSSIER CITY – Fans who attend Saturday's New Orleans-Dallas preseason opener certainly will need to purchase a game program, or check their phones regularly, to determine who the players are in Mavericks uniforms. Per the team's public-relations notes, nearly the entire projecting starting lineup for Dallas is listed as “not with the team – rest,” including Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews and offseason trade pickup Andrew Bogut. As a result, there will be many unfamiliar faces on the CenturyLink Center hardwood. That partly also holds true for the Pelicans, who begin their six-game exhibition schedule without Jrue Holiday and the injured Tyreke Evans and Quincy Pondexter.
Despite not having that New Orleans trio, the Pelicans still have 17 players available for Saturday's game. Alvin Gentry noted this week that some healthy players may receive DNPs, in order to give other players a significant number of minutes.
“I believe that if you give guys an opportunity, you have to give them an opportunity,” Gentry said, meaning he tries to avoid giving players a minimal amount of total minutes in a game, such as 3-5.
Other notes prior to Saturday's Pelicans-Mavs game:
Gentry noted that the Shreveport/Bossier City area in Northern Louisiana has some Mavericks and Cowboys fans, due to it being closer to Dallas than to New Orleans. A smiling Gentry said after shootaround that, “We're trying to take some of them away and make them Pelicans fans.” …
Pelicans guard E'Twaun Moore on goals for tonight's game: “First of all, just come out and compete. Coach made a statement that the execution isn't going to be perfect in a preseason game. He wants us to come out, compete and expend a lot of energy on the court. …
Fellow July 1 addition Solomon Hill on part of the team's focus: “Doing the little things. We're thinking of Game 75, playoffs, when a team has been scouting us. It's the little execution that gets a guy like (Anthony Davis) an open shot. If we give effort, I think that is first and foremost.” …
Pelicans rookie Buddy Hield on making his (unofficial) NBA debut: “It's exciting. I can't tell you how extremely blessed I am to go out there to play an NBA game. I'm blessed and can't tell you how happy I am for the blessing from God, for my family, for my country. It's a dream come true.”
