Lakers vs Pelicans: Three keys to victory for Los Angeles

Less careless turnovers

In the first clash with the Pelicans, the Lakers got lucky. While giving the ball up ten times is never a good thing, New Orleans did it just as much.

Drawing equal in the turnover battle isn’t where you want to draw your strength from. Considering the efficiency of New Orleans in their last couple of games, giving those easy opportunities up will easily cost them a win.

One major reason that this is relevant for the game against the Pelicans is because they won’t have D’Angelo Russell. Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson are statistically the most likely to turn the ball over other than Russell.

Yes, it’s important to note that this does correlate with how many minutes on the floor and running the offense each player has. But turnovers aren’t acceptable and only disrupt the flow of a young team trying to shine.

Clarkson also leads Los Angeles in turnovers coming from steals, with just under two per game. His ability to put pressure on the Pelicans will be a major key in determining the victor of this game.