How Zion Williamson’s Pelicans plan to fix awful defense by stopping ‘sloppy’ offense

Defensive transformations do not happen overnight in sports, nor should a team’s success hinge on just one player. So, sure, Herb Jones has been out. Schematic overhauls or complex adjustments were not in the cards even as Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans continue to languish in the Western Conference basement. Interim head coach James Borrego was going to challenge everyone individually to step up their defensive effort and overall awareness.

Improvements remain incremental. However, Borrego sees encouraging signs that the Pelicans are beginning to understand that defensive identity starts with personal pride. The maturation process has been slow, often frustrating, but the foundation is being laid one stop and transition bucket at a time.

“Yeah, we’re not where we need to be (defensively),” Borrego admitted. “It’s the thing we are working on every day, talking about it, showing film on, demanding. I’ve got to honor the roster that says we are going to guard. That’s where I’m looking right now, the defensive end.”

Connecting both ends of the floor is part of the daily messaging. Borrego emphasizes that careless offensive possessions create a psychological burden that undermines defensive effort. The Pelicans can ill-afford any self-inflicted momentum-killers.

“A lot of our poor defense at times is linked to our offense as well. I’m trying to show the guys the value of that. Every possession matters,” stressed Borrego. “When we get a stop, and then go turn it over eight times in transition, that’s a ding on you, on your soul, and especially on your defense. You just worked so hard to gain a possession, and to go give it away trying to make a play offensively, making a sloppy, poor decision.”

Simply put, it’s more than just a solution. An appreciation for possession value that translates to better decisions with the basketball.

“Part of it is our maturity and valuing of possessions offensively, because when our defense is set right now, we see massive improvements,” Borrego noted. “We’ve just got to get it set more often than not.”

The progress Borrego cites centers on individual defensive pride rather than team concepts.

Players are staying in front of their assignments more consistently, reducing the need for help rotations that create open looks.

“I credit, well, the one-on-one defense has shown improvement,” Borrego explained. “Just the one-on-one drives, not getting blown by, that’s improved. Our transition defense is on the uptick. It’s moving in the right direction. The boards are moving in the right direction. So, I think overall, when you’re not getting blown by one-on-one, there are fewer rotations. There are fewer better shots on the second side for teams.”

“Then it’s our pick-and-roll defense,” he added. “I think we’ve been working on it a lot. Sometimes that’s our switching defense, sometimes that’s our big in coverage. We’ve got to get better on both, but we’re seeing improvement there. I see evidence and signs of improvement, I do. I clearly do.”

For Borrego, the path forward remains clear even if progress has been gradual. The evidence of growth, of fight, is visible in the individual battles, especially for the Smoothie King Center’s most loyal fans. These modest, hard-earned victories in individual matchups and single possessions mean something. Building a defensive identity requires players to take personal ownership of their assignments, value every possession, and understand that individual pride fuels collective success.

Zion Williamson’s Pelicans aren’t where they need to be yet, but the interim coach sees a team beginning to accept the challenge. Their maturity is being tested not by the pressure of the playoff chase, but by their willingness to treat every possession as a personal test of will. That maturation into serious professionals is being measured not by a win-loss record alone, but by a growing ability to treat every moment on the court with the pride required to build something lasting.

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