New Orleans
Pelicans

This midseason stretch was defined by Trey Murphy III shaking off an abysmal shooting slump to ignite an absolute inferno from beyond the arc. The rut reached its lowest point on 01/30 vs MEM, where he managed just 8 points on a brutal 2-for-14 shooting night. That horrific perimeter shot selection dragged his overall Impact down to -7.7, actively stalling the offense with empty possessions. Just a few days later, he flipped the script entirely during a historic eruption on 02/04 vs MIL. Pouring in 44 points and draining 12 of his 19 three-point attempts, Murphy posted a staggering +39.7 Impact score because his lethal scoring gravity completely broke the opponent's defensive scheme. He eventually learned to survive the cold nights, too. On 03/21 vs CLE, he scored a meager 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting but still scraped together a positive +1.8 Impact. He kept his value afloat by crashing the glass for 6 rebounds and relying on sheer defensive hustle, adding a much-needed layer of grit to his game when his jumper abandoned him.

A stretch of ruthless, hyper-efficient interior bullying defined Zion Williamson's mid-season run. He battered the Mavericks on 03/16 vs DAL, pouring in 27 points on blistering 11-of-13 shooting to generate a massive +21.6 Impact score. That towering rating stemmed directly from his refusal to settle for bad looks, generating elite offensive value through sheer physical force at the rim. He rarely needed high volume to dominate. On 03/19 vs LAC, he posted a stellar +9.5 Impact score despite scoring a modest 15 points. He created immense non-scoring value in that matchup by setting bruising screens and battling for five crucial rebounds to keep possessions alive. Conversely, he slipped into a passive funk on 04/02 vs POR, where his 15 points couldn't save him from a -2.2 Impact score. Grabbing just a single rebound in 29 minutes, his complete lack of hustle on the glass dragged his overall value into the red.

Saddiq Bey spent this late-season stretch operating as an unapologetic offensive flamethrower, hunting his shot with supreme confidence. He reached his absolute apex on 02/26 vs UTA, erupting for 42 points on hyper-efficient 14-of-20 shooting to generate a massive +38.8 Impact score. That towering rating was driven entirely by his unstoppable scoring execution, overwhelming Utah's defense to easily mask his slight defensive lapses. However, high point totals didn't always translate to winning basketball. During the 02/21 vs PHI matchup, Bey dropped 20 points but managed a pedestrian +2.1 Impact because his scoring was completely negated by brutal defensive rotations and sloppy execution that bled points on the other end. His value cratered further on 03/13 vs HOU, where a frigid 2-of-11 shooting night resulted in a -4.4 Impact. Without his jumper falling, his offensive gravity vanished entirely, leaving him unable to salvage his overall rating despite actually providing positive defensive resistance.

A chaotic blend of brilliant high-post facilitation and maddening mental lapses defined Derik Queen's late-season transition from erratic reserve to spot starter. His true value often hid beneath the surface, perfectly illustrated during the Mar 21 vs CLE matchup. Despite scoring just 9 points, he generated a massive +10.3 impact score by operating as a flawless offensive hub and picking apart the zone with pinpoint interior passing. Conversely, raw box score production frequently masked severe underlying flaws. When he moved into the starting lineup on Apr 07 vs UTA, he stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. Yet, he dragged the unit down to a dismal -8.1 impact because a rash of illegal screens constantly sabotaged their momentum. He finally married heavy usage with winning basketball on Apr 10 vs BOS, pouring in 25 points and utilizing exceptional defensive positioning to drive a +9.6 impact score.

This twenty-game stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, with Jeremiah Fears oscillating wildly between unstoppable offensive engine and inefficient shot-chucker. His worst habits surfaced on Mar 05 vs SAC, where a seemingly decent line of 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists masked a catastrophic -19.9 impact score. Inefficient volume shooting and a complete lack of defensive resistance cratered his value that night, a recurring theme during his mid-March slump. When Fears actually prioritized shot selection, however, he transformed into a lethal weapon. On Mar 24 vs NYK, he sliced through the defense for 21 points on just 12 attempts, generating a stellar +11.5 impact by taking only high-percentage looks. He eventually played his way into the starting lineup, capping off this roller-coaster run on Apr 07 vs UTA with a massive 40-point eruption. Absolute dominance in isolation situations allowed him to systematically dismantle the defense, driving a +12.9 impact score despite hitting just a single three-pointer.

A brutal shooting slump defined Jordan Poole’s mid-to-late season stretch, turning his minutes into a nightly gamble. His erratic shot selection cratered his value during the 01/22 vs DET matchup, where a frigid 4-for-17 shooting night—including zero makes on seven attempts from deep—resulted in a -4.3 impact score. The bottom fell out completely on 03/16 vs DAL, as another miserable 0-for-6 night from beyond the arc earned him a disastrous -14.0 impact. When the jumper isn't falling, Poole offers almost nothing else to keep his team afloat. However, a late promotion to the starting unit briefly revived his lethal scoring touch on 04/07 vs UTA. He erupted for 34 points on 12-of-23 shooting in that game, generating a stellar +13.9 impact simply by overwhelming the defense with an avalanche of made threes. Yet, these explosive outbursts remained the exception rather than the rule in a deeply frustrating run.

This grueling stretch of the season was defined by a brutal offensive slump that tested the absolute limits of Herbert Jones's two-way reputation. He occasionally found ways to survive his broken jumper. During the 03/03 vs LAL matchup, Jones managed a +1.2 Impact despite a miserable two-point, 1-for-7 shooting night. He salvaged his value entirely through gritty non-scoring hustle, grabbing six rebounds and dishing five assists to keep the offense flowing. Bizarrely, when his shot actually fell during the 03/24 vs NYK game, his underlying value vanished. Even though he scored 13 points on a highly efficient 6-for-8 from the floor and added six assists, he still posted a -1.9 Impact because of hidden defensive breakdowns that constantly bled points the other way. The wheels completely fell off shortly after, culminating in an abysmal -14.6 Impact during the 04/02 vs POR tilt where poor shot selection resulted in a 3-for-9 brickfest. When a defensive specialist starts forcing bad looks, the hidden costs will always sink their overall effectiveness.

Bryce McGowens spent this midseason stretch riding a frustrating seesaw between empty-calorie spot starts and invisible bench minutes. When thrust into the starting lineup on 02/20 vs MIL, he managed 10 points but dragged the team down with a miserable -6.1 Impact. That negative mark was the direct result of inefficient chucking and zero assists over 30 minutes of action, actively hurting the offensive rhythm. He briefly flipped the script in another start on 02/28 vs UTA, pouring in a high-volume 18 points to earn a stellar +8.6 Impact. That rating stemmed from his willingness to actually let it fly from deep, hitting four threes and finally providing genuine floor spacing for his teammates. Yet, the momentum vanished almost instantly on 03/01 vs LAC. Relegated back to the bench, McGowens sleepwalked through 26 minutes to post an abysmal -14.4 Impact, offering minimal defensive resistance and completely stalling the second-unit offense.

This stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency as Missi bounced between the bench and the starting lineup, struggling to translate his raw physical tools into winning basketball. Look no further than his start on 03/19 vs LAC. He posted a robust line of 11 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists on perfect 5-for-5 shooting, yet bled value to the tune of a -7.3 Impact score. Those gaudy counting stats were ultimately empty calories, as poor defensive effort and slow rotations dragged his overall value into the red. Conversely, he occasionally found ways to drive winning without demanding the basketball. During a bench stint on 03/11 vs TOR, Missi scored just six points but generated a +3.9 Impact score by dominating the glass for 10 rebounds and providing the relentless hustle needed to extend possessions. He finally put the entire package together on 04/05 vs ORL. Logging a grueling 40 minutes, he racked up 18 points and 13 boards on 8-of-9 shooting, earning a massive +10.5 Impact score by anchoring the defense and bullying his way to high-percentage shots inside.

This stretch of the season was defined by erratic offensive irrelevance punctuated by brief flashes of starting-lineup brilliance. As a reserve, Alvarado routinely cratered his team's momentum with empty minutes and brutal shot selection. He completely bottomed out on 03/09 vs LAC, posting a dismal -15.3 impact score after missing all four of his attempts and failing to score in just eight minutes of floor time. Yet, when thrust into the starting five, he suddenly transformed into a dynamic floor general. On 03/17 vs IND, Alvarado erupted for 16 points and 10 assists, generating a stellar +8.3 impact score by pairing hot perimeter shooting with elite distribution. However, his return to the bench brought back his worst habits. During the 03/29 vs OKC matchup, he managed eight points but logged a brutal -13.4 impact score because his inefficient 3-for-10 shooting completely derailed the second unit's offensive flow. He remains a chaotic pendulum, swinging violently between a spark-plug playmaker and a total offensive black hole.

Kevon Looney's mid-to-late season stretch was defined by extreme rotational whiplash, bouncing between deep-bench irrelevance and sudden starting duties. During a lengthy stint off the pine on 01/03 vs POR, he attempted just four shots but generated a massive +9.0 impact score by inhaling 12 rebounds and anchoring the interior. He was eventually thrust into the starting lineup on 04/07 vs UTA, where he logged 28 minutes and posted a +7.7 impact by combining 12 rebounds with surprising playmaking to the tune of six assists. That momentum vanished completely on 04/10 vs BOS. Despite remaining in the starting five for 25 minutes, Looney dragged the lineup down to a dismal -9.2 impact score because he offered absolutely zero offensive gravity. He missed both of his three-point attempts, finished scoreless, and allowed Boston's defense to completely ignore him. When he dominates the boards, his lack of scoring is an acceptable quirk, but empty shooting nights make his minutes a severe liability.

Karlo Matković spent this twenty-game stretch as a wildly unpredictable backup big, swinging violently between highly efficient two-way play and disastrous stretches of perimeter chucking. When he embraced his physical tools, he was a massive asset. He peaked on 03/16 vs DAL with 13 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes. His stellar +12.7 Impact that night stemmed from relentless glass-cleaning and knocking down both of his three-point attempts. Yet, his focus frequently drifted. During the 02/26 vs UTA matchup, he scored a highly efficient 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting but still posted a dismal -5.5 Impact. That negative mark reflected the hidden costs of his floor time, as he grabbed a meager four rebounds in 25 minutes and failed to anchor the second unit's defense. The bottom completely fell out on 03/19 vs LAC, where he registered a brutal -11.3 Impact by abandoning his interior game and forcing terrible perimeter shots to finish 0-for-6 from the floor.

Jordan Hawkins spent the bulk of this stretch buried at the end of the rotation before suddenly erupting into a high-volume offensive focal point in April. During his mid-winter exile, he was essentially a ghost on the floor, logging a dismal -15.5 Impact score on 02/20 vs MIL while failing to record a single point, rebound, or assist in five empty minutes. His minutes finally expanded in late March, setting the stage for a spectacular outburst on 04/07 vs UTA. He torched the Jazz for 25 points on blistering 11-of-16 shooting, generating a massive +23.4 Impact score because his elite scoring was paired with active rebounding and crisp passing. The magic eventually wore off. Promoted to the starting lineup on 04/12 vs MIN, Hawkins managed 13 points but still dragged the team down with a -4.8 Impact score. That negative mark stemmed directly from brutal shot selection, as he clanked his way to a 4-for-18 shooting night that completely stalled the offensive flow.

Micah Peavy’s late-season stretch was defined by a drastic shift from deep-bench irrelevance to a sudden, chaotic starting assignment. For weeks, he barely saw the floor. Given an extended leash on 04/03 vs SAC, he managed a +2.8 Impact score despite scoring just eight points, keeping his team afloat through gritty perimeter defense and timely ball movement. That effort earned him a starting nod, but his 20-point outburst on 04/07 vs UTA masked a surprisingly hollow performance. Even with highly efficient shooting, his -0.1 Impact score revealed the hidden costs of giving up easy baskets on the other end and failing to elevate his teammates. He finally put the pieces together on 04/12 vs MIN. Logging a massive 41 minutes, Peavy posted a +6.9 Impact score by blending 21 points with disciplined shot selection to generate genuine two-way value.