James Borrego plans to fix a terrible defense by stopping a ‘sloppy’ offense

Defensive transformations in sports do not happen overnight, nor should a team’s success depend on just one player. So of course Herb Jones came out. A schematic overhaul or complex tweaks weren’t even in the cards Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans continue to wane in the basement of the Western Conference. Interim head coach James Borrego it was meant to challenge each individual to step up their defensive efforts and overall awareness.

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

“Yeah, we’re not where we need to be (defensively),” Borrego admitted. “That’s something we work on every day, talk about it, show film, demand it. I have to respect the roster that says we’re going to guard. That’s where I’m looking right now, defensive end.”

Connecting both ends of the floor is part of everyday messaging. Borrego emphasizes that careless attacks create a psychological burden that undermines the defensive effort. The Pelicans can ill-afford any momentum killers they bring upon themselves.

“A lot of our bad defense sometimes has to do with our offense. I’m trying to show the guys the value of that. Every possession counts,” Borrego stressed. “When we get a stop and then turn it over eight times in transition, it’s for you, for your soul, and especially for your defense. You just worked so hard to get possession and give it up trying to play offensively, making a sloppy, bad decision.”

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

“Part of that is our maturity and valuing possessions offensively, because when our defense is set right now, we’re seeing huge improvements,” Borrego noted. “We just have to set it up more often than not.”

The progress Borrego cites is centered around individual defensive pride rather than team concepts.

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

“I’ll admit, well, the one-on-one defense has shown improvement,” Borrego explained. “Just driving one-on-ones, that’s improved. Our transition defense is up. It’s moving in the right direction. The boards are moving in the right direction. So I think in general, when you’re not getting blown out one-on-one, there’s less turnovers. There’s less better lateral shots on the other team.”

“Then that’s our pick-and-roll defense,” he added. “I think we’ve worked on that a lot. Sometimes it’s our switch defense, sometimes it’s our top coverage. We’ve got to get better at both, but we’re seeing progress there. I see evidence and signs of improvement, I see it. It’s clear.”

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

Zion Williamson’s Pelicans are still not where they need to be, but the interim coach sees the team starting to rise to the challenge. Their maturity is tested not by the pressure of the playoff chase, but by their willingness to treat each possession as a personal test of will. That maturation into a serious professional is measured not just by a win-loss record, but by a growing ability to treat every moment on the field with the pride needed to build something lasting.