Game Thread Pelicans vs Mavs 11/1/14

[djpaul89]

You realize that benching your starting 2 guard 2 games into the season is absurd right?

Right...Gordon had a rough game. Unfortunate. It happens. On to the next one.

I'm really starting to hate how microwave this society has become. I blame First Take...lol. All about making sweeping, grand conclusions after individual events.

In sports, I always find it to be folly to blame a loss on one player or one play. There were mistakes all around. Also, gotta give credit to Dallas. They have seem to have lots of talent and savvy. Much more experienced group.

[new city champ]

Too soon to talk about benching eany one. Dallas is good. They've made some nice additions. We've got some growing up to do to beat a team like that in a close game down the stretch.

On Gordon, ok it's stil disappointing that he isn't the closer we are paying him to be, the guy you can hand the ball to late in a close on to go get us some key baskets, but we've never seen much of that guy. I thought maybe our guys were a bit gassed late. I guess Monty wasn't fooling about shortening up his rotations. I think you've got to give the bench some more burn to figure out who might be able to help you.

[billfromfinance]

Gordon was an issue because he was a symptom of a larger problem, lack of cohesion, poor coaching and chemistry. This team is not playing like a cohesive unit, which is expected.

This^^ Our rotations, communication, and general team work all just looked sloppy. The 3rd was the only thing that brought us back - which dirk sat for most of. the amount of times ellis and barea just cruised through to the hoop

[kjayb51]

Do you and pelicanned actually watch these games? Gordon was an issue because he was a symptom of a larger problem, lack of cohesion, poor coaching and chemistry. This team is not playing like a cohesive unit, which is expected. Coach still isn't confident in his lineups and is letting this team play like streetballers at times.

Jimmer would put up the same numbers if he was utilized like Gordon was. You can't ignore a rhythm shooter for two 1/2 quarters and expect him to be a positive contributor in the last few minutes. He had 2 shots in the final 3 quarters. Read that again, 2 shots. Zero shots in the third. zero shots in the third when Rivers and him were the sole guards and Rivers was screwing up over and over again. And again it wasn't like he didn't get open or put himself in a position to be open, he did, I counted 5 times and Iwasnt even looking when Evans, Rivers or Jrue drove in a layer up a poor shot with Gordon wide open on the wing.

I hate Gordon as much as the next guy but I'm not gonna be irrational. like Evans last season, if Monty can't utilize a player the player is going to falter. Gordon should of been the primary ball handler that several minute run with Rivers. He should of had some plays for him, instead we let Rivers crash and burn running a bunch of inefficient sets and bad shots. If you have a starter going against the opponents bench, attack the mismatch.

Gordon not getting the attempts because he cant create worth a ****. He's a spot up shooter after all these injuries.

[UNO Gracias]

People were already complaining in this thread that Asik was too slow, though.

You can't go in with Jrue, Reke, Ryno, Gordon/Rivers/Jimmer, and AD. AD is still a threat, and you need a guy like Asik down there to let AD be the threat he is.

We will change. It's still early days.

[Pelicanned]

What pisses me off is that Monty had a decent rotation already. Ryno, Rivers and Jimmer come in late in the 1st and play for a good 7-10 min or so. Monty screwed up that rotation tonight to let Gordon lay an egg. If you want team cohesion, you don't screw with people's minutes. You let them play through a few mistakes and let things play out naturally. Most of all you don't let a couple guys in Gordon and Rivers keep laying eggs all night without any change.

For Jimmer, this is exactly what happened at Sacramento under Keith Smart. Marcus Thornton was an Eric Gordon clone there, just playing terrible every night. I fear the same thing happening here.

[DRDJ1]

Would have liked to have seen Alexis get a chance to play at least a few minutes against Brandon Wright. I doubt JJ Barea will have another breakout game like this again this season. The Chief still can't shoot but can still get some rebounds. I'm sorry but I'm over Rivers contributing. How can we score 57 points from AD, Jrue and Tyreke but still lose. Because our bench and Gordon contributed nothing again.

[RhythmNathan]

Chanting MVP with 3:47 left and the team down 5 made me sick. That is all.

[djpaul89]

With him seeming mentally fragile I just dont see how this season goes well for him with Jrue & Reke commanding more of the ball

Wow...one bad game during the second game of the season...let some more games play out before we write EG completely off...

[ItIsRynosTime]

What pisses me off is that Monty had a decent rotation already. Ryno, Rivers and Jimmer come in late in the 1st and play for a good 7-10 min or so. Monty screwed up that rotation tonight to let Gordon lay an egg. If you want team cohesion, you don't screw with people's minutes. You let them play through a few mistakes and let things play out naturally. Most of all you don't let a couple guys in Gordon and Rivers keep laying eggs all night without any change.

For Jimmer, this is exactly what happened at Sacramento under Keith Smart. Marcus Thornton was an Eric Gordon clone there, just playing terrible every night. I fear the same thing happening here.

Your boy Jimmer will get some burn in blowouts.

[RubberBandCat]

Eric Gordon ‏@TheofficialEG10 2m2 minutes ago
Sick to my stomach about tonight!!!! I can't remember playing this bad tonight, EVER. Just wasn't myself. 80 more to go!!!
#bouncebackgame

[N.O.Bronco]

If it was a symptom of team cohesion and chemistry, the other guys wouldn't have looked so good next to him. Maybe, just maybe nobody was setting him up to shoot because nobody trusted he could do anything once he caught the ball. If there was a lack of team cohesion, it was Gordon's fault. Don't blame this on Davis, Tyreke or Jrue or anyone else.

Take responsibility that he sucked tonight, and it was 90% his own doing. And you really think Jimmer would have scored 0 points? You have a crystal ball? You saw into the future? No? then stfu.

No one is saying he played great tonight. Again, let me say it slower for you, you can't blame a guy for not scoring when no one gives him a chance to score. And you can't blame him for things he didn't do. He missed his shots, thats on him. But after his first four shots he took one shot at 6 minutes in the 2ND and then his next one wasn't till 4:27 in the FOURTH! Thats 25 game minutes that passed between his shots.

Now, like I told you earlier, I counted no less then 5 times in the second and third and at least twice in the fourth where Gordon got WIDE OPEN on the arc and he was passed up by Evans or Jrue for a poor contested shot in the paint. Gordon did his job, he got open, he did what was asked, but if you don't give a player the opportunity they can't do anything for you. You can't pile on Gordon for that when that is out of his control.

Then there was the period in the third where it was Gordon and Rivers and not once did Gordon get to play the facilitator. Not once did he get play ran for him. I don't even think he was given the ball in that stretch.

What exactly would Jimmer have been able to do differently? I mean he won't be doing anything more then what Gordon is being asked to do which is play off ball and get open for a spot up shot.

[UNO Gracias]

Jimmer will see time as Monty perfects his rotations. Same with Ajinca and Rivers. All of these guys have talents that we can and should use.

[billfromfinance]

as bronco is saying, EG only had 12% usage rate tonight. and in line with that[edit: in line with broncos 2nd paragraph sorry], the amount of missed shots in the paint is sad, check out the shot chart:
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/shotch...meId=400578319

the turnovers were quite sad.

I think Evans killer 3rd quarter was brilliant, but then jacking up poor shots and driving calls in the 4th hurt.

Positive note, our FT's were a lot better this game at 75%. AD with 13 of his points just from FT's.

Now I can't find quarterly breakdown stats, but Kumar said AD only took 2 shots in the 4th quarter.

[luckyman]

As far as Gordon, I'd like to know what is the play they run for him? It just looks sloppy as he loops over and over in the lane then tries to pop out while still covered. Why not just a simple screen in the lane, then a quick hard pass for an open corner 3?

Seeing the game live, its obviois Dallas is a team that practices offensive sets to perfection, while this team looks like running offense is an after thought. Just the way it looks from my "all 22" point of view.

[UNO Gracias]

Man anyone watching any other games tonight? Phi vs Mia...Brandon Davies is having a game Nerlens Noel should be having.

[DRDJ1]

Is it just me or did the game change after Tyreke was called for the hanging tech foul after the emphatic dunk at the end of the 3rd? Even though Dirk missed the tech foul it seemed like it sucked out our aggressiveness which was so key in the 3rd period.

[Pelicanned]

Eric Gordon ‏@TheofficialEG10 2m2 minutes ago
Sick to my stomach about tonight!!!! I can't remember playing this bad tonight, EVER. Just wasn't myself. 80 more to go!!!
#bouncebackgame

Sounds like even he would have liked to have been benched.

[Asteptooslow]

Is it just me or did the game change after Tyreke was called for the hanging tech foul after the emphatic dunk at the end of the 3rd? Even though Dirk missed the tech foul it seemed like it sucked out our aggressiveness which was so key in the 3rd period.

It was a really stupid play. He barely got off the ground and tried to go for style points. Selfish way to finish a great play.

[luckyman]

It was a really stupid play. He barely got off the ground and tried to go for style points. Selfish way to finish a great play.

I guess you didn't see it all. He hung on the rim because Parsons ran right under him.

[Asteptooslow]

Sounds like even he would have liked to have been benched.

He will get that chance. I hope he is right.

The rest of the bench tweets. Coach m hatin on us.

[ItIsRynosTime]

Chanting MVP with 3:47 left and the team down 5 made me sick. That is all.

This. I could care less about the numbers when the team stumbled so badly in crunch time.

[Asteptooslow]

No he didn't. He was trying to make a weak dunk look better.

[UNO Gracias]

It wasn't embarassing. What we suffered on a nightly basis in the playoff series vs the Nuggets was embarassing. This was just a sad loss, but it's not like we were run out of our own place.

[Writhe]

Eric Gordon ‏@TheofficialEG10 2m2 minutes ago
Sick to my stomach about tonight!!!! I can't remember playing this bad tonight, EVER. Just wasn't myself. 80 more to go!!!
#bouncebackgame

He only played once tonight, so I'm SURE he can't remember playing this bad any other time tonight.