The Race for a Playoff Spot

[tyler]

Yeah, I'm not sure what's going on with them, but something isn't clicking. Everyone has been saying it's foregone that they take the 8th, but that's been a while ago and still not there. I think the 8th seed race is wide open and possibly even the 7th. We just need to handle our business and let the chips fall.

Its not wide open... Phoenix are still winning games and we are still behind... I always hear ppl say that they are waiting for teams to come to reality and start losing games but... Maybe just maybe these teams are really that good

[tyler]

They capitalize on games that they should capitalize while we lose to teams like Philly Boston and Knicks

[saintsinNO]

Its not wide open... Phoenix are still winning games and we are still behind... I always hear ppl say that they are waiting for teams to come to reality and start losing games but... Maybe just maybe these teams are really that good

Phoenix is 2 games ahead of us with an easier SOS. Still a lot of ball to be played and a lot of teams are also getting injured in big ways.

[saintsinNO]

They capitalize on games that they should capitalize while we lose to teams like Philly Boston and Knicks

This part I agree with.

[Yanks2740]

Its not wide open... Phoenix are still winning games and we are still behind... I always hear ppl say that they are waiting for teams to come to reality and start losing games but... Maybe just maybe these teams are really that good

Or maybe the entire second half of the season could reveal that NOP is just as good.. too many games left to make some assumptions.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Phoenix has lost 9 games to below .500 teams, the Pels have lost 8.

On to the next fact less narrative.

[tyler]

Phoenix is 2 games ahead of us with an easier SOS. Still a lot of ball to be played and a lot of teams are also getting injured in big ways.

With an easier schedule they have a better chance to succeed so that makes it even harder of a chance when we play the hawks next

[SaintPelican225]

They capitalize on games that they should capitalize while we lose to teams like Philly Boston and Knicks

All teams have loses like that....Pelicans are no different. LeBron's Heat struggled out of gate losing to sub .500 teams in there first year together.

[tyler]

All teams have loses like that....Pelicans are no different. LeBron's Heat struggled out of gate losing to sub .500 teams in there first year together.

Yet they made it to the finals

[UNO Gracias]

I am not going to worry about PHX losing games. We can't do anything about their schedule, but we certainly can do something about ours. BTBT (Beat The Bad Teams). We can do it. We will soon have our chance to show we can do better than the teams who have already cleared that hurdle, let's just hope we are up the the task and holding a ticket to the playoffs come April, as opposed to just holding ourselves like we have done for the past 4 years.

[tyler]

I am not going to worry about PHX losing games. We can't do anything about their schedule, but we certainly can do something about ours. BTBT (Beat The Bad Teams). We can do it. We will soon have our chance to show we can do better than the teams who have already cleared that hurdle, let's just hope we are up the the task and holding a ticket to the playoffs come April, as opposed to just holding ourselves like we have done for the past 4 years.

I think the big test comes Monday

[Yanks2740]

With an easier schedule they have a better chance to succeed so that makes it even harder of a chance when we play the hawks next

The Pels start February with 4 tough matchups but look at the rest of the month: Utah, Indiana, Orlando, Miami (twice), Toronto and Brooklyn. That is an opportunity staring the team in the face. You are just looking in a different direction.

[SaintPelican225]

Yet they made it to the finals

Exactly.....The sun still shines after a bad lost.

[tyler]

The Pels start February with 4 tough matchups but look at the rest of the month: Utah, Indiana, Orlando, Miami (twice), Toronto and Brooklyn. That is an opportunity staring the team in the face. You are just looking in a different direction.

Not really looking in a different direction but also realize that we can just as easily can lose to those you mentioned

[UNO Gracias]

The Pels start February with 4 tough matchups but look at the rest of the month: Utah, Indiana, Orlando, Miami (twice), Toronto and Brooklyn. That is an opportunity staring the team in the face. You are just looking in a different direction.

I agree. We could put ourselves well in front of the playoff pack by batting .770 with that schedule. Monty could get a new lease on life, and we will have guys back from injury at that point.

But if we finish Feb. having only gone .400 against all those teams, Monty might want to start looking into a realtor before March Madness.

[djpaul89]

Not really looking in a different direction but also realize that we can just as easily can lose to those you mentioned

Right...that's what people in this thread have been trying to get at. It's the NBA. Any game is possible to lose for any team, since you're playing other professional players as well. When it happens, its disappointing, but by no means the end of the world and something exclusive to the Pelicans and our /bum head coach/ sarcasm font.

Like your assertion that oh, Phoenix takes care of bad teams unlike us. About that...

[42]

I didn't say anything about Monty so not quite sure what you are referring to. We have, at the very least, the third best player in the game, we 'shouldn't lose' any game, but we 'definitely' should win some.

I think sometimes you guys that write always like to take, at least on some level, a contrarian position to the general sentiment to show some sort of heightened knowledge. I get that you are a bit more involved into the goings-on of the team, but I don't feel anything I've said is 'inconsistent.' If you think that the magnitude of a loss to the Knicks/Sixers equals that of a win against the Raptors when we fall short a few games then I think you are wrong.

If you are going to cling to your claim, then list out the WINS that are helping. Thanks.

[Ludiculous]

Some huge games tonight. Obviously our game against Atlanta.

ORL @ OKC

MEM @ PHX

[saintsinNO]

If you are going to cling to your claim, then list out the WINS that are helping. Thanks.

Not sure what this means. Welcome.

[Tinman]

Good way to finish Jan, last night HOU/OKC/POR/SAS/PHX all lost.

Injury bug starting to pop up with HOU/POR/MEM, if we can finish 70% the rest of the way we may even catch 7th seed.

1. Golden State 37 - 8
2. Memphis 35 - 12 VC out for the season
3. Clippers 33 - 15
4. Portland 32 - 16 Aldridge hurt, Lopez still out
5. Houston 33 - 15 Howard out few weeks
6. Dallas 32 - 17
7. San Antonio 30 - 18
8. Phoenix 28 - 21

9. Pelicans 25 - 22
10. Thunder 23 -24

Rondo out indefinitely with orbital fracture ! SanAntonio going on their 9 game rodeo tour !

[42]

Not sure what this means. Welcome.

You say some losses count more, hurt us more.

I say that position should entail some wins being dignified as counting more, helping more.

So, name them.

[Shrimpnose]

If things change more than they stay the same, and they do; then we should get ahead of Phoenix by mid march. I always factor in the human dynamic to allow for AD's greatness and vertical learning curve......our improvement should become exponential soon, then leveling off in 2017. just a prediction.

[saintsinNO]

You say some losses count more, hurt us more.

I say that position should entail some wins being dignified as counting more, helping more.

So, name them.

That's not quite what I am saying. For instance, will we lose to good teams? Sure, all teams suffer losses. Any loss hurts, but teams are going to lose games. The difference between making the playoffs and not is, a lot of time, those losses that you absolutely should win. We are a talented team to the point where no win should be a surprise, but some losses should be (IMO). Teams in the West will lose to the Warriors, Spurs, Blazers, etc., but not all will lose multiple games to sub .200 teams. Losing those is how you miss the playoffs, thus, they hurt more than the losses teams can expect throughout the course of the season.

[42]

That's not quite what I am saying. For instance, will we lose to good teams? Sure, all teams suffer losses. Any loss hurts, but teams are going to lose games. The difference between making the playoffs and not is, a lot of time, those losses that you absolutely should win. We are a talented team to the point where no win should be a surprise, but some losses should be (IMO). Teams in the West will lose to the Warriors, Spurs, Blazers, etc., but not all will lose multiple games to sub .200 teams. Losing those is how you miss the playoffs, thus, they hurt more than the losses teams can expect throughout the course of the season.

Blah blah blah. Just name teams or drop your extemely inane pseudopoint.

[N.O.Bronco]

Blah blah blah. Just name teams or drop your extemely inane pseudopoint.

So I'm continually coming across your posts recently and the thought struck me, what are you doing on here exactly?

http://www.pelicansreport.com/search.php?searchid=3304

I mean look at that post history. Outside of belittling people what are you actually adding to this forum right now? I've read your posts over the weeks and it just seems to be one condescension, dismissive post after another. Belittling posters with passive aggressive behavior and a smug attitude. Can you point me to the last intellectually stimulating point you have made on here?

If you want to be the forum contrarian fine, but you have just as much an obligation to defend the assertions you make as much as those you continually challenge to defend there's.