110 points per game

[johnpagenola]

In the West, there are 3 teams scoring 110 points or more per game: Warriors (115.8), Rockets (114.7) and Pelicans (110.8). We're elite!
However, there are also 2 teams giving up 110 points or more per game: Pelicans (110.5) and Suns (112.2). We're garbage!

In the East only the Raptors score over 110 (111.3) and only the Magic give up over 110 (110.4).

I also always found it more fun to score than defend.

[P_B_&_G]

So everyone is the Warriors when playing against us. Great

[msusousaphone]

So everyone is the Warriors when playing against us. Great

It has actually felt that way, though, hasn't it?

[PeliKhan]

every bum goes off for 30+ against us LOL

[N.O.Bronco]

The quicker they score, the quicker you get the ball back so you can score

Flawless strategy.

[luckyman]

every bum goes off for 30+ against us LOL

That last bum turned steph curry Wayne Seldon. He sure did play for us for a hot second last year.

[Bricklayer]

I also always found it more fun to score than defend.

I was always the opposite. My contrary personality I suppose, but I lived to make other guys miserable. The uglier I could make a game the better. Wish the Pels had a few more of those guys. I was kind of hoping that old Grindfather might be able to imbue the team with a little of that spirit, but in the time we got to see him he didn't seem terribly dialed in. Hopefully he comes back healthier, has a fellow defender in Hill to work with, and maybe they can get a little dawg into this thing. The offense is close to elite, all they have to do is be mediocre defensively and they'll win a lot of games.

[tdcreator]

The quicker they score, the quicker you get the ball back so you can score

Flawless strategy.

I've always thought the backup unit should slow the pace way down or at least the unit with just Cousins. The other team can score less points during that time and if we could run a good half court set maybe even minimize the +/-.

[N.O.Bronco]

I've always thought the backup unit should slow the pace way down or at least the unit with just Cousins. The other team can score less points during that time and if we could run a good half court set maybe even minimize the +/-.

I have been getting into some back and forths on that myself.

It really is a bit odd we haven't at least tried to switch some things up with our strategies and rotations. Bench and starting unit.

He doesn't do much but Asik still seems to have enough in the tank to give you some solid rebounding and rim protection for 5-10 minutes a game. And the more I looked into it it seems like Cousins would do better with another big as opposed to an undersized power forward when Davis is off the court. IDK, to me it kind of warrants at least a try?

[Teal Lantern]

I saw a more telling stat not long ago: the Pels were 2-13 when getting outrebounded. How does a team with monsters like AD and Boogie come up short on the boards 15 times in half of a season?

[AusPel]

I saw a more telling stat not long ago: the Pels were 2-13 when getting outrebounded. How does a team with monsters like AD and Boogie come up short on the boards 15 times in half of a season?

[Bricklayer]

I saw a more telling stat not long ago: the Pels were 2-13 when getting outrebounded. How does a team with monsters like AD and Boogie come up short on the boards 15 times in half of a season?

I think Dominigue Wilkens on the Hawks telecast nailed that one when he pointed out that Cousins and Davis were great, but nobody else on the team rebounded at all.

When you consider:

-- the Pels start 2 PGs in the backcourt
-- the Pels start a 6'4" SG at SF, and he was a poor rebounder even for a guard
-- the only backup "big man" to get regular time is Dante Cunningham, one of the worst rebounding "bigs": in the game.

I ran a search on bballref.com sorting all 2017-18 players who have played at least 200 minutes so far this season by their Total Rebound %. Boogie ranked 12th. A.D. ranked 44th. The next highest rated Pelican was Tony Allen, at 160th. Cunningham was 169th. No other Pelican was in the Top 200.

Put it this way, Golden State has 7 rebounders in the Top 100 by Total Rebound %. The Pels have 2.

2017-18 Total Rebounding % Ranks (of 364 qualifying players):
Cousins 12th
Davis 44th
Allen 160th
Cunningham 169th
Rondo 211th
Holiday 264th
Nelson 298th
Clark 336th
Moore 340th
Miller 346th

[Mythrol]

We have one of the best rebounding bigs on our bench in Asik. Part of the reason rebounding rates are low is scheme.

For example, Rondo was known as an almost elite level rebounder for his position. I remember people talking about it this summer that maybe with 3 "elite" rebounders on the team maybe we would get over our low rebounding numbers. Yet look this year and Rondo is averaging a career low in rebounds, his 4th lowest TRB% of his career, and his lowest ORB% ever.

That's not to defend what's going on with rebounding, but I think the team is clearly forgoing offensive rebounds to get back on defense and our 4 out 1 in offensive scheme doesn't lend itself to having guys in position to rebound.

At the end of the day I think the coaching staff is comfortable just saying, "Cousins, AD rebounds are yours."

Do I agree? Eh, I'm Not happy with it, but I also don't see a solution on the team outside of playing Asik and Diallo more... And I doubt we do that.

[Bricklayer]

We have one of the best rebounding bigs on our bench in Asik. Part of the reason rebounding rates are low is scheme.

For example, Rondo was known as an almost elite level rebounder for his position. I remember people talking about it this summer that maybe with 3 "elite" rebounders on the team maybe we would get over our low rebounding numbers. Yet look this year and Rondo is averaging a career low in rebounds, his 4th lowest TRB% of his career, and his lowest ORB% ever.

That's not to defend what's going on with rebounding, but I think the team is clearly forgoing offensive rebounds to get back on defense and our 4 out 1 in offensive scheme doesn't lend itself to having guys in position to rebound.

At the end of the day I think the coaching staff is comfortable just saying, "Cousins, AD rebounds are yours."

Do I agree? Eh, I'm Not happy with it, but I also don't see a solution on the team outside of playing Asik and Diallo more... And I doubt we do that.

Yeah, I think that's right. Team also has guys always leaking out, frequently basically concedes the FT rebounding opportunities etc.

And that kills me as I'm a big rebound guy, but there are theoretical benefits. It's kind of like what Iverson used to do with the old Sixers. Now I might be about the last guy to defend that approach, and it was problematic, but basically Iverson's extreme ball dominance and annual league leading scoring "bought" the Sixers a great defense, because it meant they could basically just concentrate on everybody else being defensive personnel. Iverson would take care of the offense, everybody else played D. Pels, and this really feels like a Gentry thing, are basically "buying" highly offensive smallball personnel by having their bigs take care of all of the rebounding themselves. Everybody else can just be out there to scramble and score and chuck and leak out and push push.

P.S. I have noticed that about Rondo too, and mourned it. He used to be fun precisely because he combined all of he "other" things than scoring. He passed, he defended, he rebounded. Filled up the boxscore. Now it might be down to just the passing, and unfortunately he's getting older so there's no guarantee this is scheme and not a little guy aging and losing some athleticism.

[Mythrol]

I don't disagree with anything you said. It's an interesting position to be in. The coaching staff doesn't have the personnel to rebound AND run our offense at a high level so they just bank on AD and Cousins to carry them on the rebounding end.

I had hoped that Diallo might give us all the energy stats while not tanking the offense but it's clear he is still too raw for 10-15 mpg.