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Thread: This Team Looks Done

  1. #1

    This Team Looks Done

    It pains me to say it and I hope it's an overreaction to a bad stretch of games, but it's really just a more severe case of the sporadic lack of intensity and lackadaisical efforts that we've seen too much of this season--Cousins or no Cousins. The losses at home to Sacramento and the Knicks. The roll over in Atlanta after beating the Celtics. The blow out losses.

    But now the team just looks consistently listless. It looks like they've given up. And it pains me even more to say, Anthony Davis is the prime culprit. Teams lose key guys. The Spurs lost Leonard for most of the season. And when Cousins went down it was a chance for Davis to show how much he's grown, how he's ready to put the team on his shoulders and carry it like a true superstar. Like a Lebron or a Westbrook or a Harden. Instead it looks like he's folded up his tent and packed it in for the year.

    This is inexcusable. This team still has a chance to make the post-season, it's in the hunt. More importantly it has a a chance to show it can play the right way, with effort, sharing the ball coming together to make up for Cousin's loss. Instead the seem like they're pouting and have lost all belief in themselves.

    If we are one injury away from being a crap team, then we're basically a crap team. And if that's the case, I put everything on the table to get better. Everything. Because if there is one thing I don't want to do, it's watch a disinterested squad play basketball. I'd rather rebuild and bring in guys who want to play hard. I really would. It would be far more enjoyable than watching this crew of sleep walkers.

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by new city champ View Post
    It pains me to say it and I hope it's an overreaction to a bad stretch of games, but it's really just a more severe case of the sporadic lack of intensity and lackadaisical efforts that we've seen too much of this season--Cousins or no Cousins. The losses at home to Sacramento and the Knicks. The roll over in Atlanta after beating the Celtics. The blow out losses.

    But now the team just looks consistently listless. It looks like they've given up. And it pains me even more to say, Anthony Davis is the prime culprit. Teams lose key guys. The Spurs lost Leonard for most of the season. And when Cousins went down it was a chance for Davis to show how much he's grown, how he's ready to put the team on his shoulders and carry it like a true superstar. Like a Lebron or a Westbrook or a Harden. Instead it looks like he's folded up his tent and packed it in for the year.

    This is inexcusable. This team still has a chance to make the post-season, it's in the hunt. More importantly it has a a chance to show it can play the right way, with effort, sharing the ball coming together to make up for Cousin's loss. Instead the seem like they're pouting and have lost all belief in themselves.

    If we are one injury away from being a crap team, then we're basically a crap team. And if that's the case, I put everything on the table to get better. Everything. Because if there is one thing I don't want to do, it's watch a disinterested squad play basketball. I'd rather rebuild and bring in guys who want to play hard. I really would. It would be far more enjoyable than watching this crew of sleep walkers.
    NBA.com said earlier in the season, the margin for error in this team is non-existent. Couldn't have rung more true

  3. #3
    Great post. AD needs to prove he's more than just a stat stuffer on a bad team. He is squandering a golden opportunity to up his game and lead his team to the post season. His play recently is inexcusable, and if he doesn't want to go toe-to-toe with other bigs that are considered elite in this league, then he doesn't deserve to be paid like an elite.

    The coaching situation is so frustrating. I'll admit I was one who wanted Monty gone. I think it was more due to I just wanted to see a change, and for the franchise to be proactive. But what we have now with Alvin is very eye opening. He was the one guy that was in the running that I absolutely didn't want. But I never imagined it'd be this bad. It just goes to show that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Monty had a disciplined team full of effort and heart. Gentry is the exact opposite. Yes, this team has endured an ungodly amount of injuries over the years, but that can't be an excuse. The coach needs to be held accountable. Demps as well. Heck, the whole upper management needs an overhaul. How can an NBA franchise be so low brow, from top to bottom? It's just mind boggling.

  4. #4
    Nope you’re right Pelicans are done. Both Dell and Gentry should be long gone by now. Cousins injury really hurt but two things to keep in mind we were very inconsistent and bad coaching prior to the injury AND we never had any assurance Cousins would resign here thus Dell blew it on that trade where we gave up to much. And finally an Achilles injury on a guy that size and he will almost certainly miss half of next season (if he resigns) and will probably lose a step or two. Hate to be all doom and gloom but these are the facts and unless we add a special player or two next offseason and get a new qualified head coach things are looking down.

  5. #5
    The Franchise PelicanNation's Avatar
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    Yall putting too much blame on AD dude is one man In a team with a bunch of scrubs. I feel bad for AD honestly imagine if he was on a half way decent team where he didnt have a horrible coach and a bunch of d league players.

    Not to mention he gets All the attention because teams are begging someone else besides AD to beat them.
    Last edited by PelicanNation; 02-09-2018 at 11:21 PM.

  6. #6
    Pistol Pete Would Be Proud!! Tinman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by new city champ View Post
    It pains me to say it and I hope it's an overreaction to a bad stretch of games, but it's really just a more severe case of the sporadic lack of intensity and lackadaisical efforts that we've seen too much of this season--Cousins or no Cousins. The losses at home to Sacramento and the Knicks. The roll over in Atlanta after beating the Celtics. The blow out losses.

    But now the team just looks consistently listless. It looks like they've given up. And it pains me even more to say, Anthony Davis is the prime culprit. Teams lose key guys. The Spurs lost Leonard for most of the season. And when Cousins went down it was a chance for Davis to show how much he's grown, how he's ready to put the team on his shoulders and carry it like a true superstar. Like a Lebron or a Westbrook or a Harden. Instead it looks like he's folded up his tent and packed it in for the year.

    This is inexcusable. This team still has a chance to make the post-season, it's in the hunt. More importantly it has a a chance to show it can play the right way, with effort, sharing the ball coming together to make up for Cousin's loss. Instead the seem like they're pouting and have lost all belief in themselves.

    If we are one injury away from being a crap team, then we're basically a crap team. And if that's the case, I put everything on the table to get better. Everything. Because if there is one thing I don't want to do, it's watch a disinterested squad play basketball. I'd rather rebuild and bring in guys who want to play hard. I really would. It would be far more enjoyable than watching this crew of sleep walkers.
    So you post the long Hyperbolic soliloquy about how the Pels suck & they are done. HUH !? Portland has lost 3 of 4--- Minny has lost 4 of 6 & OKC has lost 4of 5 (getting blown out in 3 of them). The Pels are 2 games in the loss column away from 4th place.

    So, one must ask- Do you think any of these other teams SUCK or just the Pels? Seems to me that OKC & MINNY talent level is miles above the Pels. So, so their coaches suck or do the teams suck?

  7. #7
    A Soulful Sports Fan Contributor Eman5805's Avatar
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    It's highly probable we aren't doing much this year. I mean, as a 5th or 6th seed we could've hoped to make a go of it. But if we barely squeak in as an 8th, just another 4 game sweep that I don't really wanna see us go through again.

    Be better to roll the dice and hope we somehow keep that 1st. One Michael Porter, slightly used would change our fortunes in a hurry...but I don't know if we have that kinda luck in us again.

  8. #8
    I don't watch those teams every game, so I can't comment on their Suckitude. I do watch the Pels every game and am a season ticket holder and yes, they have sucked since DeMarcus went down. They've lost five-of-six, all but one by double digits. As I say maybe I'm overreacting to a bad stretch, but it's not the loses so much as it's the way they have played that has been so disappointing. Dull, listless, seeming disinterested. Low energy. And Davis has looked downright uninvolved, which is incredibly disappointing from your superstar player. I thought he would step up, not fall down on the job. I hope they prove me dead wrong, but to my eye they look checked out, starting with Davis. And if you don't have the grit to overcome the loss of one player, no matter how valuable, then you aren't a serious team and I'd explore all options for fixing that problem. All options.

  9. #9
    Pistol Pete Would Be Proud!! Tinman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by new city champ View Post
    I don't watch those teams every game, so I can't comment on their Suckitude. I do watch the Pels every game and am a season ticket holder and yes, they have sucked since DeMarcus went down. They've lost five-of-six, all but one by double digits. As I say maybe I'm overreacting to a bad stretch, but it's not the loses so much as it's the way they have played that has been so disappointing. Dull, listless, seeming disinterested. Low energy. And Davis has looked downright uninvolved, which is incredibly disappointing from your superstar player. I thought he would step up, not fall down on the job. I hope they prove me dead wrong, but to my eye they look checked out, starting with Davis. And if you don't have the grit to overcome the loss of one player, no matter how valuable, then you aren't a serious team and I'd explore all options for fixing that problem. All options.
    Got it. So, would you consider OKC a good team? They have lost 4 of 5 (3 of those pretty bad). The Pels NEED 1 thing pronto. A BIG BODY to play the 5 so AD's gas tank doesn't leak out w/in 2 weeks. Entirely unacceptable on Dell DUMPS part to field 10 healthy guys & NOT 1 over 6'10" or 245 lbs. NO EXCUSE for our bench to have all those empty seats & 5 guys on the bench & a nay one of them is over 220 lbs.
    BTW- been. STH for 9yrs & thought rhis year would be a decent run in the playoffs with AD/Boogie- despite Gentry. Although I now have Zero expectations of them getting out of the 1st round, it would still be nice to make playoffs.
    Last edited by Tinman; 02-10-2018 at 12:19 AM.

  10. #10
    I don't understand why Davis can't play the 5, especially in Gentry's system. At 6' 10" (more like 7 ft.) and 250+ pounds he's every bit as big as Alonzo Mourning, Hakiem Olajuwom, shoot even Patrick Ewing and the NBA was much more physical in the post when those guys played. Honestly it seems to me like Davis just doesn't want to play the 5 and kind of dogs it when asked to do it. Some of those offensive put backs he gave up to Embiid tonight were plain awful. Just no effort at all to keep Embiid off the glass. Agree that Demps screwed up the center spot, both with giving those contracts to Asik and Ajinca and then not having a viable back up to Cousins on the squad. If Davis hates playing the 5 that much and can't do it any better than he is currently, then screw it, start Okafor and bring in Mirotic after 4 or 5 minutes....Also sign some beef from the buy out or G League to soak up some minutes.

  11. #11
    Pistol Pete Would Be Proud!! Tinman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by new city champ View Post
    I don't understand why Davis can't play the 5, especially in Gentry's system. At 6' 10" (more like 7 ft.) and 250+ pounds he's every bit as big as Alonzo Mourning, Hakiem Olajuwom, shoot even Patrick Ewing and the NBA was much more physical in the post when those guys played. Honestly it seems to me like Davis just doesn't want to play the 5 and kind of dogs it when asked to do it. Some of those offensive put backs he gave up to Embiid tonight were plain awful. Just no effort at all to keep Embiid off the glass. Agree that Demps screwed up the center spot, both with giving those contracts to Asik and Ajinca and then not having a viable back up to Cousins on the squad. If Davis hates playing the 5 that much and can't do it any better than he is currently, then screw it, start Okafor and bring in Mirotic after 4 or 5 minutes....Also sign some beef from the buy out or G League to soak up some minutes.
    First off- Ewing was 7'0" 265 & Mourning was 6'10 250 but as far as Mourning goes-he wasn't called upon to be the 1st or 2nd option on Offense. Ewing also had Charles Oakley playing next to him. And Davis is NOT 250. Pels may tell you he is, he ain't. The discussion is NOT whether AD can play Defense, it's whether he should be expected to play Defense & be THE GO TO on offense? And as far as Hakeem Olajuwan-C'Mon man! He was 7'0 260 & was probably the best 2-way #5 to ever play the game. AD is a #4 & to compare him to those guys is a non sequitur. You are trying to compare a 6'10" 245lb stretch #4 to 3 HOF TRUE #5's .
    Last edited by Tinman; 02-10-2018 at 01:36 AM.

  12. #12
    Pistol Pete Would Be Proud!! Tinman's Avatar
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    AD is shorter than Kevin Durant. Check out the all star pictures. DeAndre Jordan is 7'0" & makes AD look like a JV player as far as height.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by PelicanNation View Post
    Yall putting too much blame on AD dude is one man In a team with a bunch of scrubs. I feel bad for AD honestly imagine if he was on a half way decent team where he didnt have a horrible coach and a bunch of d league players.

    Not to mention he gets All the attention because teams are begging someone else besides AD to beat them.
    Here's the thing though, you have teams like the Heat that are currently 30-26, The Pacers 31-25, the Clippers 28-25. There is no reason Jrue, Davis, Mirotic, Moore having a career year, and the supporting cast we have can't put together a similar season. Especially when our closest competition int he west is basically tanking.

    It's kind of crazy that the Pels, that just made a move to save their season, is now below the Clippers, the team that just tried to throw int he towel of their season.
    Last edited by N.O.Bronco; 02-10-2018 at 01:51 AM.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Tinman View Post
    AD is shorter than Kevin Durant. Check out the all star pictures. DeAndre Jordan is 7'0" & makes AD look like a JV player as far as height.
    Many of them under report their height FYI.

    Kevin Durant is over 7 feet, he finally admitted it the other year, so is Davis. Davis has even jokingly admitted he fibs his height after he had another growth spurt because he finds it weird to consider yourself taller than 6'10.

    “They measured us like a week and a half ago and they said I was 6-11, which I don’t want to be. I think 6-10’s like the perfect height for me. It just doesn’t sound right. 6-10 sounds perfect to me. 6-11, 7 feet, I can’t, I don’t like it.”
    “I’m now 6-10. I’m technically 6-11, but I’m 6-10. I will always tell everybody 6-10. I don’t care if I’m 7-3, I’m 6-10 … Maybe it’s the hair. I don’t know. I have great hair.”
    In shoes AD is over 7 feet.

  15. #15
    Pistol Pete Would Be Proud!! Tinman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by N.O.Bronco View Post
    Here the thing though, you have teams like the Heat that are currently 30-26, The Pacers 31-25, the Clippers 28-25. There is no reason Jrue, Davis, Mirotic, Moore having a career year, and the supporting cast we have can't put together a similar season.
    So, are we more talented than Minny & OKC ? So they suck,too, right?

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Tinman View Post
    So, are we more talented than Minny & OKC ? So they suck,too, right?
    You aren't even making any sense.

    The Pelicans have enough talent to be a team that can play as well as those teams I mentioned. Taking into account the slightly easier East. If you want to make the case those teams have superior talent, feel free.
    Last edited by N.O.Bronco; 02-10-2018 at 01:56 AM.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Tinman View Post
    First off- Ewing was 7'0" 265 & Mourning was 6'10 250 but as far as Mourning goes-he wasn't called upon to be the 1st or 2nd option on Offense. Ewing also had Charles Oakley playing next to him. And Davis is NOT 250. Pels may tell you he is, he ain't. The discussion is NOT whether AD can play Defense, it's whether he should be expected to play Defense & be THE GO TO on offense? And as far as Hakeem Olajuwan-C'Mon man! He was 7'0 260 & was probably the best 2-way #5 to ever play the game. AD is a #4 & to compare him to those guys is a non sequitur. You are trying to compare a 6'10" 245lb stretch #4 to 3 HOF TRUE #5's .
    Brah, don't know what to tell you...from their NBA bios....

    Patrick Ewing 7' 254 pounds
    Hakeem Olajuwon 7' 255 pounds
    Alonzo Mourning 6' 10" 261 pounds
    Anthony Davis 6' 10" 254 pounds

    At a pre-game shoot around early this season David Wesley was joking around with some fans who there early. Someone asked if Davis was really still 6' 10" and he shot back "yeah, the same way I'm still 190 pds..." So I think it's safe to say he's at least close to 7' at this point.

    But my larger point is that playing in today's NBA--especially in a space and pace system like Gentry wants to run--Davis is plenty big enough to play the 5. It's not like the old days where you had to sumo wrestle guys like Oakley or Mason...He could easily do it--if he wanted. I agree he's better at the 4 right now.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by new city champ View Post
    At a pre-game shoot around early this season David Wesley was joking around with some fans who there early. Someone asked if Davis was really still 6' 10" and he shot back "yeah, the same way I'm still 190 pds..." So I think it's safe to say he's at least close to 7' at this point.
    That's hilarious.

    I agree though, I don't think Davis is 6'10 anymore. There's a ton of moments both in game this season and in pictures where he's stood next to Boogie and looked noticeably taller, and Boogie is 6'10. I wouldn't be surprised if he was 7'1 or something.
    Basketball.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Pelicanidae View Post
    That's hilarious.

    I agree though, I don't think Davis is 6'10 anymore. There's a ton of moments both in game this season and in pictures where he's stood next to Boogie and looked noticeably taller, and Boogie is 6'10. I wouldn't be surprised if he was 7'1 or something.
    At a minimum Davis has admitted he is 6'11 out of shoes according to the quotes I mentioned above.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by N.O.Bronco View Post
    At a minimum Davis has admitted he is 6'11 out of shoes according to the quotes I mentioned above.
    It's more than just height though, or can be.

    As someone noted above, Davis is at least as tall as Cousins, and maybe an inch taller. And he's certainly got verticality over him. But what he obviously doesn't have is the physicality and toughness in there. Just not him. He prefers to operate in space, on both ends. That doesn't mean he CAN'T play center, but it does mean its suboptimal usage for him, and you're not going to get the interior domination out of the position you might be aiming for. If he's got to go body to body with the big centers around the league he'll lose some of those battles, and its likely to wear him down and make him more passive. He's just not a grrr player. Get him out into space, away from the bodies and the banging, and that's where you can get the big unicorn games.

    Now with the roster the way it is, with Mirotic here and the need to stabilize, well, you might have your best chance with A.D. at C right now. But it's not a great chance and not one he's had much success with thus far in his career.

    BTW, A.D. has a huge load on him right now, but I think the real bellweather may be Jrue. He went from terrible at the start of the season, to singing as the Towers offense ramped it up the last few months, to completely disappearing now that that isn't there anymore. In the 6 games since Cousins went down the team is a -59 with Jrue on the floor. Nearly 10 points worse than their opponents every game. He seems like such a delicate player mentally that the changes could easily have thrown him back into a funk. Ironically the same thing happened last year after the trade that CREATED the Towers -- Jrue struggled to find his footing the remainder of that season as well. Now the script is switched...and it becomes more obvious its a Jrue head problem rather than anything particular about having the Towers or not having them. Pels are in danger now with the Clips and Jazz playing with heart, but maybe the All Star break can provide some much needed mental relief and allow Jrue to get his head around things for the stretch run.

  21. #21
    AD also admitted in an interview once that he thought it sounded weird to be called 7' tall. That's why he's never updated his height info.

  22. #22
    I think he is 6'10 and 3/8's of an inch.

    Not quite 6'10", not quite 6'11". Not even 6'10 and a half.

    But I think this topic deserves 20 more posts. It matters. Please....continue!!!
    @mcnamara247

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara View Post
    I think he is 6'10 and 3/8's of an inch.

    Not quite 6'10", not quite 6'11". Not even 6'10 and a half.

    But I think this topic deserves 20 more posts. It matters. Please....continue!!!
    What is your honest opinion on this team going forward? IMO, we’re heading towards NBA purgatory.

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Bricklayer View Post
    It's more than just height though, or can be.

    As someone noted above, Davis is at least as tall as Cousins, and maybe an inch taller. And he's certainly got verticality over him. But what he obviously doesn't have is the physicality and toughness in there. Just not him. He prefers to operate in space, on both ends. That doesn't mean he CAN'T play center, but it does mean its suboptimal usage for him, and you're not going to get the interior domination out of the position you might be aiming for. If he's got to go body to body with the big centers around the league he'll lose some of those battles, and its likely to wear him down and make him more passive. He's just not a grrr player. Get him out into space, away from the bodies and the banging, and that's where you can get the big unicorn games.

    Now with the roster the way it is, with Mirotic here and the need to stabilize, well, you might have your best chance with A.D. at C right now. But it's not a great chance and not one he's had much success with thus far in his career.

    BTW, A.D. has a huge load on him right now, but I think the real bellweather may be Jrue. He went from terrible at the start of the season, to singing as the Towers offense ramped it up the last few months, to completely disappearing now that that isn't there anymore. In the 6 games since Cousins went down the team is a -59 with Jrue on the floor. Nearly 10 points worse than their opponents every game. He seems like such a delicate player mentally that the changes could easily have thrown him back into a funk. Ironically the same thing happened last year after the trade that CREATED the Towers -- Jrue struggled to find his footing the remainder of that season as well. Now the script is switched...and it becomes more obvious its a Jrue head problem rather than anything particular about having the Towers or not having them. Pels are in danger now with the Clips and Jazz playing with heart, but maybe the All Star break can provide some much needed mental relief and allow Jrue to get his head around things for the stretch run.
    Spot on assessment of Jrue and his lack of a mental toughness. Watching Lou Williams last night against Detroit made me yearn for a guard that is willing to take over a game and put a team on his back.

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara View Post
    I think he is 6'10 and 3/8's of an inch.

    Not quite 6'10", not quite 6'11". Not even 6'10 and a half.

    But I think this topic deserves 20 more posts. It matters. Please....continue!!!
    You don't have to participate in anything you don't feel is worth your time. By you posting you give credence to the exact thing you attempt to mock.

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