February 10th - New Orleans Pelicans @ Portland Trailblazers - 30-22

[Pelicanidae]

Portland for the night!

🏀: at Trail Blazers
🕖: 9:00 pm CT
📺: @BallySportsNO
📻: @995WRNO#Pelicans | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/asGy4CGPjb

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 10, 2024

Devastating loss last game driven largely by giving up 51 points in the second quarter. Look, I've said before that I think offense is more important than defense (at least in the regular season) but I've also said that you have to still have some baseline defensive competence and 51 points in a quarter is not competent. Need to do better than that.

That said, it's one game - we move on. Tonight we play the 15-36 Trailblazers.

They're 29th in Offense, 21st in Defense, resulting in being 26th overall. They're 2-5 over their last 7 games, but had a few wins before that so they've proven they can string some wins together if given the opportunity and some of those wins have been vs Philly and Milwaukee, so not easy targets by any means.

Pelicans are going to have to show a lot of heart to come back on the second game of a back to back and recoup that loss in Portland; I know the team can do it, but will they?

Let's find out.

[As I See It]

Which one of our 'Top Three' will be held out tonight because of 'Load Management'?

[Pierre Pelican]

Which one of our 'Top Three' will be held out tonight because of 'Load Management'?

They all better play. ********s getting old.

[PaKwAn]

That's what they've released so far

OUT
Dyson Daniels (left knee soreness)

QUESTIONABLE
Zion Williamson (left foot bone contusion)
Naji Marshall (back spasms)
Trey Murphy (left knee tendinitis)
Cody Zeller (left knee soreness)

[As I See It]

Whelp, Max is 'resting' tonight.

[donato]

Whelp, Max is 'resting' tonight.

Posters might ignore you less if you could use proper names.

[donato]

Would like to see Trey do something good. Getting a bit concerned with his “slump”.

[donato]

Pretty good half for Trey. Just sit CJ out for the second half. Let him "rest".

[As I See It]

Really missing Dyson a lot.

[As I See It]

I think we can see why Hawk is not playing.

[donato]

CJ is 1-10 and a +12. I wish people would quit using that stat so much as if it really means something most of the time. He's been horrible all game.


Update: Finished 2-14 and a +22. Often a very ridiculous stat.

[As I See It]

I'd sign Killian Hayes to a 10 Day yesterday!! We need a point guard so bad!!

[hornetsrebirth]

A couple of big 3s from Naji and JV playing well is why the Pelicans have a lead

[donato]

Win is a win. On to the next one.

[hornetsrebirth]

Pels win 93 - 84, you dont see that type of score much anymore

[As I See It]

Not that I was looking hard for him, but I didn't see Max on the bench tonight. I could be mistaken.

[boot318]

DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE!!!

This is going to determine how far the Pelicans go. Pels are so inconsistent shooting 3s but effort on D + rebounding should always be there.

[As I See It]

This is going to determine how far the Pelicans go. Pels are so inconsistent shooting 3s but effort on D + rebounding should always be there.

My sentiment entirely.

[RobertM320]

My sentiment entirely.

Oh look. One bad game and the troll returns. You've didn't bother to drop by after we beat the Clippers, but you sure didn't hesitate to come back after the Lakers game. Pels surely could do without "fans" like you.

[Fedupfan]

All I know is the Pels need a backup big in the worst way and probably a PG, because as much as we love Larry and Jose, they are starting to get dominated more often than not.

[RobertM320]

All I know is the Pels need a backup big in the worst way and probably a PG, because as much as we love Larry and Jose, they are starting to get dominated more often than not.

Can't believe with PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford both available for cheap that we didn't look into one of those guys.

[Creative]

I will take ugly win over nice loss every single day. Let”s move on and finish this road trip strong.

[DaFranchise80]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I simply can't stand being falsely accused of any wrongdoing and the obvious inequity in application of the 'rules'. But as was written yesterday by someone in the forum about me (and, again, unprovoked): "TYPICAL THOUGH".

You’re okay with me bruh. This forum has a variety of different opinions and views whether the team is doing well or not and I love that.

[new city champ]

Larry is averaging 3 points, 4 boards and zero blocks on 20+ minutes a game in February.

Gafford had 19 points, 9 boards and 1 block in 17 minutes in his Dallas debut.

Griff: "nothing to see here. move along..."

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Larry is averaging 3 points, 4 boards and zero blocks on 20+ minutes a game in February.

Gafford had 19 points, 9 boards and 1 block in 17 minutes in his Dallas debut.

Griff: "nothing to see here. move along..."

It's one game from Gafford. Let's see after 5 games if he was worth what they gave up.

Remember the Pels needed to match salaries (Gaffords 12M) so that would mean losing a core piece and not adding Gafford for scraps.