Lakers vs Pelicans: Play-In Game 4/16/2024 GAMEDAY THREAD

[donato]

BI was shooting 36% from the floor that game and had taken at least 5 god-awful early-mid shot clock contested middies. He would not have been an improvement over CJ and he was bricking the offense. If he wants to be angry at someone, he should be angry at himself. I rag on Green all the time for his horrible rotations but I'm not going to blame him for - in the wake of Zion's injury - continuing to play the only guys who actually looked like they wanted to play team basketball.

It's either like you didn't watch the game or just have blind hatred for BI. CJ shot 26% from the field, and it wouldn't even be that high if he hadn't hit a shot in garbage time. He also had a worse +/- than Ingram, and because he's undersized against a big Laker team, he was straight-up targeted on defense at times by the Lakers. CJ was an even bigger liability than usual. BI was 2-2 from the FT line (CJ couldn't even get to the line). BI was 1-1 (100% from 3), and CJ was 1-9 (11%!!!). BI can give you ok defense and can run the offense. If CJ isn't hitting shots, he's just a chucker. Finally, Ingram is clearly ahead of CJ in the pecking order of "star / franchise player" on this team. You don't sit that guy if he can go, and certainly not over CJ.

[13 - 3]

It's either like you didn't watch the game or just have blind hatred for BI. CJ shot 26% from the field, and it wouldn't even be that high if he hadn't hit a shot in garbage time. He also had a worse +/- than Ingram, and because he's undersized against a big Laker team, he was straight-up targeted on defense at times by the Lakers. CJ was an even bigger liability than usual. BI was 2-2 from the FT line (CJ couldn't even get to the line). BI was 1-1 (100% from 3), and CJ was 1-9 (11%!!!). BI can give you ok defense and can run the offense. If CJ isn't hitting shots, he's just a chucker. Finally, Ingram is clearly ahead of CJ in the pecking order of "star / franchise player" on this team. You don't sit that guy if he can go, and certainly not over CJ.

You really need to stop this. B.I. days as pelican are done.

[Nichols]

This goes for a percentage of Pels fans.. not all. But when or if you get what you want, it will be interesting watching your responses as you cope with being a mediocre franchise and team competitively. I'd like to think that you types represent only a percentage. I feel sorry for the rest of the fanbase who understand that you hold on to major talent when you have it. Considering no other major talent is coming to the Pels willingly. And if they are forced, they will be leaving when the opportunity presents itself. For the percentage I mentioned. You deserve this, because you don't appreciate the talent you have.

[Nichols]

Bi wasnt playing well but CJ was arguably worse. It makes it seem like Willie does not trust BI. It also makes me believe its possible we will move on from BI, which is something I never even considered.

Ingram was on a minutes restriction, and.. considering he's coming off of an injury, he wasn't in true form. We've seen him own the Lakers, and not play well against them. Same can be said of Zion.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

You really need to stop this. B.I. days as pelican are done.

I hope so.
It's the only thing giving me hope for next season.

[Darkhorse985]

I hope so.
It's the only thing giving me hope for next season.

I don?t have any hope , because people actually think we can contend with Zion and BI as our 1 and 2 which hasn?t happened in 5 years of “giving it time.”

[JJackisangry]

This goes for a percentage of Pels fans.. not all. But when or if you get what you want, it will be interesting watching your responses as you cope with being a mediocre franchise and team competitively. I'd like to think that you types represent only a percentage. I feel sorry for the rest of the fanbase who understand that you hold on to major talent when you have it. Considering no other major talent is coming to the Pels willingly. And if they are forced, they will be leaving when the opportunity presents itself. For the percentage I mentioned. You deserve this, because you don't appreciate the talent you have.

I think the Pels will remain a mediocre franchise whoever is on the roster. Until they get things right from the top, this could become a re-occurring theme. There is a reason the Grizzlies made Steven Adams and Jonas work and we couldn’t. We have a much better roster yet still couldn’t reach the 50 mark. They reached it twice. If we do not make it past this first round, I fully expect another implosion next year. We could very easily lose to the Kings tomorrow

[JJackisangry]

As for the others, I don’t think it is on the players or the coach. It is on the ownership. It is on Griffin. Keeping Gentry for a year then renting Stan for a year was a massive gaff. Hiring a rookie coach and throwing him to the wolves with a roster rich in talent is an incompetent move. Hiring a coach that didn’t prioritize spacing when we had Zion Williamson was a ridiculous idea. Green has opened up to that philosophy a bit to his credit but there is too much dysfunction and a lack of desire and confidence. We have great guys on the team. I love them. But they do not have somebody holding them accountable.

[Nichols]

As for the others, I don’t think it is on the players or the coach. It is on the ownership. It is on Griffin. Keeping Gentry for a year then renting Stan for a year was a massive gaff. Hiring a rookie coach and throwing him to the wolves with a roster rich in talent is an incompetent move. Hiring a coach that didn’t prioritize spacing when we had Zion Williamson was a ridiculous idea. Green has opened up to that philosophy a bit to his credit but there is too much dysfunction and a lack of desire and confidence. We have great guys on the team. I love them. But they do not have somebody holding them accountable.

I agree for the most part. I also believe those stating that Zion, and Ingram don't work, don't understand basketball. It's like saying two centerpiece players that aren't great at 3 point shooting can't work. Yet we've seen teams win who defy that very notion.

Things this team needs to be successful: Better coaching. A coach that actually isn't lazy, and isn't heavily reliant on iso, and picks. I almost never see easy buckets for Zion, or Ingram. The offense doesn't manufacture looks for them. They have to do it on their own. Obviously this is an issue. Which is why those saying Ingram, and Zion don't work, aren't actually thinking. Lastly, a point guard would lift a lot of the burden that Zion, and Ingram have to carry. Making them more efficient, and preserving their energy in crunch time.

[jwashb9999]

I admit I am a pretty half-hearted fan. Apparently, I am not alone. After the team won a few games to give it a chance at the playoffs, and a 6th seed, if it simply won its last game of the season at home, the Pelicans were a complete embarrassment against the Lakers. So, I came here after that game expecting to see all sorts of posts of expressed frustration, and, instead, found very few comments. It was like everyone already knew the likely outcome, already accepted the defeat, and are now too apathetic to even bother to complain or care. I understand. And with that, I went into watching the next Lakers game with little expectation, even though, on paper, the Pelicans should of had a decent chance to win one out of 2 games, both at home, against a team with a slightly worse record. But as expected, they choked again, and the embarrassing first lost was not sufficient motivation for the Pelicans to dig deep, and find a way to win.

I don't know who to blame anymore. It doesn't seem to matter. Willie Green seems like a nice guy, and has done better than some of the past choices. Griffith has made mistakes, but not as many as some of the other ones we had. Gayle Benson, well, let's just say, "bless her heart," at least we have someone who inherited enough money to own team in New Orleans, but we can't really expect much from her. Then, you look at team like the NY Knicks, who has to be one of the wealthiest teams in the league, and offers its players an opportunity to showcase their talents in the largest city and media market in the country. Yet, they haven't won a championship since 1973. They have also pretty much stunk for most of the last 25 years. So, you think if they can't ever get to the next level with all their resources and time they have been trying, what should we realistically expect? Just be glad we have a team with a slightly winning record, and expect no more?

I did enjoy listening to the commentary of the game by objective outsiders who don't sugarcoat, and don't have act as the local cheerleaders for the organization. Only a few weeks ago, I was thinking how boring the Pelicans games have been all season, as I did not recall one truly exciting win against a good team all year. At best, the Pelicans exciting wins are games they are winning throughout the game, but almost blow it at the end. I thought to myself, I don't recall a game where they were ever losing in the 4th quarter against a good team and won. Sure enough, for the fist time all year, I learned from Ernie Johnson that the Pelicans were the only team in the NBA this year who did not win one single game that they were losing going into the 4th quarter. That is pathetic. Another good comment was by Charles Barkley saying the Pelicans half court offense was pathetic and they desperately need a point guard. This likely explains why the only time the team was making any progress at the end was when 3 starters were on the bench, and Jose Alvardo (an undrafted free agent) was running the offense. There is something wrong with a team that has no starting point guard (or the equivalent), and it isn't because of injury.

[JJackisangry]

I admit I am a pretty half-hearted fan. Apparently, I am not alone. After the team won a few games to give it a chance at the playoffs, and a 6th seed, if it simply won its last game of the season at home, the Pelicans were a complete embarrassment against the Lakers. So, I came here after that game expecting to see all sorts of posts of expressed frustration, and, instead, found very few comments. It was like everyone already knew the likely outcome, already accepted the defeat, and are now too apathetic to even bother to complain or care. I understand. And with that, I went into watching the next Lakers game with little expectation, even though, on paper, the Pelicans should of had a decent chance to win one out of 2 games, both at home, against a team with a slightly worse record. But as expected, they choked again, and the embarrassing first lost was not sufficient motivation for the Pelicans to dig deep, and find a way to win.

I don't know who to blame anymore. It doesn't seem to matter. Willie Green seems like a nice guy, and has done better than some of the past choices. Griffith has made mistakes, but not as many as some of the other ones we had. Gayle Benson, well, let's just say, "bless her heart," at least we have someone who inherited enough money to own team in New Orleans, but we can't really expect much from her. Then, you look at team like the NY Knicks, who has to be one of the wealthiest teams in the league, and offers its players an opportunity to showcase their talents in the largest city and media market in the country. Yet, they haven't won a championship since 1973. They have also pretty much stunk for most of the last 25 years. So, you think if they can't ever get to the next level with all their resources and time they have been trying, what should we realistically expect? Just be glad we have a team with a slightly winning record, and expect no more?

I did enjoy listening to the commentary of the game by objective outsiders who don't sugarcoat, and don't have act as the local cheerleaders for the organization. Only a few weeks ago, I was thinking how boring the Pelicans games have been all season, as I did not recall one truly exciting win against a good team all year. At best, the Pelicans exciting wins are games they are winning throughout the game, but almost blow it at the end. I thought to myself, I don't recall a game where they were ever losing in the 4th quarter against a good team and won. Sure enough, for the fist time all year, I learned from Ernie Johnson that the Pelicans were the only team in the NBA this year who did not win one single game that they were losing going into the 4th quarter. That is pathetic. Another good comment was by Charles Barkley saying the Pelicans half court offense was pathetic and they desperately need a point guard. This likely explains why the only time the team was making any progress at the end was when 3 starters were on the bench, and Jose Alvardo (an undrafted free agent) was running the offense. There is something wrong with a team that has no starting point guard (or the equivalent), and it isn't because of injury.

I feel that. As for the offense, too many chefs in the kitchen. I feel as if we should have used CJ as the sixth man instead of trying to run those usage heavy lineups, and it really showed throughout the season. Green didn’t even try to find a balance to the floor. He just threw his best players onto the court and expected it to work. Growing pains or not, that is a lazy mindset to have as a coach. You are supposed to be a problem solver. Again though, Willie has only been a head coach for 3 years. He didn’t hire himself.