Game Thread: Los Angeles Lakers (8-10) @ New Orleans Hornets (5-11)

[WhoDatPelican]

And what else? Henry is better at LITERALLY EVERYTHING else.

Sad part is, like I said, Henry isn't good at anything either. That just goes to show how bad Austin is.

Henry has been in the league for 2 years now...just playing devils advocate

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

I am just frustrated and tired of watching guys wear a hornets jersey that do not belong in the nba. bottom line is that demps will have tons of cap space to work with in the offseason and we should have davis healthy. Not even gonna factor eg into this because he is not apart of this until he can play 50 games at least. I do not expect us to be a contender right now. I just get upset because I am a die hard fan and it is painful to watch this team sometimes. I believe next year is a make or break year for demps and monty. Is that fair?

And who would you replace Monty and Dell with?
Same as all the other crap the Hornets have had since being in New Orleans?

Monty is a good coach.....a little too defensive minded but he had one A grader player tonight on the floor and that's it.
No coach could do much better with what he has out there.

Demps has done a good job. If he would have let Gordon walk and instead add more mediocre players this
team would be just as bad as Orlando.

[RaisingTheBar]

And what else? Henry is better at LITERALLY EVERYTHING else.

Sad part is, like I said, Henry isn't good at anything either. That just goes to show how bad Austin is.

If literally everything else does not include FT, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks then you would be right.

I think everyone will agree that rivers is playing the worst basketball he probably will ever play in his career, and he still has been better these first 17 games than X has his whole career. X has shown no improvement ever and is on his 3rd season in the NBA. C' mon man

[Eman5805]

Rivers doesn't need D-League. He needs to start taking what's there instead of forcing everything. He had a wide open 3 then a wide open jumper and passed no them both. Game still isn't coming natural too him. But then he does a ball fake, drives, and kicks to a wide open shooter in Vasquez that has knocked down 3s before. Hard for me to say he doesn't belong. But he is VERY, VERY, VERY inconsistent.

[Kibner]

If you are expecting drastic changes next season, prepare to be disappointed. The only big move left is what to do with cap space next season. Everything after that is going to be small steps while our team matures and improves. If that doesn't happen as expected, then there will be drastic moves again three years from now.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

[kclaboy504]

And who would you replace Monty and Dell with?
Same as all the other crap the Hornets have had since being in New Orleans?

Monty is a good coach.....a little too defensive minded but he had one A grader player tonight on the floor and that's it.
No coach could do much better with what he has out there.

Demps has done a good job. If he would have let Gordon walk and instead add more mediocre players this
team would be just as bad as Orlando.

I havent lost my faith in either of them yet. So,I wont start naming people to replace them. I have had nothing but good things to say about either one. We should be an 8 seed at worse next year. Bottom line. I will not be ok with nothing less. there are head coach worthy guys out there tho. Brian shaw will be 1 sooner or later. I think he is gonna be an excellent coach for whatever team he gets his 1st job with.

[WhoDatPelican]

Rivers doesn't need D-League. He needs to start taking what's there instead of forcing everything. He had a wide open 3 then a wide open jumper and passed no them both. Game still isn't coming natural too him. But then he does a ball fake, drives, and kicks to a wide open shooter in Vasquez that has knocked down 3s before. Hard for me to say he doesn't belong. But he is VERY, VERY, VERY inconsistent.

Agreed. Rivers was a pick for the future. I have no doubt they knew he'd be a project.
As bad as he seems sometimes i've seen enough good things to know the future can be/will be bright for him. Dudes 19 years old. I still believe he'll be fine.
If in 2 years i'm wrong i'll eat my crow with a smile.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Agreed. Rivers was a pick for the future. I have no doubt they knew he'd be a project.
As bad as he seems sometimes i've seen enough good things to know the future can be/will be bright for him. Dudes 20 years old. I still believe he'll be fine.
If in 2 years i'm wrong i'll eat my crow with a smile.

fixed

[RaisingTheBar]

Well he's 20 now but I agree with your post.

[kclaboy504]

Agreed. Rivers was a pick for the future. I have no doubt they knew he'd be a project.
As bad as he seems sometimes i've seen enough good things to know the future can be/will be bright for him. Dudes 19 years old. I still believe he'll be fine.
If in 2 years i'm wrong i'll eat my crow with a smile.

a project?..yes...this big of a project?...think not lol

[Eman5805]

a project?..yes...this big of a project?...think not lol

Who are these really small project players that only need a couple games then they take off?

Because that is NOT a project. That's just a slow starter.

[kclaboy504]

So, I really have to ask you guys. Do you not expect us to be at least an 8 seed next year?? With all the cap space and fa's becoming available??

[RaisingTheBar]

I don't think you understand how player development or franchise development works in the nba. Rivers will not be James harden 1 month from now. It is going to take time.just like building this team I to a contender is going to take years of time, it will not happen in 1 or 2 years.

[WhoDatPelican]

Sorry. Should have gone with my original choice of not old enough to legally drink a beer.

[kclaboy504]

Who are these really small project players that only need 20 games then they take off?

Because that is NOT a project. That's just a slow starter.

I will not debate rivers game with you because there is none to debate. I can name quite a few players that are showing more promise and looking like they will take less time to develop that were drafted after rivers. So, your telling me you knew rivers would be this bad when we drafted him?? think not

[AD23forMVP]

If literally everything else does not include FT, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks then you would be right.

I think everyone will agree that rivers is playing the worst basketball he probably will ever play in his career, and he still has been better these first 17 games than X has his whole career. X has shown no improvement ever and is on his 3rd season in the NBA. C' mon man

Henry has better advanced stats than Austin in every one of those categories other than assists.

I'm moving past the "it's only 16 games" thing. If Austin gets better, excellent, I'm excited. I'm not giving up on him in anyway, I'm not calling him a bust, I'm not even saying he needs to ride the bench and not get any minutes. What I am saying is that Xavier Henry, at this very minute, is a better basketball player. Maybe a month from now that's not true, maybe two weeks from now that isn't true, but right now it is. Advanced statistics back this up, sadly.

[Eman5805]

So, I really have to ask you guys. Do you not expect us to be at least an 8 seed next year?? With all the cap space and fa's becoming available??

I think we push for an 8th seed THIS year if we have AD and Gordon for at least 75 games.

[RaisingTheBar]

Henry has better advanced stats than Austin in every one of those categories other than assists.

I'm past the "it's only 16 games thing." If he gets better, excellent, I'm not giving up on him, I'm not saying he's a bust. But people bring up the 16 games because they don't want to admit that he is an awful basketball player. There is literally no way you can say he is better than Xavier RIGHT NOW, every statistic that you look at says otherwise.

No I'm bring up 16 games because you are comparing him to a person who has over 2 years of NBA experience to a player who has a couple months worth. So I'm saying 2 years from now rivers is going to be leaps and bounds ahead of where X is right now. But that is no excuse for his play right now, and I never said he should be given a pass.

[kclaboy504]

I don't think you understand how player development or franchise development works in the nba. Rivers will not be James harden 1 month from now. It is going to take time.just like building this team I to a contender is going to take years of time, it will not happen in 1 or 2 years.

I am sorry, but you guys are cutting this regime way too much slack on this. Signing a max player(sg at that) coupled with davis and anderson. Looking like we should get a stud in the draft next year if we continue on this path. With all of our cap room and all of the players to choose from this offseason. If you do not think this team should be AT LEAST .500 or above. Which will get an 8 seed then you guys will never hold this regime accountable. Last year wasnt their first year.

[kclaboy504]

No I'm bring up 16 games because you are comparing him to a person who has over 2 years of NBA experience to a player who has a couple months worth. So I'm saying 2 years from now rivers is going to be leaps and bounds ahead of where X is right now.

cleo?

[RaisingTheBar]

I am sorry, but you guys are cutting this regime way too much slack on this. Signing a max player(sg at that) coupled with davis and anderson. Looking like we should get a stud in the draft next year if we continue on this path. With all of our cap room and all of the players to choose from this offseason. If you do not think this team should be AT LEAST .500 or above. Which will get an 8 seed then you guys will never hold this regime accountable. Last year wasnt their first year.

Where did I said we wouldn't? I said contend. 8th seed is not contending. If we had Gordon AD GV ryno and Lopez healthy the entire season THIS YEAR I think we would be 6th seed.

[kclaboy504]

I think we push for an 8th seed THIS year if we have AD and Gordon for at least 75 games.

thank you. Thats all I have been saying and what I said I was expecting in the beginning of the year. I understand nobody saw the freight train hit eg's knee in the offseason. Just a disappointment man. I ama die hard tho and I will always support this team win,lose or draw. I will also talk **** about the people in charge when I get pissed.

[Eman5805]

I will not debate rivers game with you because there is none to debate. I can name quite a few players that are showing more promise and looking like they will take less time to develop that were drafted after rivers. So, your telling me you knew rivers would be this bad when we drafted him?? think not

This isn't me talking out both sides of my mouth, forewarning, but something worried me about Rivers from day one. I don't know if it was because I learned of the potential nepotism that went into his selection, that his game looks so flaky at Duke, or what. But now I push him because I have to. It's in my nature.

Also, hindsight is 20/20. Real easy to say right now who we should've drafted to get more production at this point. But that's what a project player is. You select now for dividends down the line. No telling when or even if we'll reap the benefits. Just gotta keep watching.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

So, I really have to ask you guys. Do you not expect us to be at least an 8 seed next year?? With all the cap space and fa's becoming available??

You have already stated that you will take EG out of the equation so I assume we trade him.
To be honest if we make trades next season to just make the 8 and sacrifice youth then I hope not.
I would rather suck next season and grow as a team for another year and be successful for longer periods.
I don't want to gamble with signing FA's who come here for money and then decide they want to chase a ring when they hit their 30's.

I expect the team to go deep into the playoff in 2014/15.
Up until then I don't care as long as we are seeing improvements in our core players.
Making the 8 or just missing the playoffs makes little difference.

[JJackisangry]

I think we push for an 8th seed THIS year if we have AD and Gordon for at least 75 games.

Gordon could lead this team to 40 without randerson when healthy. I think its BS we dont have them but ppl dont realize how much better this team is with them. Ppls hate towards Gordon is understandable but this guy is gonna be huge for us IFFF he plays.