February 10th - New Orleans Pelicans vs Cleveland Cavaliers - 29-27

this is on the coach who seem like he does not know how to match up against certain teams.......imo you play jonas and jax at the 4 and 5 then rotate billy and nance at the 4 and 5 as backups against teams like Clevland...all o fo the points trey gave you on offense, he gave them right back up on defense with ease....trey is 6'9 but he is not a PF...

I was about to say we should just sit Ingram for this one XD

Not that we couldn’t win but I felt like a loss was coming. The Cavs are a difficult matchup for us without everyone healthy. I feel like this team still isn’t mentally where it needs to be after that ten game skid. The allstar break we should come out swinging.

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Originally Posted by JJackisangry

I was about to say we should just sit Ingram for this one XD

Not that we couldn’t win but I felt like a loss was coming. The Cavs are a difficult matchup for us without everyone healthy. I feel like this team still isn’t mentally where it needs to be after that ten game skid. The allstar break we should come out swinging.

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the Cav's are extremely well balanced when on their game.....can score both inside and outside without difficulty and their defense is excellent....they are going to give a lot of people problems.....and I agree that getting Zion back soon should lead to more then a few wins....reasonable health from then on out will be the determining factor....

Decided to visit a couple away games on Pels off days and currently at wizards/pacers. The Pels do not get honest refs at all. Fourth away game and still see how bad the Pels get officiated. Doesn?t make any sense.

Sitting here watching the wizards put up 80 points in a half. The Pels problem is not their own. The league doesn’t play defense.

As I think about it, I would go back to last year's starting playoff lineup until # 1 returns. Let 3M3 come off the bench and insert JAX into the staring lineup. I cringe as I say this, but, it might give us a little more defensively (certainly more athleticism and meaningful length), and with 3M3 coming off the bench it would make him the focal point with the second unit offensively (as opposed to the fourth option with the starters allowing him to expand his reach offensively).

Our half court defense is simply that bad. Ultimately (not necessarily this year), CJ has to go to the bench and DD HAS TO DRIVE THIS BUS. The guard duo of Herb and DD would be "SHUTDOWN CITY" and take pressure off our 'Big's' (whoever they might be). The sooner the better.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

As I think about it, I would go back to last year's starting playoff lineup until # 1 returns. Let 3M3 come off the bench and insert JAX into the staring lineup. I cringe as I say this, but, it might give us a little more defensively (certainly more athleticism and meaningful length), and with 3M3 coming off the bench it would make him the focal point with the second unit offensively (as opposed to the fourth option with the starters allowing him to expand his reach offensively).

Our half court defense is simply that bad. Ultimately (not necessarily this year), CJ has to go to the bench and DD HAS TO DRIVE THIS BUS. The guard duo of Herb and DD would be "SHUTDOWN CITY" and take pressure off our 'Big's' (whoever they might be). The sooner the better.

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Did you see what Jax did during his spare time? Lol

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

Did you see what Jax did during his spare time? Lol

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Okay, if you already written him off, insert Josh Richardson, Naji, or the experience of GT into the lineup instead of JAX. I only know, 3M3 plays no defense and you can't win consistently if you are playing with 4 1/2 players on 5.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Okay, if you already written him off, insert Josh Richardson, Naji, or the experience of GT into the lineup instead of JAX. I only know, 3M3 plays no defense and you can't win consistently if you are playing with 4 1/2 players on 5.

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I feel like you might as well say 4 on 5. CJ doesn?t play any defense either. CJ will miss a shot and then give up a bucket for 4 straight possessions and nobody has really called him out. He?s been doing that a lot and usually does it for the majority of the Ls. So, I think we should be thinking about giving some of CJs minutes away when Z returns. I don?t think CJ is holding it down the way people think he is. I’m really hoping Miami Jrich shows up, because if he does, CJ will lose minutes.

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

I feel like you might as well say 4 on 5. CJ doesn?t play any defense either. CJ will miss a shot and then give up a bucket for 4 straight possessions and nobody has really called him out. He?s been doing that a lot and usually does it for the majority of the Ls. So, I think we should be thinking about giving some of CJs minutes away when Z returns. I don?t think CJ is holding it down the way people think he is. I’m really hoping Miami Jrich shows up, because if he does, CJ will lose minutes.

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Couldn't agree more. His play, this year, exemplifies my hypothesis perfectly. This team needs a point guard to run the show. We are asking way too much from our 'so-called' Big 3 and by doing so, we are spreading all three thinner than they should be. In particular, CJ is a prolific catch and shoot jump shooter who can occasionally 'flash and slash'. That's what he did, for the most part, in Portland as the ball was always in Dame's hands....especially in crunch time. Now we are asking him to altar his game after nine years of being an excellent second fiddle, to becoming the 'Dame of the Pelicans' and he simply isn't that skilled or accomplished (I could say not talented enough but I don't want to be cruel).

You know, two years ago, we went all in for an accomplished point guard (CP3 and Kyle Lowery). When we struck out we 'settled' on CJ at mid-season to fill that role although he had never consistently played the lead role in his, then, nine year career. So management said, 'Mission Accomplished", and checked the 'lead guard box'. They shouldn't have as it still remains a glaring weakness on this team. This is not a knock on CJ as much as it's an indictment of team management for malpractice.

Now, in time, I'm confident that DD can fill that role (if given the chance), but he needs to understudy a competent point guard to get there. And that's something this team cannot currently offer him. And, please don't tell me that 'TSpoon' is a HoF point guard.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Couldn't agree more. His play, this year, exemplifies my hypothesis perfectly. This team needs a point guard to run the show. We are asking way too much from our 'so-called' Big 3 and by doing so, we are spreading all three thinner than they should be. In particular, CJ is a prolific catch and shoot jump shooter who can occasionally 'flash and slash'. That's what he did, for the most part, in Portland as the ball was always in Dame's hands....especially in crunch time. Now we are asking him to altar his game after nine years of being an excellent second fiddle, to becoming the 'Dame of the Pelicans' and he simply isn't that skilled or accomplished (I could say not talented enough but I don't want to be cruel).

You know, two years ago, we went all in for an accomplished point guard (CP3 and Kyle Lowery). When we struck out we 'settled' on CJ at mid-season to fill that role although he had never consistently played the lead role in his, then, nine year career. So management said, 'Mission Accomplished", and checked the 'lead guard box'. They shouldn't have as it still remains a glaring weakness on this team. This is not a knock on CJ as much as it's an indictment of team management for malpractice.

Now, in time, I'm confident that DD can fill that role (if given the chance), but he needs to understudy a competent point guard to get there. And that's something this team cannot currently offer him. And, please don't tell me that 'TSpoon' is a HoF point guard.

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I really hope Kira can do a little more, but it doesn?t help that Willie won?t just play him and let him grow. I been very disappointed with Coach this year. I know he?s growing, so if he is allowed to grow, why can?t his young players. It?s the perfect opportunity to develop coaching with players and he?s not doing it. Especially, if they don?t see themselves as contenders, which is clear to me from the deadline action. JRich is great but they needed rim protection and a Pg bad. That combo just destroyed them immediately. I just don?t see what Griff and others are waiting on. The same weaknesses exist every year and haven?t been addressed. It?s either they contain the guards at the point of attack or replace VAL because he is absolutely worthless playing behind CJ and Murphy.