29th November - New Orleans Pelicans @ OKC Thunder - 6-12

Our guys just blew this game with so many missed opportunities all night long

no finishing kick...

This team is the literal opposite of clutch.

I love them, but they shrink in the spotlights.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

We are talking about Jrue Holiday.

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I'm not trying to be a smart ****** or anything Pelicanidae.. what does that mean?

JJ isn't really a late game shooter, is he? Not when you need to take the lead or tie things up.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Everyone ready to hear about how we just missed shots, and they just made shots, and how it was a perfect storm and they played hard and we started off slow and that's on us?

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That’s what happened.. pretty simple

I am starting to get scared that players like Ingram are going to want out if this keeps up. This is worse than the Lakers last year. Zion can't fix this.

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Originally Posted by Nichols

That was a really stupid shot by Brandon.. as he get's more experience he'll learn not to take those kind of shots with the game on the line..

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He was trying to get a swing through on CP3 becuse of how tight he was trying to play. I understand what he was thinking but since it didn’t workout it obviously looked bad. In hindsight not a good shot but it made sense

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Originally Posted by Dr. Sting

I'm not trying to be a smart ****** or anything Pelicanidae.. what does that mean?

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Jrue doesn't get foul calls. He gets clobbered all the time, whenever he enters the paint, and you're lucky if you get the call once out of every ten tries. Whenever a strategy with Jrue relies on ''and then he gets the whistle'', it's a shaky strategy because he doesn't get the whistle.

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Originally Posted by GuardianAngel25

Where have you been!? Love ya 2 bro haha!

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I'd like to know where you were when I was getting my *** kicked in here defending Ingram lol..

Granted this happened when I first joined. lol

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Originally Posted by Dr. Sting

I am starting to get scared that players line Ingram are going to want out if this keeps up. This is worse than the Lakers last year

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Absolutely no shot Ingram passes up on a deal we can offer him. You are talking about 22 year old kids that are developing. They actually understand these are growing pains that are part of the process but the fans don’t..

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Originally Posted by 6warddude

im a different kat...ill take the 8th seed all day...my mindset is once you are in the dance then you have a chance.....anything can happen,,injuries,,team get hot and play together and an upset can happen....plus i love going to playoff games win or loose....

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A team with your leading scorer being lead by Reddick and Jrue just ain't for me.

NAW been benched Portland. 1-4. What's the point if you're going to lose anyway.

Yet another game that descended into iso-ball towards the end.

Sometimes that works. More often than not it doesn't.

There is no reason, ever, for Redick to be trying to take people off the dribble in the final minutes of a close game. Ever, really, but especially then.

If there's less than a minute on the shotclock and someone who is 0-2 from behind the arc that game has the ball, and not only does nobody else move, or screen, or even JUMP to call for a pass, but that player doesn't even put the ball on the floor to try and get rhythm or drive? That's just inexcusable.

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Originally Posted by Dr. Sting

I am starting to get scared that players like Ingram are going to want out if this keeps up. This is worse than the Lakers last year. Zion can't fix this.

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I don't get the feeling he's like that. You could see at the end of the game he took it really personally. Anyway, he's restricted no matter what.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Jrue doesn't get foul calls. He gets clobbered all the time, whenever he enters the paint, and you're lucky if you get the call once out of every ten tries. Whenever a strategy with Jrue relies on ''and then he gets the whistle'', it's a shaky strategy because he doesn't get the whistle.

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Okay. Maybe part of it though is that he has no physicality around the rim. He looks like he is trying to avoid contact to me instead of playing through it.

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Originally Posted by GuardianAngel25

Absolutely no shot Ingram passes up on a deal we can offer him. You are talking about 22 year old kids that are developing. They actually understand these are growing pains that are part of the process but the fans don’t..

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We got to extend him. He is a nice piece to keep when the young core get good enough to take the reigns and he'll be entering his prime.

I don’t understand why Redick is starting to shoot so many awful shots. He cost them this game. Just wouldn’t stop shooting until they came back. How does a guy get the green light to shoot as many off balanced shots as he wants in crunch time. Then the team leader gets his shot blocked as usual in crunch time. Jrue was pathetic tonight. Constantly left Shroeder open and walked in for a fast break layup. I’ve never seen someone do that on a fast break. He deserved to get it blocked off of him.

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Originally Posted by AusPel

Anyway, he's restricted no matter what.

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True but in fairness, I'm never a huge fan of the whole ''match them to keep them regardless of what they think'' strategy. Maybe this is just me having bad vibes about it, but if someone actively wants to be elsewhere regardless of contract, jsut let them go. Don't want any players to be forced to stay and resent it. No more Eric Gordon situations.

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Originally Posted by Nichols

I'd like to know where you were when I was getting my *** kicked in here defending Ingram lol..

Granted this happened when I first joined. lol

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LoL you have no idea how hard I had to defend Ingram against a few idiots here. Many here will tell you I carried the torch haha. This was well before we had even made the trade but when people were throwing around trade options. My favorite trade option turned out to be exactly what we got. Only difference I had was Kuzma included and less first round picks. Having Zion I obviously rather have the picks than Kuz. Exactly what Ingram is doing is exactly what I said he was going to do and I took heat for it.

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Originally Posted by Dr. Sting

Okay. Maybe part of it though is that he has no physicality around the rim. He looks like he is trying to avoid contact to me instead of playing through it.

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Possibly because he knows he won't get the call anyway and it's not worth sacrificing your body for nothing?

I mean, we've had stretches over the past few years where he's been damn near flagrant fouled 5 times in a week and no calls. The refs just do not care about calling fouls for him. I'd probably be discouraged from getting smacked in the face fifteen times a game for nothing too.

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Originally Posted by Dr. Sting

Okay. Maybe part of it though is that he has no physicality around the rim. He looks like he is trying to avoid contact to me instead of playing through it.

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Yup. He has a lot of footwork to go around defenders instead of through them.

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Originally Posted by GuardianAngel25

He was trying to get a swing through on CP3 becuse of how tight he was trying to play. I understand what he was thinking but since it didn’t workout it obviously looked bad. In hindsight not a good shot but it made sense

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I agree, you just don't take those kind of chances when the game is on the line. You're putting the game in the hands of the ref, and hoping to catch CP3 instead of trying to create a good look for yourself or your teammates.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Yet another game that descended into iso-ball towards the end.

Sometimes that works. More often than not it doesn't.

There is no reason, ever, for Redick to be trying to take people off the dribble in the final minutes of a close game. Ever, really, but especially then.

If there's less than a minute on the shotclock and someone who is 0-2 from behind the arc that game has the ball, and not only does nobody else move, or screen, or even JUMP to call for a pass, but that player doesn't even put the ball on the floor to try and get rhythm or drive? That's just inexcusable.

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Lmao!

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

True but in fairness, I'm never a huge fan of the whole ''match them to keep them regardless of what they think'' strategy. Maybe this is just me having bad vibes about it, but if someone actively wants to be elsewhere regardless of contract, jsut let them go. Don't want any players to be forced to stay and resent it. No more Eric Gordon situations.

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True, but nor it is AD after 7 seasons situation. He's happy here. Change my mind.

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

I don’t understand why Redick is starting to shoot so many awful shots. He cost them this game. Just wouldn’t stop shooting until they came back. How does a guy get the green light to shoot as many off balanced shots as he wants in crunch time. Then the team leader gets his shot blocked as usual in crunch time. Jrue was pathetic tonight. Constantly left Shroeder open and walked in for a fast break layup. I’ve never seen someone do that on a fast break. He deserved to get it blocked off of him.

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Who slows down on a fast break towards the rim? Is that some reverse psychology that he thought would work? LOL

I was screaming at the TV on that one. You go hard to the rim, or you go home.

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Originally Posted by AusPel

True, but nor it is AD after 7 seasons situation. He's happy here. Change my mind.

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Oh I'm not disagreeing, I think Ingram would be happy to take our offer too (at least from what we've seen so far), I'm just talking about the matching-maxes concept in general.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

True but in fairness, I'm never a huge fan of the whole ''match them to keep them regardless of what they think'' strategy. Maybe this is just me having bad vibes about it, but if someone actively wants to be elsewhere regardless of contract, jsut let them go. Don't want any players to be forced to stay and resent it. No more Eric Gordon situations.

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I agree with this. We need an environment where players want to be be here and that just isn't happening under Gentry. I hope he can get them to buy in to whatever he's selling, but I don't see it. We really need to win this next game against OKC at home. Losing to this team 2 in a row would be a serious morale crusher.

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Originally Posted by ragincaucasian

Who slows down on a fast break towards the rim? Is that some reverse psychology that he thought would work? LOL

I was screaming at the TV on that one. You go hard to the rim, or you go home.

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Jrue's game is based on anticipating what the opposition will do. He's methodical. He's not Ja Morant

But yeah, he needs to just get a head full of steam and trust his finishing ability in the open floor, which is the time he overthinks things the most

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Originally Posted by GuardianAngel25

Absolutely no shot Ingram passes up on a deal we can offer him. You are talking about 22 year old kids that are developing. They actually understand these are growing pains that are part of the process but the fans don’t..

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Well Ingram cant "pass up" any deals. Either the Pelicans match whatever offer sheet he gets or they dont. That ball is in Griffin's court.

And the difference tonight was OKC has cerebral guards that know what to do in the clutch.

We have a guard that attempts a highly contested left handed floater out of a timeout.

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Originally Posted by Nichols

I agree, you just don't take those kind of chances when the game is on the line. You're putting the game in the hands of the ref, and hoping to catch CP3 instead of trying to create a good look for yourself or your teammates.

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I completely agree but this isn’t what cost us the game. The players did not execute easy opportunities all game long.

I'll say it a million times until he does something to prove me wrong. Jrue ain't that dude. He isn't a franchise player or a number 1 option. He isn't even a good 2nd option. A good 3rd option at best.

One question?


Did we ran out of timeouts?

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Oh I'm not disagreeing, I think Ingram would be happy to take our offer too (at least from what we've seen so far), I'm just talking about the matching-maxes concept in general.

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You have 0 credibility on Ingram. You match whatever contract it is plain and simple.

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Originally Posted by AusPel

Jrue's game is based on anticipating what the opposition will do. He's methodical. He's not Ja Morant

But yeah, he needs to just get a head full of steam and trust his finishing ability in the open floor, which is the time he overthinks things the most

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He can do it. He has been hesitating like that all year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxavps1X-t0

Yes, i know it's an old clip. But i love when people dunk on LeBron.

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Originally Posted by AusPel

Jrue's game is based on anticipating what the opposition will do. He's methodical. He's not Ja Morant

But yeah, he needs to just get a head full of steam and trust his finishing ability in the open floor which is the time he overthinks things the most

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What Jrue did was insane. He literally acted like the defender wasn’t there and he was doing a walk in layup drill. He had zero force behind his legs. I thought he may have started daydreaming. It was that odd.

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Originally Posted by GuardianAngel25

You have 0 credibility on Ingram. You match whatever contract it is plain and simple.

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Ingram is getting a max. 20 pt scorer in their early prime get Max contract. We will match... And hopefully Ingram's heart isn't somewhere else.

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Originally Posted by Dr. Sting

I'll say it a million times until he does something to prove me wrong. Jrue ain't that dude. He isn't a franchise player or a number 1 option. He isn't even a good 2nd option. A good 3rd option at best.

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I agree. He’s so inconsistent that relying on him offensively shouldn’t be in the gameplan. Just let him play on ball defense. He’s been bad off ball. He was constantly out of place tonight when they switched to zone.

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Originally Posted by ragincaucasian

He can do it. He has been hesitating like that all year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxavps1X-t0

Yes, i know it's an old clip. But i love when people dunk on LeBron.

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I am stunned Jrue used to dunk with his right hand. It's been exclusively left for years now

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Originally Posted by luckyman

Well Ingram cant "pass up" any deals. Either the Pelicans match whatever offer sheet he gets or they dont. That ball is in Griffin's court.

And the difference tonight was OKC has cerebral guards that know what to do in the clutch.

We have a guard that attempts a highly contested left handed floater out of a timeout.

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I know but I would consider him signing with another team passing up on us but that won’t happen. Absolutely no way we let Ingram walk. This kid is a flat out superstar right now at 22 years old.

OKC is a very solid team and like you said has 2 very good guards. Just wasn’t our night and we best ourselves. We blew a ton of great opportunities. Outside of Ingram nobody really did anything.

Zion will be back in the next few weeks.

I will repeat that to myself whenever we lose a game now.

This team and this season is one BIG DISAPPOINTMENT.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

Ingram is getting a max. 20 pt scorer in their early prime get Max contract. We will match... And hopefully Ingram's heart isn't somewhere else.

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No players pass up on that $ at 22. Especially Ingram who just recently went through a near life changing event. He has an all around skill set and can do it all while being a 25+ ppg scorer at just 22. Not only is he scoring but he is doing it as efficiently as any player in the NBA right now. You put his exact stats on any big name on a winning team and they are in the MVP discussion. Ingram will get the max and he deserves the max.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Zion will be back in the next few weeks.

I will repeat that to myself whenever we lose a game now.

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via GIPHY

I still consider Lonzo a starter because this team has no choice. A Jrue/Redick backcourt is not good. They are both very bad decision makers.

Lonzo has all the tools you want in a point guard. He has just been awfully coached his whole life. Whoever puts in the work to get him right will be rewarded.

If not, this team has to ship Jrue and Lonzo and see what they can get out of NAW.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Zion will be back in the next few weeks.

I will repeat that to myself whenever we lose a game now.

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You must not be familiar with this franchise.

I fully expect to hear the words "minor setback" soon.

Zion on this current team changes everything. You can’t tell me plugging in Zion for Kenny in the starting lineup doesn’t change everything for this team. Tell me how good the Bucks are with Kenny in place of Giannis? This team goes to a completely different level with the addition of Zion.

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Originally Posted by ragincaucasian

via GIPHY

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Funny that you should post that gif, because one of my biggest worries is that Gentry won't give Zion the opportunity to handle the ball enough.

I've been convinced for a long while that Zion's handle, while not perfect, is actually a plus for a guy of his size and strength and that he has much better vision and passing touch than he was allowed to show at Duke. He got some decent chances in pre-season to initiate the offense, I'm just hoping that he gets those same opportunities once he starts playing properly.

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Originally Posted by luckyman

You must not be familiar with this franchise.

I fully expect to hear the words "minor setback" soon.

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If we do, I'm blaming you personally.

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Originally Posted by luckyman

I still consider Lonzo a starter because this team has no choice. A Jrue/Redick backcourt is not good. They are both very bad decision makers.

Lonzo has all the tools you want in a point guard. He has just been awfully coached his whole life. Whoever puts in the work to get him right will be rewarded.

If not, this team has to ship Jrue and Lonzo and see what they can get out of NAW.

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I completely agree. Ball needs to replace JJ in the starting lineup. JJ needs to stay on the bench as a 6th man and nothing else even with injuries imo. I think Zion brings a lot more out of Zions skill set and soon we will get to see

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Zion will be back in the next few weeks.

I will repeat that to myself whenever we lose a game now.

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Amen.