Thunder vs Pelicans (YHT) Game 3 Playoffs! GAMEDAY THREAD!

So it has come down to this! They want us to show up early so we can booze up early. This is our only hope now. Rest tonight. Long day Saturday.

We need everybody on Saturday ��️

�� Doors open at 12:30 p.m.
�� All concessions are 50% off until tip-off
�� Red shirt on every seat!

Tix: https://t.co/r9aJk1FxQ8@SmoothieKing | @Entergy pic.twitter.com/9Hl2Ex1RdT

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 25, 2024

No new injuries to report heading into game 3.#Pelicans | @MorrisBartLLC https://t.co/XjA3VaXzpA

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 26, 2024

NAW going off for T Wolves. Sad we kicked him to curb.

Cj looking awful early.

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Originally Posted by 13 - 3

NAW going off for T Wolves. Sad we kicked him to curb.

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He had several years here to figure it out and didn't. He sucked on the Pelicans. Good for him that he finally got it worked out elsewhere, but I'm not interested in paying people just in the hopes that they figure it out. For every NAW there's a Cheick Diallo.

CJ looking terrible.

BI not looking much better.

The money-makers failing to show up again, thus far.

Yup the top two scoring options look terrible

The B.I Era is coming to an end

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Originally Posted by Mount_Zion

Yup the top two scoring options look terrible

The B.I Era is coming to an end

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If there's one benefit to getting swept out of the first round in embarrassing fashion with BI completely wetting the bed like this, it's that maybe it convinces Griff not to pony up the gigantic contract.

I hold out no hope, but that's the pipe dream.

It's a bummer. I was excited to see how BI does here and what I am seeing is telling..

Crazy to think we got a 30 scorer riding the bench in Hawkins. If you trying to win and you can see your main guys aren't getting it done why not try something new. The goal is not just to make it to the playoffs and I feel Willie is content with it

Will the boo birds come out

Willie Green looks frozen

BI and CJ having a functional 3rd quarter hoping it will make us all forget the previous 10 quarters of this series.

They managed to make it absolutely unwatchable. I almost wish Griff gives these proverbial $50M to Ingram to finally convince me that it's time to stop caring about the franchise.

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Originally Posted by Ivan Balakhonov

They managed to make it absolutely unwatchable. I almost wish Griff gives these proverbial $50M to Ingram to finally convince me that it's time to stop caring about the franchise.

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Imagine how much fun we'd be making of like, Chicago if they gave a 1 time allstar a $250m contract.

Giddey is outplaying CJ lol

The Kings Play-in game was pretty much against a team that can't play any defense

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Originally Posted by stevemadden504

Crazy to think we got a 30 scorer riding the bench in Hawkins. If you trying to win and you can see your main guys aren't getting it done why not try something new. The goal is not just to make it to the playoffs and I feel Willie is content with it

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Willie got his contract. He couldn’t give a flip. This is the problem with the organization. There is no accountability or pressure on the staff whatsoever. I can appreciate the atmosphere they are trying (and failing to build), but you won’t build a winning franchise that way. Willie doesn’t need to look for solutions and can continue to bang his head into the wall with the same strategy every night.

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Originally Posted by Mount_Zion

the Kings games was pretty much against a team that can't play any defense

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Nah, don't need to say that. Kings were a top 15 defensive team this year, not great but not terrible. We had their number, that just happens sometimes. Don't need to discredit the positives of this team to acknowledge the negatives.

Pelicans, as constructed, are a solid team. They will win 45-50 games every year if this squad is kept together in even semi-reasonable health. The talent is there, the fit is not. They'll beat up on terrible teams and get their wins 50/50 against mid-teams, and pick up a few big wins against good teams. It'll happen.

What this team is not right now, is a contender to take on the real contenders. Without Zion, the gaps are exposed: very few people who can really create advantages with any sort of consistency. CJ is too old for it at this point, having slowed down slightly, and works best off-ball. BI's game relies on hitting difficult shots and he seems averse to creating easier ones, which means when the difficult shots aren't falling (which is more than half the time) he just can't get going in any meaningful way. And that's who you're trusting to create everything without Zion.

Team's a good regular season team, and if we had a higher seed and got to play a worse team in the first round maybe we could even steal a series. But we're not up to taking on the real teams, contending for chips, not right now. Needs change.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Nah, don't need to say that. Kings were a top 15 defensive team this year, not great but not terrible. We had their number, that just happens sometimes. Don't need to discredit the positives of this team to acknowledge the negatives.

Pelicans, as constructed, are a solid team. They will win 45-50 games every year if this squad is kept together in even semi-reasonable health. The talent is there, the fit is not. They'll beat up on terrible teams and get their wins 50/50 against mid-teams, and pick up a few big wins against good teams. It'll happen.

What this team is not right now, is a contender to take on the real contenders. Without Zion, the gaps are exposed: very few people who can really create advantages with any sort of consistency. CJ is too old for it at this point, having slowed down slightly, and works best off-ball. BI's game relies on hitting difficult shots and he seems averse to creating easier ones, which means when the difficult shots aren't falling (which is more than half the time) he just can't get going in any meaningful way. And that's who you're trusting to create everything without Zion.

Team's a good regular season team, and if we had a higher seed and got to play a worse team in the first round maybe we could even steal a series. But we're not up to taking on the real teams, contending for chips, not right now. Needs change.

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I question the coach more than I question the fit. CJ could have easily been moved to the bench and that would have solved problems in so many areas. We could have used BI and Zion in many more P&R and screening situations to build chemistry and that never happened. For me, Willie really needed to run more plays. He needed to get Jonas more involved. He is really one of those coaches that just throws his best players onto the floor and hopes it works. He needed to micromanage it way more than he did.

I don't know enough about the NBA to know, but it seems like a waste of several years chasing our tail. That Phoenix series seems like a decade ago and the 49 wins this season seem pretty worthless. The inevitable "blow-up" will lead to another 4, 5 or 6 years, maybe two more coaches, lots of meaningless games and an empty arena. Unless we get crazy lucky with the draft but we did once already and that hasn't worked out too well.

I'm just an average fan with zero excitement for the future.

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Originally Posted by AD Zen Master

I don't know enough about the NBA to know, but it seems like a waste of several years chasing our tail. That Phoenix series seems like a decade ago and the 49 wins this season seem pretty worthless. The inevitable "blow-up" will lead to another 4, 5 or 6 years, maybe two more coaches, lots of meaningless games and an empty arena. Unless we get crazy lucky with the draft but we did once already and that hasn't worked out too well.

I'm just an average fan with zero excitement for the future.

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Until the owner does a better job, it will continue to flounder.

They not just winning these games they beating they beating their asis

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Nah, don't need to say that. Kings were a top 15 defensive team this year, not great but not terrible. We had their number, that just happens sometimes. Don't need to discredit the positives of this team to acknowledge the negatives.

Pelicans, as constructed, are a solid team. They will win 45-50 games every year if this squad is kept together in even semi-reasonable health. The talent is there, the fit is not. They'll beat up on terrible teams and get their wins 50/50 against mid-teams, and pick up a few big wins against good teams. It'll happen.

What this team is not right now, is a contender to take on the real contenders. Without Zion, the gaps are exposed: very few people who can really create advantages with any sort of consistency. CJ is too old for it at this point, having slowed down slightly, and works best off-ball. BI's game relies on hitting difficult shots and he seems averse to creating easier ones, which means when the difficult shots aren't falling (which is more than half the time) he just can't get going in any meaningful way. And that's who you're trusting to create everything without Zion.

Team's a good regular season team, and if we had a higher seed and got to play a worse team in the first round maybe we could even steal a series. But we're not up to taking on the real teams, contending for chips, not right now. Needs change.

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They had a chance to get sixth and blew it at home to the Lakers. They would have been beaten by Minnesota. I really don't think they could beat any of the other 7 teams in the West without Zion. Now the question does do you wait on Zion to stay healthy and be a available in the playoffs or blow it up

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Originally Posted by stevemadden504

They not just winning these games they beating they beating their asis

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outside of Game 1 which can be chalked up as OKC being rusty

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Originally Posted by Mount_Zion

They had a chance to get sixth and blew it at home to the Lakers. They would have been beaten by Minnesota. I really don't think they could beat any of the other 7 teams in the West without Zion. Now the question does do you wait on Zion to stay healthy and be a available in the playoffs or blow it up

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I've been super clear about my beliefs.

Can't pay BI that money. Get rid of him. Get back 80 cents on the dollar, I don't care, just get some serviceable roleplayers and maybe a pick, I don't need another star.

Then get rid of JV. Not because of JV himself, he's been great, but if Willie Green is going to refuse to play him then don't waste his time or our money/roster spot. Get someone he will actually play.

Then go into the season next year starting Herb AND Trey. Cannot keep benching Trey. It's inexcusable.

And see if you can move CJ for any value through the season.

I've been saying since last year that you can't build around both Zion and BI, it just doesn't work. You need to pick which one and commit. Circumstances and on court results make it clear, along with the contract situations, which one you choose to me - Zion is the better player, and costs less going forward. Both have injury risks so I don't care about that in terms of this particular decision.

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Originally Posted by stevemadden504

They not just winning these games they beating they beating their asis

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Exactly, if we'd have just lost then maybe people could say ''oh well, if Zion was here we'd have won, we put up a fight''.

But you can't do that. We're getting whipped and our two guys getting paid $30m a year are doing nothing to fight back.

Maybe send BI to Atlanta for Murray..problem is as you said most likely looking at a blah return because not many teams want to pay his next contract.

BI's stock is at an all time low. Before this series I viewed him as a guy who could fill up the number 1 role when called upon, but now I believe it's time to move on from him. Hopefully Griffin can work some kind of magic to make the team better.

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Originally Posted by hornetsrebirth

BI's stock is at an all time low. Before this series I viewed him as a guy who could fill up the number 1 role when called upon, but now I believe it's time to move on from him. Hopefully Griffin can work some kind of magic to make the team better.

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Hopefully he asks for a trade and you get 50 cents in a dollar with a sign and trade. Griff won't trade him otherwise and this team and the future GM will be ****** with his contract.

yep

Never in ah million years would i have thought that i would leave a pelicans playoff game early...it happen today....that sh@t brought a tear to my eye....team looked lost and sad...

When okc was pushing the lead to 20 in the 3rd..i was glad that willie didnt call a timeout and let them play thru it to see if the team would fight back but they didnt and looked like they gave up in that span....williams by himself just demoralize the whole team with his inside scoring whoever was guarding him then spotting up and shooting crazy 3s......we have no guards that can back someone down in the paint and score...williams had his way in this game...

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Originally Posted by ragincaucasian

yep

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They are right

id like to think the front office knew what had to be done before this series however now they know its more critical to make the changes than they thought. BI looks so defeated hes supposed to be a leader. I also think Zion getting injured took a lot of confidence away from the team which I understand totally but you gotta fight.

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Originally Posted by 13 - 3

They are right

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Just send them to the Lake Charles beach. Let them lay on the shore with all the toxic chemical plants around and soak up the vibes. https://imgur.com/RKyCPpC.jpg

I dont blame you. I thought the team would show more character and fight. To get smoked at home in 2 games is unforgivable. Didnt they learn anything from the previous losses?

So disappointed in this team. We have not even put up 100 in any game of the series yet. CJ and BI showing they are not big time.

Ok, so the season is over for us - personally, I don't believe in getting out of the series with a 3-0 score.
Yes it was successful, it should be better, but it ended as always... with injuries, lack of defense and strange problems in the offense in the Playoffs.
For me, this team needs big changes in the summer - CJ, Nance, JV, Daniels,Zelmer - they all need to be replaced. I would have to think about BI - it certainly doesn't deserve the maximum contract. For the right money - yes.

It’s probably the last time the NBA tries to put this franchise in a playoff series. What a waste.

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

It’s probably the last time the NBA tries to put this franchise in a playoff series. What a waste.

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Game tomorrow has already been moved to Ballys/NBATV

CJ has gifted this series to OKC, and BI chipped in for the gift. Zion's weakness (physical or otherwise) made our chances near zero to start, but the failure of CJ and BI to step in and fill that void has been a tragically wasted opportunity for both men. Neither have played any remarkable defense or showed any leadership, while their offense has been offensive. Here is my proposed starting line-up for Game Last: Alvarado, Murphy, Jones, Nance and Jonas. Nobody for SGA to pick on, nobody for Dort to maul.

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Originally Posted by NOEngineer

CJ has gifted this series to OKC, and BI chipped in for the gift. Zion's weakness (physical or otherwise) made our chances near zero to start, but the failure of CJ and BI to step in and fill that void has been a tragically wasted opportunity for both men. Neither have played any remarkable defense or showed any leadership, while their offense has been offensive. Here is my proposed starting line-up for Game Last: Alvarado, Murphy, Jones, Nance and Jonas. Nobody for SGA to pick on, nobody for Dort to maul.

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The bonus is that OKC will outscore us by 50 in the first quarter, which is fun.

I think it's pretty misguided to say that CJ gifted it and BI ''chipped in''. They're both equally as culpable as each other.

You have CJ, who is at least playing the system, but who isn't actually achieving anything. He's mostly taking the right shots, or at least the shots you'd want him to take without Zion there to set him up, but the results are non-existent. He's missing everything. He's passing okay but not extremely well, and the defense is poor but again, you kind of expect that from him. You're getting mostly what you'd expect, he's just missing everything. That's bad, but it's hard to get real vitriolic about it - it's not like he's missing on purpose.

On the other end, you have BI, who is not missing quite as much (though still a lot) but just isn't interested in playing within the team system at all. He's taking whatever shots he wants, when he wants them, not really looking to create better looks - and unable to do so whenever he does try - and he's pretty much switched off his passing game and rebounding efforts as well for the majority of this series. Defense, outside of a few rare moments, has vanished as well. For me, that's more irritating; CJ is trying and failing. BI doesn't even look like he's trying.

The end result for both is the same: they suck.

CJ this series: -0.9 BPM, 44% TS, 30.4%AST/18.1%TOV, -0.3 WS total, .379 3ptAr
BI this series: -0.3 BPM, 52%TS, 11.9%AST/13.0%TOV, 0.00 WS total, .122 3ptAr

Just diabolical work for both of them. BI's shooting better than CJ (though still badly) but he's turning it over more than he's assisting; CJ's assisting, but shooting even worse. CJ's taking a reasonable 3pt rate, but missing - BI isn't even taking them. Both of them are net negatives.

I still think they win that 1st game if Greeen doesn't bench Jonas in crunch time when they need a bucket. Downhill every since

OKC coach got COY. Well deserved. I did not know this guy was an equipment manager at UCONN. We about to get swept by a coach that used to fill those Gatorade buckets.

WILLE did not make top 10 in voting.

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Originally Posted by Mount_Zion

I still think they win that 1st game if Greeen doesn't bench Jonas in crunch time when they need a bucket. Downhill every since

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Agree. Very frustrating. I really hope Nance is dealt this offseason just so Willie's love affair with playing him no matter the situation will be over.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

Agree. Very frustrating. I really hope Nance is dealt this offseason just so Willie's love affair with playing him no matter the situation will be over.

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Or, get rid of JV (who Green will not actually play: getting rid of Nance won't make him play JV more, he'll just play someone else inappropriate) and replace him with a started-quality guy that Willie might actually like.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Or, get rid of JV (who Green will not actually play: getting rid of Nance won't make him play JV more, he'll just play someone else inappropriate) and replace him with a started-quality guy that Willie might actually like.

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Nah. I will take my chances getting rid of Nance. He is just not good most of the time.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

Nah. I will take my chances getting rid of Nance. He is just not good most of the time.

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In a perfect world, they'd get rid of Nance and play JV. I just don't think that's happening. Willie Green will not take JV seriously, I'm done pretending that he might.

In that case, I'd rather jettison both, and get something back for them, because I don't know if we can spend another year watching JV get wasted and take up a roster spot and a big chunk of cap that Green refuses to use, and if we got rid of him and then kept Nance, we'd get Nance starting I can just feel it.

Better get rid of them both, in that case.