11th March - New Orleans Pelicans @ Sacramento Kings - 28-36

Two consecutive wins and we're back on the road; this time, in Sacramento. We are currently 0-1 against the Kings so far this year. With only one game remaining against them after this one, it's important that we win this; losing would mean that we definitively lose the tiebreaker with Sacramento regardless of what happens in the final game, and in a race this tight, that might mean something.

THIS GAME IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 9:30PM CST

Here's the injury report:

Injury list remains same, with three Pelicans out for Wednesday at Sacramento

Story: https://t.co/JUSjf5zyPB@MorrisBartLLC pic.twitter.com/FSiFcB7xSm

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 11, 2020

Same as last game.

Sacramento, then. How're they doing? Well, they currently have a 28-36 record, same as us. They are 7-3 over their last 10 (since All-Star break, really) and are looking to make the same playoff push that we are. Others have said that this game is a must win for the playoffs: while not mathematically true, I do think it's a vital game considering other games in the immediate future, momentum, tiebreakers, etc.

King's are 19th in ORtg, 19th in DRtg, 25th in pace, 18th in FG%, 11th in 3pt%, 27th in REBS, 22nd in ASTs, 15th in STLs, 25th in BLKs. That is to say, on the season overall they're not particularly good at anything. Over the last 10 games, this has changed; a team that was averaging 107.9ppg prior to All-Star break is now putting up 114.8ppg. 42.3rpg has become 43.4. 36.1%3pt shooting has become 38.4%. Basically, they're hot.

Unfortunately for us, that heat isn't mitigated by location. The Kings are basically as good at home as they are on the road, which means we can't rely on them being one of those teams who shows up on the road and flounders on their home turf. We're going to have to just play well.

One advantage is that, at least for this game, we won't be outcoached; Luke Walton is worse than Gentry.

It's just on the team to show up and play hard, not make stupid mistakes, and to not underestimate our opponent. Whenever we do that, we get punched in the mouth and it's never fun. Go in, take it seriously, play hard, and win.

#WBD

Zion Williamson and the Pelicans are on the road against the Kings Wednesday (10:30 ET, ESPN).

Williamson enters this game with 448 career points, the most by any player through 19 career games over the last 35 seasons. pic.twitter.com/X4T4DYkspC

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 11, 2020

Just can't see them winning this without JJ.
The bench is terrible if Melli or Hart are off.

I think the Kings just have more depth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AUSSIE_PELICAN

Just can't see them winning this without JJ.
The bench is terrible if Melli or Hart are off.

I think the Kings just have more depth.

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The way I see it is that we need the bench to show up even a little bit.

Don't need a miracle from them. Don't need 20 point games from Hart or Melli. Don't need Frank to go off for 30 on 70% efficiency.

If they can each chip in 7-9 points on reasonable shooting and play solid team ball, I think we're in for a chance. If they play like they have in a couple of recent games, then it's not going to happen. You can't ask Jrue, Lonzo, Zion, and Ingram to each score 25 every night, it's not happening. If they can combine to give you about 80 points, and Favors can give you his usually 8 or so, then you're up nearly 90. 20 ish combined from Hart, Melli, Frank, and Moore shouldn't be too much to ask.

Recently, it has been.

The kings have holmes back who i think was there best player this season.. the good thing for us is that walton seems to not like hield and has him benched even in crucial situations... hopefully we get the W! Such an important game to have.

Hart needs to drive the ball a couple of times early on to get a couple easy buckets to get him going

if Frank Jackson and Etwaun Moore would just take what the defense gives instead of forcing things they would be far more productive. sometimes I just get this feeling that they are out to prove they can put the team on their back and we all know that ain't true

We won the last game we are 1-0 not 0-1

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Two consecutive wins and we're back on the road; this time, in Sacramento. We are currently 0-1 against the Kings so far this year. With only one game remaining against them after this one, it's important that we win this; losing would mean that we definitively lose the tiebreaker with Sacramento regardless of what happens in the final game, and in a race this tight, that might mean something.

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Wrong. The Pelicans are 1-0 against the Kings. That's the game where JJ made that left handed layup at the buzzer to beat the Kings by two.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Wrong. The Pelicans are 1-0 against the Kings. That's the game where JJ made that left handed layup at the buzzer to beat the Kings by two.

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I think he's sleeping or out prowling for his next victim.

It's like midnight over there.

Will this game even happen? The Jazz/thunder game has just been postponed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tyler

We won the last game we are 1-0 not 0-1

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Eh, my bad. I have a terrible memory so I checked the splits on basketball reference and I must have misread the column or something. No big deal.

The point remains though, that we need to win this one if we want to sew up the tiebreaker. If we lose it, we play the Kings again and we leave ourselves open to having it snatched from us.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BIG_CITY_BOI

Will this game even happen? The Jazz/thunder game has just been postponed

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Maybe. I think the difference is that Gobert is ill with symptoms that could potentially be related to coronavirus, and he went around touching everyone's microphones and recorders and stuff. Unless anyone on the Pels or Kings is presenting anything, they will probably let it go ahead.

Odds are that Gobert was sick well before touching those microphones
Just ironic the way it happened

Courtney Kirkland will be one of the 3 refs for tonight’s Kings/Pelicans game.

Courtney Kirkland reffed the Toronto @ Utah game 2 nights ago. pic.twitter.com/hhJPElhAyS

— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) March 12, 2020

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Courtney Kirkland will be one of the 3 refs for tonight’s Kings/Pelicans game.

Courtney Kirkland reffed the Toronto @ Utah game 2 nights ago. pic.twitter.com/hhJPElhAyS

— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) March 12, 2020

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Yeah, this might be a problem. Or they play with two refs like the real old days.

Pelicans not coming out Lockerrom but Gentry is out. Did they lock him out?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WildlifeAirGrp

Yeah, this might be a problem. Or they play with two refs like the real old days.

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Yeah, if they're intent on playing this game (And I honestly would not blame them for cancelling it, it's probably the smart idea) then there's no way Kirkland can be on the floor. And anything he's touched, be it game-balls, whistles, monitors, headphones, etc, needs to be replaced or sanitised immediately.

The moment we realized the same ref was out there, I hope the Pelicans ran and got on their bus and never looked back.

Well, no @PelicansNBA game tonight either. Tonight’s game between the Pelicans & Kings has been cancelled due to precautionary measures.

— Jennifer Hale (@JenHale504) March 12, 2020

GAME IS CANCELLED

Sucks but it makes complete sense and I can't blame anyone. Right decision.

I was hoping to see Zion one last time before the season got shut down. THANKS RUDY

Yep. Disappointed but at the situation and not the NBA. Crazy stuff.

That's ok they will have JJ and Miller back for this game.

Once again the NBA finds a new way to screw the New Orleans Pelicans using Rudy Gobert and a ref.

Miller time if we finish this in the summer

Adrian Wojnarowski said minutes ago on ESPN that there is optimism the NBA regular season will eventually start back up but on a truncated schedule.

Not good news for those teams (see Pelicans) trying to move up inside the playoff bubble.

— Oleh Kosel (@OlehKosel) March 12, 2020

If the season is truncated and doesn't pick up until Sunday, the Pelican lose Kings, Jazz, and Clippers. The Grizzlies lose the TBlazers and Jazz. Might not be the worst thing that could happen.

Signs sitting in an empty Golden 1 Center here in Sacramento as crews are set to disinfect the entire arena. pic.twitter.com/OqqvFMg7A6

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) March 12, 2020

Quote:

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Originally Posted by As I See It

If the season is truncated and doesn't pick up until Sunday, the Pelican lose Kings, Jazz, and Clippers. The Grizzlies lose the TBlazers and Jazz. Might not be the worst thing that could happen.

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This is going to last a few weeks if not months. Especially with a player now known to be infected.

The NBA season is probably effectively over.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by luckyman

This is going to last a few weeks if not months. Especially with a player now known to be infected.

The NBA season is probably effectively over.

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Yeah, the odds are that if the season picks up, it will be in at least a month's time, and they will probably just use the current playoff seeding to jump straight into a post-season. Fewer games played, like a lockout season.

I'd hate it but it's what makes the most sense. Sucks to be on the losing end.