8th January - New Orleans Pelicans VS Chicago Bulls - 12-25

Welcome to yet another home game. With regards to last game's loss against the Utah Jazz, the NBA ruled in the 2 Minute Report that Gobert did indeed foul Ingram, and that we should have gotten free throws. They are not, from what we can tell, going to do anything about it. We are now 12-25, meaning we're on pace to win 26 games this season. Going .500 from here until the end of the year would get us 35 wins.

Moving onwards.

Tonight we take on the Chicago Bulls, and Jrue Holiday will miss his second consecutive game with his elbow complaint.

Pelicans vs Bulls Injury Report: https://t.co/88Azg0kHDA

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 7, 2020

Unfortunately for those of you who have been keeping track of our defense, you will be saddened to hear that our recent increase has regressed: after making it up as high as 23rd, we have slipped back down to 26th on defense. Some of that is just bad luck, combined with other teams worse than us having good performances, so it's not anything to get too sad about but still; it's happened.

The Chicago Bulls are 13-24, so pretty much the same record as us, and are currently riding a 4 game losing streak; their last win was against the pitiful Hawks. Wendell Carter Jr exited their game on Monday early with an ankle issue and is questionable for this game; Otto Porter Jr is still out, as he has been for weeks.

The Bulls have the reverse of the issue we had for a while; they have a top 10 defense, 7th in the NBA, but the 28th ranked offense. Can't score. That's their issue; just can't score. And it's not that they're slow; they're 14th in the league in pace, they go faster than the Lakers do, they just can't score. Dead last (30th) in FG%, 17th in 3PT%, 19th in FT%. They lead the league in steals with 10 per game, but are bottom 10 in rebounds, assists, and blocks; they don't crack the top 15 in any of the Four Offensive Factors.

Their leading scorer is Zach Lavine, averaging about 23ppg on about 39% from 3. That's good. On the other hand, Lavine cannot defend my mother, and she's 5'1 and 54 years old. It's not unlikely that Ingram will be able to hunt for matchups with Lavine from time to time, and if he can do that then that's a perfect mismatch to attack: Ingram is pretty good at driving off the bounce, and Lavine has all the resilience of a piece of wet bread.

Their rookie, Coby White, has been dreadful according to pretty much all Bulls fans I know. I've only watched a handful of Bulls games this year, and this seems to be true. He's shooting 37% from the floor and 35% from 3, averaging 11 points in 24 minutes a night. He, too, cannot defend anyone.

The strength of the Bulls defense comes from Wendell Carter (out), Thad Young, Kris Dunn, and Tomas Satoransky, who have all been very good defensively so far this season, as well as solid backup rim protection from Daniel Gafford; these will be the guys we have to score on to win.

So let's do that. #WBD

Lost in the Pels improvement is how ridiculous JJ Redick has been.

Over the past 12 games he is averaging 16.7 PPG on

49.2% FG
49.3% 3PT (5.8 attempts)
94.7% FT%

That's a 67.2% TS. Net on/off of +12.5, which is the highest on the team.

That includes a game with 0 points.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) January 8, 2020

Big lol at Redick shooting basically 50/50/95 over the last 12 games.

hope we come out with the same energy as last game but come out with a win....go pels..

Pelicans player development coach Teresa Weatherspoon told Zion Williamson to punch it on this drive.

Not bad. pic.twitter.com/pcMFX86aRb

— Oleh Kosel (@OlehKosel) January 8, 2020

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Pelicans player development coach Teresa Weatherspoon told Zion Williamson to punch it on this drive.

Not bad. pic.twitter.com/pcMFX86aRb

— Oleh Kosel (@OlehKosel) January 8, 2020

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Kind of amazing that a guy that size can basically casually roll in and leap to get his head near rim level and not really even appear to be trying too hard. Kind of like a casual layup for everyone else.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by P_B_&_G

Kind of amazing that a guy that size can basically casually roll in and leap to get his head near rim level and not really even appear to be trying too hard. Kind of like a casual layup for everyone else.

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Yeah, the command and immediacy of the athleticism is what really gets me. Takes him no time at all, and no real run up. It's like that video I posted from Dru the other day where Zion just does a between the legs dunk from basically a standing position. For a guy who probably weighs around 270lbs right now (he looks a little slimmed down to me) to just have that explosion without any effort or strain or even needing a running start... it's baffling.

Like you said, head near rim levels without even trying. Crazy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Lost in the Pels improvement is how ridiculous JJ Redick has been.

Over the past 12 games he is averaging 16.7 PPG on

49.2% FG
49.3% 3PT (5.8 attempts)
94.7% FT%

That's a 67.2% TS. Net on/off of +12.5, which is the highest on the team.

That includes a game with 0 points.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) January 8, 2020

Big lol at Redick shooting basically 50/50/95 over the last 12 games.

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Big lol at Ingram shooting basically 50/40/90 over the entire season so far..

Anybody else as excited as me to see Zion/Ingram/Lonzo this year and grow together!? That’s not even including our multiple future 1st and other young studs along with Jrue. This team is going to be fun and I mean very fun soon!

Here we go with the refs already.

Absolutely terrible start. Can we please pick and roll down low to Favors every single play!

Some shots are falling but the offense doesn't look optimal right now

Pels shooting 36.4% so far. No 3s made.

Offense stinks right now

Powerful Hayes

Great to see NAW getting early minutes, loved that feed to Jax and the finish through contact. Jax should have got FTs tho

Ingram goes iso-ball, gets blocked at the rim. No passes in that possession at all. Not optimal.

I could hear the slap across Hayes arms from the bathroom while taking a ********.

Do we need to get shot to get a foul call?

Pels shot selection has just been unpleasant so far, to say the least.

Ingram is 1/5 early, Lonzo is 1/3, Redick is 1/4, it's not what you'd hope for.

For comparison, Jax is 2/2 and Favors is 3/3. Probably should look to go inside a lil more.

Come on Ingram!

Catches the out of bounds pass, immediately starts trying to post up. Not even looking to pass. Turns it over on a travel.

:idoh:

We know you're better than that Ingram

Redick nails a ridiculous off the catch round-screen leaner

I have a fever. And the only prescription is more NAW!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ragincaucasian

I have a fever. And the only prescription is more NAW!

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4 assists in 4 minutes. No fouls, no turnovers :hihi: he's locating guys well right now

Melli Minutes, apparently

Great contest from Jax, stopping Markkanen

NAW has 5pts, 2rbds, 5asts with 0 fouls and 0 turnovers in 8 minutes lol

Me to Melli:

via GIPHY

4-16 shooting in the 2nd. How cow... I can literally play better than our guys right now... not exaggerating.

E'twaun Moore foot on the line long 2 airball, woohoo!

Lousy showing from Ingram thus far..

Nice DHO action with Ingram/Redick

Offense is looking lazier as the 2nd quarter goes on. All simple, 1 action plays or isolations

Refs are out for lunch

...what the hell was that defensive play, Ingram?

He legitimately stood 7 feet away from his man, let him launch a 3, and still raised his hand like he was trying to contest despite being so far away. No foot movement at all.

Jesus.

Looks like all the shots we're gonna take tonight are 3s.

Ingram is now 1-8 from the floor, 1-5 from 3

He's just launching some of these, not even looking at the lay of the floor or the spreads of the defense

So, do we play up or down to the competition?

If we come out and blow them away after halftime all will be forgiven.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

...what the hell was that defensive play, Ingram?

He legitimately stood 7 feet away from his man, let him launch a 3, and still raised his hand like he was trying to contest despite being so far away. No foot movement at all.

Jesus.

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I would have taken him out of the game for that. Gentry did call a timeout after.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nichols

I would have taken him out of the game for that. Gentry did call a timeout after.

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Ingram’s head is still in the Jazz game.

These kids at half are knocking down more shots than the pros.

End of the first half, we're tied 48-48.

Ingram: 8pts, 5rbds, 5asts, shooting 22.2% from the floor, 16.7% from 3,
Lonzo: 5pts, 2rbds, 4asts, shooting 28.6% from the floor, 0/4 from 3
Favors: 6pts, 7rbds, 1blk, 75% from the floor
Redick: 12pts, 1rbd, 1ast, 50% from the floor, 50% from 3
Hart: 3pts, 3rbds, 33.3% from the floor

Jax: 6pts, 7rbds, 2blks, 50% from the floor, 10 minutes
NAW: 5pts, 2rbds, 5asts, 66.7% from the floor

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nichols

I would have taken him out of the game for that. Gentry did call a timeout after.

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It was not nice :hihi:

Nice play to start off the half. Ingram missed the push shot, but it was the right decision, and Favors put it back up for the 2

Much better defense from Ingram there too

Ingram nailing a 3. Is he waking up after a terrible first half?

Back to the idiodic 'shoot threes every play even when covered' offense.

That's where Ingram's heavy feet and long legs hurt him, when defending smaller guys in space. He made the right choice, but Coby White is too small and too fast for him and once Ingram's hips were turned it was over. Can't recover fast enough.

We need klay Thompson'sshooting coach. Our guys need to learn how to remain in technique even while under pressure. I can see at times how whatever pace they are going at that time dictates how their shot goes and looks. JJ Reddick has it though

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AtlPelsFan

We need klay Thompson'sshooting coach. Our guys need to learn how to remain in technique even while under pressure. I can see at times how whatever pace they are going at that time dictates how their shot goes and looks.

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At least some of that comes from repetition, particularly with the younger guys. Ray Allen has pointed out that the reason he was able to nail that famous Miami 3 pointer despite the pressure and the contest is that he had practiced exactly that spot, backpedalling into the corner to take a 3 off the bounce, every day for years.