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

Late one for Mardi Gras night! 🎭

🕘: 9:00pm CT
📺: Bally Sports NO
📻: @995WRNO#Pelicans | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/tlWuCWOFOK

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 10, 2023

Will J Richardson play his first game tonight?

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Originally Posted by AtlPel

Will J Richardson play his first game tonight?

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He's listed as out for non basketball reasons.

I read somewhere that Garland and Mitchell are both returning from injury tonight. Just our luck.

This is gonna be a tough game. Cavs are really good. We're gonna need CJ and BI to be on tonight.

They usually play well in this type of game.

Especially if BI can continue putting in all star performances like he has these past few games.

Plus they kinda need this one since these next 2 roads games before the break look tricky.

Trey needs to develop his defensive awareness. There are multiple times that he falls asleep on that end.

The dreaded single play that will defeat them. Has Mitchell even had to try? It’s a joke to watch CJ switch on defense. He isn’t even making himself a body. Lol

Valanciunas is pathetic. Good thing they didn’t upgrade him.

What is willie green doing. What is this team doing right now. They look so lost right now

It looks like the 10 game. No defensive effort at all. The Cavs have done the exact same play for every single basket lol. It’s like they are speaking directly to the front office. Look here is your weakness!

Murphy constantly cheating inside and getting burned in the corner and back cuts by Okoro

CJ lob to TM3! Yes the Pels completed a lob on a fast break!

We gotta stop with the small ball lineups we giving up too many rebounds

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

Valanciunas is pathetic. Good thing they didn’t upgrade him.

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He's a liability for sure, but it's much more than him. In general (being kind) our guard play in the half court defensively is abysmal. Add the fact that they are very vulnerable on PnR because of their size and/or poor court awareness, and JV finds himself in a 'can't win situation'. Hurry back, Dyson.

SIDENOTE: If Murphy just wants to be a spectator on defense, he should take a seat.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

He's a liability for sure, but it's much more than him. In general (being kind) our guard play in the half court defensively is abysmal. Add the fact that they are very vulnerable on PnR because of their size and/or poor court awareness, and JV finds himself in a 'can't win situation'. Hurry back, Dyson.

SIDENOTE: If Murphy just wants to be a spectator on defense, he should take a seat.

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I concur. Murphy should not be in there playing the 4. He doesnt know what he is doing. He doesnt rebound, he is always lost and he is scared of physicality. Willie gotta see this. This small ball garbage he trying to run is not good

Unwatchable. Just being toyed with all night whenever we have to make rotations/decisions. Just disgusting. Pathetic defence.

I assure you; # 1 will help offensively, but he won't fix the defense. Oh for the days of Jrue Holiday....or even JHart.

One of the most athletic frontcourt duos in the league, and Jax NEVER even sees the court? Should have seen a lot of Jax and JV together.

This was a really bad outing. I don’t think they even tried to win.

Willie has to fix the intensity in the first. WAAAAY too many games we get slaughtered in the first quarter and its just pushing $h!t uphill after that.

Any good defensive team can monster us because we run the same $h!t every other possession.

Willie has effectively killed Jonas, dude just isnt engaged since hes been benched so much.

Agree with above poster re: Jaxson Hayes... Should have seen many more minutes tonight.

CJ should be sitting if he can't ********ing shoot. Thats basically his job.

Whyyy oh whyy did I even back any Pel to beat their average at anything against the best defensive team in the league.... I apparently believe too much in this team haha.

Of course Graham had 31 in his spurs debut and was still a -6

Offense is talent-based; defense is a mindset. If you WANT to play defense, you will.

The old adage is true: Offense puts fannies in the seats, but defense wins games (especially in the post-season).

I will take solace in knowing the Pelicans now have the easiest strength of schedule to finish the year. Only 5 of the last 25 are against a top 4 seed in the West standings and 13 out of 25 are against teams outside of the play-in (bottom 10) right now. So hopefully we can post a winning record and go on a nice run if Zion comes back and everyone stays healthy.

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Originally Posted by hornetshornets

I will take solace in knowing the Pelicans now have the easiest strength of schedule to finish the year. Only 5 of the last 25 are against a top 4 seed in the West standings and 13 out of 25 are against teams outside of the play-in (bottom 10) right now. So hopefully we can post a winning record and go on a nice run if Zion comes back and everyone stays healthy.

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Yea 'easier' schedule and Zion back is kinda room for hope. But the west is so tight any team can be a 'top 4 team' from 1 to 10.

It starts with these first quarter 10+ point deficits. That's the thing to fix first and foremost.

No defence = No wins. Pathetic efford.

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.