November 2nd - New Orleans Pelicans vs Detroit Pistons - 3-1

Back to Back #PelicansGameDay��

��: vs Detroit
��: 7 pm CT
��: @ballysportsnola
��: @995wrno#Pelicans | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/LOV9pao29n

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 2, 2023

After the worst start to a basketball game I have seen in a long time, the Pelicans - led by one of CJ's best games in a New Orleans Uniform - managed to come back last game and win.

The result, however, is that we're now playing the second game of a back to back, after traveling back to New Orleans on the same day, in a state of recovery from that huge drama yesterday. B2B games are hard enough as it is, this one shows no signs of being easier.

Today we play the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons are only 2-3 at this point of the season, but one of their losses was razor close; at this stage of the season, records aren't necessarily reflective of much as a single shot here or there is enough to sway things. The Pistons are a worse defense than us, but only slightly (we're 8th, they're 11th) but, up to this point, a considerably better offense (we're 29th, they're 17th).

Some of this, again, is early season sample sizes: we have a number of guys who have started the year with rough shooting games, and one of our most efficient scorers from everywhere (Trey) is out. Nevertheless, we can't afford to let expectations and reputations carry the game, or we'll get upset. Losing game 2 of a B2B is not the end of the world, but if we can pick up the win here that puts us at 4-1 even with the injuries and prepares us for the upcoming stretch where we face Denver and Dallas twice each in the next two weeks.

Guys to watch for from the Pistons include Jalen Duren, who thus far is averaging 15/13/3 on 68% shooting and doing an awful lot of primary ball handling in certain contexts, Cade Cunningham who has returned from a major injury and started the year averaging 23/3/7 on 44% from 3, and Ausar Thompson who is averaging 10/10/3 and playing stunningly good defense.

Give Cade the Herb treatment, force Duren to be a creator whenever the ball is in his hands, and please - for the love of God, Green - we are playing a team that has Marvin Bagley playing C minutes and uses 6'8 Isaiah Stewart as a C; go 3 or 4 out, play inside out, shoot a lot of threes from the corners, play through Zion and JV in the middle, and don't try to run any of those shooter-less Dyson/Herb/Nance lineups.

Pelicans will hopefully be able to fly out of OKC in about an hour. A mechanical issue kept them there last night. They play the Pistons tonight. It's a 7 p.m. tip.

— Christian Clark (@cclark_13) November 2, 2023

Note: at time of writing, the Pels are still in OKC.

I can’t understand under any circumstance why Jonas didn’t close last nights game.

BI's eyebrow still sore?

Zion Williamson is out, Brandon Ingram is questionable for tonight’s game#Pelicans | @MorrisBartLLC https://t.co/a3DKujOfBU

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 2, 2023

No Zion, he's being held out on 'rest' - I get why, I said pre-season that they should hold him out on the second game of B2B for caution, but it's still irritating that we have such a B2B so early in the schedule. It's the 3rd game in 4 nights though, and they're only just flying in today, so I get it. It's fine.

No clear update on BI yet, he may or may not be back. We'll get a firm confirmation later, I guess.

:hihi::hihi::hihi:

Oh my. Can we just have it for once?!!!!!!

Cody Zeller about to drop a 40 pt 20 reb night

Its pathetic. 23 years old star resting 4 games into a season. 26 year old star missed like half a season because of toe injury. Knee tendinitis means he is out for how much? My guess is 2 months and then they will decide he needs surgery...
I would understand if it was Nuggets or the Celtics on the road where we have minor chances, but this, game we should win, we are throwing it away.
Did our staff get a memo that there is 11 good teams, contending for playoffs in the West?

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Originally Posted by Mrakar

Its pathetic. 23 years old star resting 4 games into a season. 26 year old star missed like half a season because of toe injury. Knee tendinitis means he is out for how much? My guess is 2 months and then they will decide he needs surgery...
I would understand if it was Nuggets or the Celtics on the road where we have minor chances, but this, game we should win, we are throwing it away.
Did our staff get a memo that there is 11 good teams, contending for playoffs in the West?

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Welcome to the new NBA. Most teams rest their stars one of the games in a back to back, especially one who plays such a physical game (and has had previous injury issues). The real issue is why does the NBA continue to schedule back to back games (especially involving travel)

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

Welcome to the new NBA. Most teams rest their stars one of the games in a back to back, especially one who plays such a physical game (and has had previous injury issues). The real issue is why does the NBA continue to schedule back to back games (especially involving travel)

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Exactly my thoughts. I said before this season even started that we should give Zion the Kawhi schedule; no playing on B2Bs, take the occasional road game off, aim for 65 games not 82.

I can't argue for that in August and then get mad when they actually do it, can I? So that's my stance. It makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is the NBA adding in this ridiculous mid-season tournament, and as you point out, continuing to schedule B2Bs the way they do.

As much as Jonas and CJ gets blamed for a lot of things one thing is for sure, they show up banged up or not despite being the older ones on this team.

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Originally Posted by PaKwAn

As much as Jonas and CJ gets blamed for a lot of things one thing is for sure, they show up banged up or not despite being the older ones on this team.

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Massive respect to both of them for that. And massive-er respect to JV for being a professional on a team that so clearly underuses him and excludes him. Easy for CJ to do it on the massive contract where he gets to be the public face of the team and is seen as the leader and gets all those privileges; harder for JV when he doesn't even get invited to the 'vets only' meetings.

Would be shocked if BI plays tonight--pleasantly shocked, but shocked. Down Z and Brandon (and Trey, and Jose...) on the second night of a back-to-back where the team got stuck overnight, this feels like a baked-in loss. If they win, that will really impress me, but it's a big ask. Val won't push around Detroit's front line like he did last night in OKC.

On the other hand, since a loss is at hand, I'd take this chance to start E.J. for Zion. No PT so far this year and I'd like to see what he can do with some court time...

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Originally Posted by new city champ

Would be shocked if BI plays tonight--pleasantly shocked, but shocked. Down Z and Brandon (and Trey, and Jose...) on the second night of a back-to-back where the team got stuck overnight, this feels like a baked-in loss. If they win, that will really impress me, but it's a big ask. Val won't push around Detroit's front line like he did last night in OKC.

On the other hand, since a loss is at hand, I'd take this chance to start E.J. for Zion. No PT so far this year and I'd like to see what he can do with some court time...

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You say that but I'd like to see him try. Duren has been phenomenal but he's 19 and 6'10, Stewart is 6'8, and they're not playing Wiseman much. JV has a huge size advantage still, even if they are more stout than Chet Holmgren.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

Welcome to the new NBA. Most teams rest their stars one of the games in a back to back, especially one who plays such a physical game (and has had previous injury issues). The real issue is why does the NBA continue to schedule back to back games (especially involving travel)

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Ish is weak point blank. They get millions of dollars to play a game for an hour ( 30 minutes really). I get up everyday damn day to go bust my arse at work for 10-12 hours a day and you telling me they need rest on a back to back, I'm not buying it.

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Originally Posted by stevemadden504

Ish is weak point blank. They get millions of dollars to play a game for an hour ( 30 minutes really). I get up everyday damn day to go bust my arse at work for 10-12 hours a day and you telling me they need rest on a back to back, I'm not buying it.

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Not saying I disagree with you, but have you considered that rather than them having it too good, you just have it too bad?

Maybe rather than them needing worse conditions and expectations, you need better.

zion deserves the night off....backups have been playing sloppy and tonight they all need to earn their pay....

Come on BI! Play tonight

BI is out.

I just saw. Damn these dudes are extremely soft.

Ok I have no issue with the load management but the BI news is a problem.

Ugh

I hope it’s nothing like the bone bruise that kept CP3 out for two months. That would be awful

Still having no luck with the Bally app

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Originally Posted by donato

BI is out.

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I smell a trade demand coming from him this season.

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Originally Posted by Freyfamilyreuni

I smell a trade demand coming from him this season.

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Based on his injury history? Name one valid reason for thinking that's a possibility.

Matt Ryan starting. I hope we take 400 threes.

Statistically speaking, our best lineups so far this season are JV + 3 shooters. Player 5 can be anyone and the lineups have worked. Tonight it's JV + 3 shooters + Herb.

Let's see if the small sample size statistics bear up to a more rigorous test.

Matt Ryan starting hot

CJ scoring too

Matt Ryan with a 3rd 3 already, he's 3/3 to start

We are already short handed and now we are resting guys because why not right? We basically have zero competition in the West. Hell, let Zeller start at point guard. Let's do all the smart things

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Originally Posted by ragincaucasian

We are already short handed and now we are resting guys because why not right? We basically have zero competition in the West. Hell, let Zeller start at point guard. Let's do all the smart things

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Alternatively, yeah let's run guys into the ground early despite knowing they have a serious injury history just for the sake of looking tough to the public and then act like we don't know why there's a season ending injury 10 games into the year.

Herb warming up now

Matt Ryan up to 11 first quarter points

He's been so good for us this year so far. Dude's really fighting for a legit contract

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Alternatively, yeah let's run guys into the ground early despite knowing they have a serious injury history just for the sake of looking tough to the public and then act like we don't know why there's a season ending injury 10 games into the year.

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20 minutes would be fine.

Matt Ryan may have found a home here

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Originally Posted by ragincaucasian

Matt Ryan may have found a home here

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Plays hard on defense even if he's not naturally gifted there, shoots the ball with all the confidence of a real gunner, is 6'6, and could probably be had on a relatively inexpensive contract. Feels like it to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Plays hard on defense even if he's not naturally gifted there, shoots the ball with all the confidence of a real gunner, is 6'6, and could probably be had on a relatively inexpensive contract. Feels like it to me.

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Much better than the corpse named Garrett Temple.

You know what would be nice to see in some of the spots where scoring is rough? Seabron.

Say what you like about Seabron's overall game, but there's not many other people on this team who will drive with the consistency and efficacy he provides. Dude just does it.

Oh look, speak of the Devil - there's Seabron

CJ's still hot from the end of last game

I'd get mad at Ryan for that out of bounds TO if it weren't for the fact that, as a Pelican, it's ritual that we have at least one of those every few games. Never seen a team more prone to it than us.

Love that, after the statistical background of it working, and then it working well in the first quarter, we have now abandoned JV + 3 shooters in exchange for JV + 3 none-shooters.

JV the goat

Started late after fighting with the Bally app. Is Hawkins playing?

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Originally Posted by Freyfamilyreuni

Started late after fighting with the Bally app. Is Hawkins playing?

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Yeah, he's played some. Not done too much yet though

Matt Ryan really trying to make amends for that last second 3pt shot against us last season, isn't he?

Matt Ryan is 4/4 from 3 so far this game.

4 3PM in a game is his career high, also - largely linked to the fact that this is the first team he's getting real minutes on.

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Originally Posted by RobertM320

Matt Ryan really trying to make amends for that last second 3pt shot against us last season, isn't he?

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Fun fact: that shot happened exactly one year ago. To the day, I think.