Agreed. I'm starting to get the feeling we're destined for another mid-lotto record if he doesn't come back soon.
It is unfair, and he's doing the best he can and (largely) doing a pretty good job of it, so you have to praise him for that. Doesn't mean it makes us win anymore games though.
Which is why Zion needs to get things on track. Jones fractures usually take about 10-11 weeks on average for an NBA player to return to the court. For Zion, it'll be about 12 weeks this Sunday since Summer League, and we got told he had the surgery before then. So we can assume it's now been at least 12 weeks for his recovery - unless something has gone wrong during the recovery process, he should be able to be back on court within the next few weeks. Even if he can only play 20 or 25 minutes a night for the first dozen games, that will be enough to add some pop to bench lineups and take a bit of the pressure off Ingram at the start of games, which will be huge.
I'm not one to make a big deal about Zion's weight. It's not something I comment on. I know there's debate among a lot of you here as to whether or not it's a issue.
With that being said.. moving forward. Considering he's a high fly act/above the rim player. I'd like to see him trim down a bit to preserve his career, and put less pressure on those ligaments and joints.
Also I'll say Ingram improving offensive metrics is not what's going to bring him to another level either. At this point, it's all about becoming a better and more consistent defensive player. Then also closing out games in the 4th. And his defense has been levels better so far this year.
All his other metrics could take a slight step back and he'd still have climbed a level if he does those other two things.
That being said, at this point, he needs to be given the green light to go for 40 almost every night. That's until the young guys grow up and the new guys get more comfortable running half court sets.
And none of that matters, including getting Zion back, if opposing guards keep coming off screens and into wide open space. That was poor defense at the end and it cost them.
24/25 to 16/25 in free throws...hell, jonas was 24/24 shooting 100% at the free throw line then miss 3 straight tonight...
this team has alot of fight in them so all is not lost....imo if zion was playing i think we would be 5-1...at the same time, if my grandmother had balls she would be my grand father lol....
They are competing and that's generally all I'm asking for while Zion is out. They are improving at a rapid pace but we are seeing some consistency issues of a newly put together roster and coach. It's going to take some time to get to a point where we will put it all together and pull out some more wins... but we are progressing a lot faster than I expected.
So Paul George just dropped 42 and the Clippers still lost by 19.
After the first game, Eric Bledsoe has scored 12,7,6, and 3 points on 25% shooting.
And Paul George was 6 - 20 their last game.
Clips are now 1 - 4.
We aint the only ones going through it.
I never understand this mentality of fans where their team is playing bad or a player is playing bad and then they look to other teams or players and say "they are playing bad too" or "they are playing worse" as a way to make themselves feel better. The goal isn't to not be the worst. It is to be the best. Yes, the Pelicans situation could be worse. They could have Bledsoe instead of Graham. They could have more drama like Nets have with Kyrie or Philly has with Simmons. Their star could be out longer like Clips with Kawhi
Yes, it could be worse. Others are struggling too. But how should that make us feel better? The team is bad and the goal is not to not be the worst.
It's nothing to do with feeling better or worse, it's just acknowledging reality.
We are a basketball team missing our best player. What happens to basketball teams without their best player? They lose a lot. Doesn't matter who they are, or what season it is, the vast vast majority of basketball teams that lose a top 20 player go on to not win very much. If that makes you feel better, then sure you can use it as consolation if you need, but that's not why we point it out.
Clippers this year without Kawhi? 1-5 record.
2020-21 Sixers without Embiid? Sub .500 team
2016 Cavs without Lebron? 1-6 record.
2018-19 Warriors without Curry? Sub .500 team, 5-8 record.
2007-08 Cavs without Lebron? 0-7 record.
2006-7 Suns record without Nash? 2-4.
Doesn't make you feel better, but it's just the truth. What else do you expect to happen? Is it ''trying to make yourself feel better'' to acknowledge that this is just the reality of the situation? If anything, it feels more like self-flagellation, trying to make yourself feel worse on purpose to get all dramatic and upset about it.
Okay, but when Zion comes back, this will still be a middle of the pack team or maybe slightly worse. I actually think him being gone helps you guys because now you get to use him being gone as a reason the losses are piling up, and live in this fantasy world where they would have won all these games if he was here. I am curious what the rhetoric will be when he returns and this team is still nothing special. My guess is it will be the same old "poor coaching" or "refs are against us" fan stuff. But we shall see
You can't fast track a young and inexperienced team with a new coach, new offense, new players, and an injury to your star player in the same breath. The margin for error is extremely low right now. They are going to have to take their lumps and get better over time. The progression has been good. The defense is doing something I didn't think they'd be able to do this early on. We're basically the 2019-2020 Suns right now. It's going to take time before they sort out some of these issues.
I just don't like the idea that when Zion comes back, everyone else will stay the same or get better and you are adding Zion on top of that. Guys will get worse too. I have seen it a ton of times. They put more pressure on themselves or they go from touching it every possession to touching it every 3rd possession and that effects their shot. Basketball is the one sport that is not additive. You don't just add a 30 to a team that is a 65 and have a 95 team. You lose things too. This is a slightly below average team with Zion that is very below average without him. This isn't a 4-2 or 5-1 team that is 1-5 without him. All those guys the poster above listed effect the game on BOTH sides of the ball and/or they create a substantial amount of offense for others. Zion might do that some day, he doesnt do it now. He is more like a big Zach LaVine from last year. Scores a bunch - elite at that. But your team can lose with him or lose without him. Zion wont be the difference maker you guys seem to think he will be until he massively effects both sides of the ball and/or he becomes an elite creator of offense for other people
I think the issue here is that you feel like people think this is a 50 win team with Zion. That's not the case in my eye. This is a transition year for the team with all of these moving parts that need to learn how to work with one another. .500 record is where you want them to be by the end of the year. Anything better would be just gravy. If a .500 record gets you in the play in, it's a successful season.
Everyone doesn't think the same as you man. Some of us have different opinions and a different set of expectations for this team - that's ok. No one is saying this team will win the chip with Zion, or achieve some lofty goal (at least by pels fans standards), that is entirely a strawman you've constructed in your own mind. With all due respect, no need to egg people on by pushing your agenda. It would just be boring if everyone thought the same as you and a variety of discussion was simply not had - don't you think?
lol im 100% convinced that you are MM....the name has changed but the writing stays the same....you came on here with that herb jones talk then reverted back to classic MM style with your reply to luckyman and pelicanidae.......bruh,, you could have said all of that under your own name lol.....
hell, i guess you are on other pelicans site as a herb jones fan but your old self come out at some point like it did here toward luckyman and dae......you always come at luckyman like you did in your post under his lol...you just couldnt help yourself huh?....lol.......man you something else....
Well, this Herb Jones Alabama man fan who has been a Pelicans fan since ::checks notes:: October this year, seems to have this whole NBA thing figured out. Guess there?s no reason to watch anymore.