October 9th - New Orleans Pelicans @ Chicago Bulls - 1-0

[Pelicanidae]

We score here, we put it away.

[Eman5805]

Helluva game.

[13 - 3]

Win win

[Creative]

Wow! Great effort from our 2 unit. NAW was amazing! WOW!

[13 - 3]

We gonna be preseason world champs! Suck on that Anthony Davis

[Pelicanidae]

I mean, a 25 foot Felicio post up isn't the play I would have drawn up, but okay Bulls, we'll take the win.

[luckyman]

Feels good to have depth. Especially having to start preseason on a road trip. Hard to be sharp.

NAW is the backup point guard. It's settled.

[Pelicanidae]

Zion had a fantastic game tonight on offense, super efficient, dominant, unstoppable in the paint. Was hit or miss on defense; played really well sometimes, had lapses other times.

The real MVP of this game is NAW. Absolutely guided that comeback from start to finish. Real sense of tempo to his game, legitimate control of pace, high level defense, strong playmaking, cold-blooded shot making at the end. That whole closing unit did really well, actually, with Hart/Frank/NAW/Okafor/Kenrich just grinding out the points. Made the Bulls fight for everything and played as a full on UNIT on offense.

[JJackisangry]

We have to shoot better overall. But I have to say, hell of a job by the subbies. NAW, Jackson, Hart, Okafor and Hustle got it done. Speaks to our depth

[Darkhorse985]

NAW should hands down be the backup PG. I hope Gentry doesn’t foolishly bench him for Moore.

Here is what the depth chart should be...

PG: Ball/NAW/Jackson

SG: Holiday/Redick/Moore

SF: Ingram/Hart/Williams

PF: Williamson/Melli/Cheatham

C: Favors/Okafor/Hayes

[Pelicanidae]

NAW should hands down be the backup PG. I hope Gentry doesn’t foolishly bench him for Moore.

Here is what the depth chart should be...

PG: Ball/NAW/Jackson

SG: Holiday/Redick/Moore

SF: Ingram/Hart/Williams

PF: Williamson/Melli/Grantham

C: Favors/Okafor/Hayes

Who's Grantham?

[luckyman]

Like I said I can understand the flat game. I dont know why this team travels so much every preseason. I almost have to go see them Friday even if I dont feel like it...lol.

Still disappointed in Jrue. He has to be the constant. Yet came out in the 2nd half and stunk it up worse.

Oh well. Minutes are going to be super hard for Gentry this year. Good problem to have but a shame somebody will not see the floor.

[PelicanNation]

Like I said I can understand the flat game. I dont know why this team travels so much every preseason. I almost have to go see them Friday even if I dont feel like it...lol.

Still disappointed in Jrue. He has to be the constant. Yet came out in the 2nd half and stunk it up worse.

Oh well. Minutes are going to be super hard for Gentry this year. Good problem to have but a shame somebody will not see the floor.

It’s preseason Jrue will be fine.

[Pelicanidae]

edit: deleted

[Pelicanidae]

It doesn't really matter if Zion is 6'7'' or 6'8'' if he gets his shoulders below people's rib cages and just moves them out of the way like an empty trash can.

— TS% Eliot (@Cosmis) October 10, 2019

[Pelicanidae]

He looks like a smoother, stronger and taller Barkley.
Which is utterly insane.

— Board Man w/ the Numbers (#Him™ with the #s ���� ) (@AmericanNumbers) October 10, 2019

Just more comments and notes from basketball analytics/draft twitter.

Note: neither of these people are Pelicans fans in fact, Cosmis is a Bulls fan.

[Pelicanidae]

Few good nuggets from @ESPNStatsInfo on Pels game:

- Zion's 29 points were most by a rookie in last 3 preseasons.
- Also most by a No. 1 pick in the preseason since Rose hit 30 on 10/21/08
- 13 different Pels had at least 1 assist opportunity

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) October 10, 2019

[JJackisangry]

If I had to pick the odd man out so far, it would be Moore. Frank has more of an X factor, Hart has a more consistent shot, and I have to wager that Reddick will start tearing it up once he adjusts to the team. Hayes may also see limited minutes as he tries to put on weight. I’m not totally against that.

[luckyman]

I said Hayes would be a DNP/G-league candidate this year. Havent seen anything to change my mind. Just unfair to stick him out there right now.

He's got time and he is the eventual front court mate to Zion. Incubate him like the 76ers did with Embiid.

[Pelicanidae]

If I had to pick between Moore and Frank, I'd definitely pick Frank because at least he's younger and under contract a little longer, whereas Moore is expiring and is on the wrong side of 30.

But once the rotation narrows into the regular season, I think it's more likely that we're picking one of Moore, Frank, and NAW, and in that case Frank has to get shut out too because there's no way NAW shouldn't be playing immediately.

[Pelicanidae]

Zach LaVine on Zion Williamson: "He's the truth."

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 10, 2019

Sorry Paul Pierce.

[luckyman]

I bet Utah comes here a bit serious Friday. They got spanked by 34 tonight. I bet Gobert and Ingles will play.

Also seems both fans and teams are getting up to play the Pelicans. Damn Bulls couldnt miss tonight.

[JJackisangry]

If I had to pick between Moore and Frank, I'd definitely pick Frank because at least he's younger and under contract a little longer, whereas Moore is expiring and is on the wrong side of 30.

But once the rotation narrows into the regular season, I think it's more likely that we're picking one of Moore, Frank, and NAW, and in that case Frank has to get shut out too because there's no way NAW shouldn't be playing immediately.

NAW is most definitely first priority no doubt about it. Frank does however bring a little bit of that streakniness and speed that we lack at times. Not a bad option to have at the end of the bench. I’m a little over Moore at this point.

[Pelicanidae]

NAW is most definitely first priority no doubt about it. Frank does however bring a little bit of that streakniness and speed that we lack at times. Not a bad option to have at the end of the bench. I’m a little over Moore at this point.

For real. Moore does pretty much one thing at a high level, and that's shoot. He's not an absolute zero on defense, but he's not elite. His one high level skill is shooting.

And he just refuses to do it most of the time. I'd be more convinced about giving him minutes if he had a quick trigger, but instead giving him a wide open 3 point opportunity is a 50/50 chance on whether he'll take it, or whether he'll do some stupid dribble move into a turnover or a long 2 or a forced floater. Or just pass it into a worse shot. And it's not like he's 21, where he might develop, the dude is 30+. Completely over him.

[JJackisangry]

For real. Moore does pretty much one thing at a high level, and that's shoot. He's not an absolute zero on defense, but he's not elite. His one high level skill is shooting.

And he just refuses to do it most of the time. I'd be more convinced about giving him minutes if he had a quick trigger, but instead giving him a wide open 3 point opportunity is a 50/50 chance on whether he'll take it, or whether he'll do some stupid dribble move into a turnover or a long 2 or a forced floater. Or just pass it into a worse shot. And it's not like he's 21, where he might develop, the dude is 30+. Completely over him.

Those floaters bring Vietnam flashbacks don’t ever mention them again!