11th November - New Orleans Pelicans VS Houston Rockets - 2-7

[Pelicanidae]

We won a game. It was against the Charlotte Hornets, but it was on the road and they were 4-4, so I'm taking it as a good thing.

Last game, we were not perfect. It was not a flawless outing by any means. There were rough patches, a continuation of Gentry's famously dodgy rotations, and a few terrible lineups, but at the end of the day we walked out of it with another win. We are no longer the worst team in the NBA by record, and that's a good thing.

Rather than go over the Rocket's statistics in every category, the first thing I'm going to do is highlight some of the key players from last game.

Props have to go to Kenrich Williams, who posted a +69 net rating in that game (nice) in 28 minutes of play. His impact was surpassed only by Jaxson Hayes, who posted a +86, and Josh Hart, who posted a +103. Obviously, single game net rating is not some magical arbiter of the best players on a team or anything, but playing 20+ minutes and still maintaining such a bonkers rating is kind of unbelievable. Well done to those guys.

Moving on to this game, we take on the Rockets. They are currently 6-3, and coming off a big 117-94 win against the Chicago Bulls. The Rockets currently have the 2nd highest Offensive Rating in the NBA (we are 15th) and the 21st best Defensive Rating (we are 28th). So obviously they're doing a little better than us.

Unfortunately, this is also not an opportunity for us to take advantage with pace: we are the league's 2nd highest pace right now, but the Rockets are number 1, and they're coming off a night of rest just like we are.

James Harden is currently taking 14.4 threes a game, and shooting 30% on them. Westbrook is shooting only 4.4 threes per night, but he's down to 23.5%. Those two are combining for Bad Perimeter Shooting at the moment, and adding in Eric Gordon's 8 threes a night at 25.4%, there comes only one real explanation for how they can have such a strong offensive efficiency with such poor shooting: James Harden is taking 15 free throws a game, and is shooting 89% on them. So that means the name of the game tonight is Foul Control.

If we can play with the same defensive integrity we showed in Charlotte, and manage to avoid turning the ball over 26 times and fouling a ton, we can win this despite the obvious difference in team quality. It all comes down to discipline and communication: this will test whether Charlotte was just a fluke, or whether we're actually improving.

Let's go out and do our best. #WBD.

[Fedupfan]

We won a game. It was against the Charlotte Hornets, but it was on the road and they were 4-4, so I'm taking it as a good thing.

Last game, we were not perfect. It was not a flawless outing by any means. There were rough patches, a continuation of Gentry's famously dodgy rotations, and a few terrible lineups, but at the end of the day we walked out of it with another win. We are no longer the worst team in the NBA by record, and that's a good thing.

Rather than go over the Rocket's statistics in every category, the first thing I'm going to do is highlight some of the key players from last game.

Props have to go to Kenrich Williams, who posted a +69 net rating in that game (nice) in 28 minutes of play. His impact was surpassed only by Jaxson Hayes, who posted a +86, and Josh Hart, who posted a +103. Obviously, single game net rating is not some magical arbiter of the best players on a team or anything, but playing 20+ minutes and still maintaining such a bonkers rating is kind of unbelievable. Well done to those guys.

Moving on to this game, we take on the Rockets. They are currently 6-3, and coming off a big 117-94 win against the Chicago Bulls. The Rockets currently have the 2nd highest Offensive Rating in the NBA (we are 15th) and the 21st best Defensive Rating (we are 28th). So obviously they're doing a little better than us.

Unfortunately, this is also not an opportunity for us to take advantage with pace: we are the league's 2nd highest pace right now, but the Rockets are number 1, and they're coming off a night of rest just like we are.

James Harden is currently taking 14.4 threes a game, and shooting 30% on them. Westbrook is shooting only 4.4 threes per night, but he's down to 23.5%. Those two are combining for Bad Perimeter Shooting at the moment, and adding in Eric Gordon's 8 threes a night at 25.4%, there comes only one real explanation for how they can have such a strong offensive efficiency with such poor shooting: James Harden is taking 15 free throws a game, and is shooting 89% on them. So that means the name of the game tonight is Foul Control.

If we can play with the same defensive integrity we showed in Charlotte, and manage to avoid turning the ball over 26 times and fouling a ton, we can win this despite the obvious difference in team quality. It all comes down to discipline and communication: this will test whether Charlotte was just a fluke, or whether we're actually improving.

Let's go out and do our best. #WBD.

They absolutely have to slow the game down and dictate it. That’s the way to beat the Rockets.

[SoCal4Pels]

^Especially considering the benefits Jrue, Favors, and Reddick experienced with a slowed pace last game.

Wow had no idea flopping Pansy McBeardface was only shooting 30% from three... what a great thing it would be if that number stayed steady, though doubtful.

There have been some sequences with him just playing atrocious defense, so whoever he is guarding should go at him aggressively. He also has remained passive on offense when he's not pounding the air out of the ball, so whoever is guarding him should help out when he starts looking disinterested, i.e., when it's Westbrook's turn to try to score.

Looking forward to continue seeing Jrue playing a lot more at the 1 position hopefully.

[Taker597]

Am i the only one that feels the team players better with a middle of the pack pace. We never had the consistent shooters to push as many possessions as possible.

[Pelicanidae]

Alvin Gentry says he’s going to start the same lineup vs the Rockets tonight as in Charlotte: Holiday, Redick, Ingram, Kenrich and Favors.

— Oleh Kosel (@OlehKosel) November 11, 2019

[Impose]

Nothing like a game against the Pels to up your 3pt%... Harden will hit 10 3's tonight. Eric Gordon will hit 6 or so and i'll prolly turn it off when it's 80-50 at half time.

Being optimistic here...

[Pelicanidae]

Nothing like a game against the Pels to up your 3pt%... Harden will hit 10 3's tonight. Eric Gordon will hit 6 or so and i'll prolly turn it off when it's 80-50 at half time.

Being optimistic here...

Worst definition of optimistic I've ever heard in my life. Especially when we've already played the Rockets, only lost by 3 while on the road, and Harden shot 11% from 3 (2 for 18).

Obviously a new game is a new game, and maybe Harden does go lights out tonight, but I feel like attributing that to it being ''against the Pels'' is kind of harsh, given that he's already played against the Pels and was terrible.

[Fedupfan]

Nothing like a game against the Pels to up your 3pt%... Harden will hit 10 3's tonight. Eric Gordon will hit 6 or so and i'll prolly turn it off when it's 80-50 at half time.

Being optimistic here...

Funny thing is that it could really be like that if Pels decide to out run them.

[msusousaphone]

We are clearly the better team and will win by double digits.

[Pelicanidae]

We are clearly the better team and will win by double digits.

Now that's more like it.

Get Ready Westbrick and -arden, the Rockets are losing by 30 tonight.

[GuardianAngel25]

WTF!! Now Ingram is a late scratch for the game and will not be playing?! This is the crap Gentry has dealt with all season long. I’m sure he will get the blame for losing tonight without our 2 best players against 2 super stars..

[SeapeaNOLA]

Now that's more like it.

Get Ready Westbrick and -arden, the Rockets are losing by 30 tonight.

Welp, so much for that. Ingram is out.

[GuardianAngel25]

Only thing I can do is be excited to see some guys get extended minutes. We have a team capable of taking out the Rockets but everyone needs to be clicking. Would be an awesome win tonight if we can pull it off!

[SeapeaNOLA]

Only thing I can do is be excited to see some guys get extended minutes. We have a team capable of taking out the Rockets but everyone needs to be clicking. Would be an awesome win tonight if we can pull it off!

Awesome, but unlikely.

[Pelicanidae]

Welp, so much for that. Ingram is out.

As long as Kenny Hustle plays 35 minutes... we have a chance...

We only play Ingram anyway in order to give other teams a sporting chance. If we played Kenny Hustle 48 minutes, we'd just go 82-0 and that would ruin everyone's fun.

[Pelicanidae]

For fans wondering what happened to B.I.'s R knee: he successfully went through shoot around this am & pre game warm ups tonight. When he sat down after warm ups, the knee tightened up. @PelicansNBA tell me they want to rest B.I. until tests are done tomorrow, including an MRI.

— Jennifer Hale (@JenHale504) November 12, 2019

Pelicans: “let’s finally beat this bad injury luck!”

Pelicans’ knees: pic.twitter.com/LyFqe5E9jE

— Tyler (@TyNOLA5) November 12, 2019

“Won’t bow down” is appropriate, basically because it’s impossible for them to bow because none of the team has knees

— Ryan Hebert (@RyanHebert89) November 12, 2019

[GuardianAngel25]

For fans wondering what happened to B.I.'s R knee: he successfully went through shoot around this am & pre game warm ups tonight. When he sat down after warm ups, the knee tightened up. @PelicansNBA tell me they want to rest B.I. until tests are done tomorrow, including an MRI.

— Jennifer Hale (@JenHale504) November 12, 2019

Pelicans: “let’s finally beat this bad injury luck!”

Pelicans’ knees: pic.twitter.com/LyFqe5E9jE

— Tyler (@TyNOLA5) November 12, 2019

“Won’t bow down” is appropriate, basically because it’s impossible for them to bow because none of the team has knees

— Ryan Hebert (@RyanHebert89) November 12, 2019

WoW!

[Fedupfan]

Is there anything as a fan of this team to be excited about? Someone help me of the ledge

[Pelicanidae]

Is there anything as a fan of this team to be excited about? Someone help me of the ledge

Kenny Hustle exists, is indestructible, and will drop 82 tonight in a dominant win.

[Fedupfan]

Kenny Hustle exists, is indestructible, and will drop 82 tonight in a dominant win.

I mean did they really have to include the MRI talk? Last time we heard that it was a disaster. I can’t remember the last time a Pels player got an MRI and didn’t get a month absence

[GuardianAngel25]

Is there anything as a fan of this team to be excited about? Someone help me of the ledge

We have one of the youngest teams in the NBA. We get to watch a lot of them get more minutes while also hoping Jrue and JJ play up th their potential. If we win it would be huge down our 2 best players and if we lose oh well our team wasn’t expected to have a real chance. Lots of good can come out of this game.

[Pelicanidae]

I mean did they really have to include the MRI talk? Last time we heard that it was a disaster. I can’t remember the last time a Pels player got an MRI and didn’t get a month absence

When MRI machines break, they call in Kenny to diagnose them.

He is forever. He is always. Not even time itself can take that away from you.

[GuardianAngel25]

Jrue and JJ have to be on tonight along with our bench stepping up. If we can hit our 3s with guys like Kenny, Hart, NAW, Frank, and Moore we have a real shot. Have to hit our shots!

[Creative]

2-8 coming...

[SoCal4Pels]

Alvin Gentry says he’s going to start the same lineup vs the Rockets tonight as in Charlotte: Holiday, Redick, Ingram, Kenrich and Favors.

— Oleh Kosel (@OlehKosel) November 11, 2019

Look at Alvin using his thinkin' organ! <3 There is hope yet.