March 3rd - New Orleans Pelicans vs Chicago Bulls - 15-19

[Pelicanidae]

No #Pelicans players listed on injury report for tomorrow's game vs. Chicago

📄: https://t.co/BOUuup3BB2@SmoothieKing | #WontBowDown pic.twitter.com/HwwrVnCH4A

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 2, 2021

Nobody on the injury report tonight.

After pulling off something of an upset win last game against the Utah Jazz, we move on tonight to a game against the 15-18 Chicago Bulls, the first of our back to back here (tomorrow is against Miami).

We last played the Bulls about 3 weeks ago and they beat us by double digits in a pretty embarrassing loss, to tell the truth: Zach Lavine smoked us and it's not like getting lit up by Coby White is any less ridiculous today than it was then.

The Bulls are the most average offense in the NBA: exactly 15th in the league, and their defense is a little worse than that at 17th. This isn't a terrible terrible team, but they are what their record indicates.

Our team should be coming into tonight looking to prove that we're better than our record. Are we? I doubt it, honestly, but that should be the mindset of the team. We just beat Utah and while the final score was close, it really shouldn't have been: we had a huge lead late in the game. So there's no way we should be complacent but we should also take some confidence from that win.

Tonight should be a statement win at home. A thorough annihilation of the Bulls isn't out of reach if we're willing to dip into our Occasional Defense Effort Reserves. Do that for even just 75% of the game and it's ours. Knowing us, that's asking too much: let's see.

[new city champ]

No doubt I’ll regret saying it, but I do think the Pels may be turning a corner. It wasn’t just the win over Utah. I like the way they are competing with good teams even when they lose. It just looks like, as we near the midpoint of the season, they are finally gelling and gaining more of an identity where players know their roles and how to play together. Defense is obviously still a problem and they still struggle to close games out, but to me at least, they look like they are starting to get it...

[Taker597]

I feel much better about this game than last time.

[sterlr]

I feel much better about this game than last time.

I do too. Seems this young team has a style they can hang their talent on. Looks like they're starting to figure out who they are and the team is NOW unselfish and want to win.

[JJackisangry]

I feel much better about this game than last time.

I do not. It’s the Pelicans way

[Pelicanidae]

I do too. Seems this young team has a style they can hang their talent on. Looks like they're starting to figure out who they are and the team is NOW unselfish and want to win.

Our style is ''Score everything in the paint and play defense 12% of the time'', which is certainly something.

[JJackisangry]

Our style is ''Score everything in the paint and play defense 12% of the time'', which is certainly something.

Very avant-garde

[AusPel]

inb4 we suck and Lonzo has a timid game and everyone starts doubting everything again

[JJackisangry]

I’d at the very least like to see us like we were early in the year and just very active with our hands in the passing lanes and disruptive. If we aren’t going to be stalwart defensively at least rack up on transition baskets and use your God-given length

[Stalwart385]

Our style is ''Score everything in the paint and play defense 12% of the time'', which is certainly something.

A bad plan is better than no plan at all.

[Pelicanidae]

His rate is competitive with peak Amar'e, Giannis, and LeBron, the current 2-4 behind Shaq in this regard.

— Eustacchio Raulli (@EVR1022) March 3, 2021

[AusPel]

His rate is competitive with peak Amar'e, Giannis, and LeBron, the current 2-4 behind Shaq in this regard.

— Eustacchio Raulli (@EVR1022) March 3, 2021

So he's not being hosed 100% of the time, but he's still being hosed, just like Shaq was

[Pelicanidae]

So he's not being hosed 100% of the time, but he's still being hosed, just like Shaq was

Well that's only and-1s. There are also a bunch of fouls that don't get called where he just doesn't make a shot, so that never counts into things like this.

The thing about Zion is that he's averaging 8 FTAs a game, which is in the top 20 in the league. It's not like he just never gets to the line or anything. It's just that if he got called fairly, he'd be at the line 12 times a game instead and lead the league.

So yeah, kind Shaq-esque.

[Taker597]

[Taker597]

Two questions, please....

1. How do you define "TERRIBLE"? Chicago's record, offensive ranking, and defensive ranking all indicate that they are an average team to me, but I could be wrong.
2. If they are, indeed, "TERRIBLE", how to you characterize the Pelicans given that the Bulls lineup has been in flux and our records are virtually the same?

I think you skimmed over a few words.


He did not call Chicago terrible. He just calls them average.

[As I See It]

I think you skimmed over a few words.


He did not call Chicago terrible. He just calls them average.

Thank you for setting me str8, my apologies to him

[Taker597]

Thank you for setting me str8, my apologies to him

All good m8

I had to double take too

[Taker597]

Team is ice cold.

[6warddude]

zion has the bulls in foul trouble by himself lol...now lets see if we can take advantage of it..

[6warddude]

we cant make free throws right now

[6warddude]

damn zion lol...lawd

[Taker597]

Rough start. We usually don't have bad 1st QTR. Chicago scoring just gives us fits.

[Taker597]

Great recovery

[6warddude]

2nd unit of lonzo,,hart,,billy,,zion and jj are playing defense again....lonzo and hart when active get the whole unit playing defense lol...

[Taker597]

Founds something worse than our defense. Chicago commentary team... I need AD yelling in my ear.