October 29th - New Orleans Pelicans vs Sacramento Kings - 1-4

[Pelicanidae]

Josh Hart questionable, Garrett Temple doubtful for Sacramento game

Injury Report: https://t.co/9P605jXHTw#Pelicans | @MorrisBartLLC

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 28, 2021

Coming off a close and frustrating loss, we move on to a game against the 2-2 Kings. This is one of the ones we really need to get. Very few people see the Kings as a playoff team this year, let alone a top tier seed, so losing the games against them the way that we might against Philly or Atlanta is not nearly so excusable. It's a good thing that we've been so competitive in a lot of these games without Zion, but the reality is that while that may be good it's also ultimately meaningless: a 1 point loss can ruin your playoff chances as much as a 40 point loss, and we need to start picking up a few wins.

Hopefully, the Kings are the team to give us that chance. Following up last year, where they had one of the worst defenses in NBA history, they're a bottom 4 defense again so far this year and a lot of the reasons why are obvious. They're the 11th worse rebounding team in the NBA, are bottom 13 in both steals and blocks, opponents get a lot of shots up against them and generally hit them at a high rate, and the Kings also give up a lot of FTs.

Harrison Barnes is having a career year thus far, Buddy Hield is posting yet another historically ridiculous shooting season (44.2% from 3 on 18.6 attempts per 100 thus far, which is just stupid), and while he's been struggling thus far with his efficiency, DeAaron Fox is one of those guys that could come back and just kill you at any time.

They certainly have some good players, we all know that, and while they're 2-2 and not great, we're 1-4 and also struggling, so it's not like we can afford to just take a win for granted. But the possibility exists, and that's something you have to really grasp at when you're in our position. Let's try and get a W.

[PaKwAn]

Fox usually plays very well against us and I don't see anyone stopping him if he gets it going, naw might be the best of the bunch to stay in front of him... Barnes who has played well this season is another one to keep an eye on, good thing we have herb to match him up with... If Mitchell guards Graham, it's going to be a rough night for Graham... It's an overall winnable game, but there's no guarantee with this team.. Oh and I don't see the kings have any answer to Jonas

[luckyman]

I'd give Sacramento the advantage since they are full strength. But the Pelicans have to feel a bit desperate at this point. And desperate teams are always the most dangerous. And NAW just isn't going to keep shooting this poorly. So Pels +2.

Also Denver started 1 -4 last year. Dallas was 8 - 13 at one point. Atlanta was 14 - 20 at one point. So 1 - 5 wouldn't spell the end this early in the year by a long shot, but the upcoming schedule is just not pleasant.

So yeah...desperation time.

[Pelicanidae]

I'd give Sacramento the advantage since they are full strength. But the Pelicans have to feel a bit desperate at this point. And desperate teams are always the most dangerous. And NAW just isn't going to keep shooting this poorly. So Pels +2.

Also Denver started 1 -4 last year. Dallas was 8 - 13 at one point. Atlanta was 14 - 20 at one point. So 1 - 5 wouldn't spell the end this early in the year by a long shot, but the upcoming schedule is just not pleasant.

So yeah...desperation time.

Yeah, the problem isn't so much ''1-5 is something you can't come back from'', it's just that the bigger the deficit you have to overcome to get back to .500, let alone above .500, the better your team has be full strength. Certainly not a deathblow but it puts so much pressure on the team later in the season that they don't need.

I guess the small advantage is that we face a lot of very good teams early. Dallas, Golden State, Phoenix, Knicks, Hawks, Bulls, Philly, all before November 10th. So we face teams we might have lost against anyway without Zion, then hopefully Zion returns at some point around then (nearly another two weeks from now, well over the 10-11 week average recovery time for a Jones fracture) just in time for us to play a relatively easier 10 game stretch to help right the record a bit?

Wishful thinking? Maybe, but it's not stopping me.

[Snarly]

The Pelicans should have an overwhelming advantage on the boards tonight. As long as they limit turnovers and defend like they have in the past couple of games, they should be in great shape to pull this one out.

[AD-AT]

Big key will be managing BI's 2nd half minutes this game. He can't be as tired as he has been the final 4 min of every game this year.

Need him rested to put the game away at the end like he did in our win.

[6warddude]

Big key will be managing BI's 2nd half minutes this game. He can't be as tired as he has been the final 4 min of every game this year.

Need him rested to put the game away at the end like he did in our win.

BI and jonas have been ironmen for us...

[ml wave]

Fox usually plays very well against us and I don't see anyone stopping him if he gets it going, naw might be the best of the bunch to stay in front of him... Barnes who has played well this season is another one to keep an eye on, good thing we have herb to match him up with... If Mitchell guards Graham, it's going to be a rough night for Graham... It's an overall winnable game, but there's no guarantee with this team.. Oh and I don't see the kings have any answer to Jonas

Let's just pray they don't put Mitchell on Kira.

[Taker597]

Pelicans ML is the play

[As I See It]

NAW's +/- Shooting Percentage vs. Kings = 30%

[13 - 3]

Surely we won’t lose to Alvin again tonight?

[TennMan23]

Before the season started I had the Pels winning 2 games in the month of October. The second game with the T-Wolves, which happened, and this one. Let’s hope I’m right.

[Pelicanidae]

Let's gooooo

[PELSGIRL]

I'm gonna have to come New Orleans and watch some of these games in person. I'm hearing the tix are cheap even tho people are there but I know that's b/c they want a team that wins.

[Pelicanidae]

Gotta say NAW's decisiveness and decision making has looked a bit better so far tonight than the last game. Not settling so much for threes, doing a bit more driving, which is opening up passes as well.

[PELSGIRL]

Bench giving us nothing per usual. Jaxson has been off.

[msusousaphone]

.......is Graham 100% on buzzer beating 3s....?

[PELSGIRL]

Devonte Graham has been playing great. Wish all the other players can get w/ him.

[PELSGIRL]

Alright Jaxson, let's go.

[Eman5805]

Don't think I forgot when I suggested we use this song for the team's theme song.



I don't need a check cut. Just holla next time y'all need a commercial. I got a pretty good voice for that.

[Pelicanidae]

3pt JV

[Pelicanidae]

The fact that this is currently only a 4 point game despite them shooting 54/43/80 and us shooting 39/20/60 is pretty impressive, honestly.

[sterlr]

Boy-o-boy the growing pains are frustrating. Guess I have to be patient with this team but it's hard.

[6warddude]

bench NAW for the second half and force someone else to step up on offense...

[Eman5805]

Just not making shots anymore. Murphy is just out there right now and we're very easy to defend.