What Constitutes 'Victory' in a Phoenix Series?

[MichaelMcNamara]

I am sure, for some of you, only winning the series will constitute victory. But for many of us, we know there is no chance (barring injuries and Covid taking down all the Suns) that the Pels can win this series. But there are still things to be gained. So, for the purpose of this thread, I am curious to know what things will make this a success for you IN PRIORITY ORDER. For me:

1. No injuries that carry into next year -- Give me this, and I will settle for nothing else on this list. Most important thing, IMO.

2. BI growing through struggles -- I expect Phoenix to throw a lot of different looks at him, including a 1st team All Defensive wing. He wont be perfect, but if he learns and gets better as the series goes on, that will be a huge plus.

3. 3 of the 4 lossess are single digits, and still in doubt with 6 minutes left to go in the 4th

4. 100+ minutes for Trey. No excuse for him not to play big minutes when the opposing forwards are Bridges, Crowder, and Johnson.

Everything on top of that is gravy. Of course I want a win or two. Of course I would love to see Jaxson play well. But as far as the top 4 things that I think will have value and be realistic, this is my list. How about you guys?

[AusPel]

CP3 telling Green he's coming home

[Pelicansfun]

No injuries.

Maximum effort. I am okay with losing by double digits if the guys play hard and we see the limitations of the roster.

A win on our home court would be huge for fan support.

And even though it’s unlikely, I would like Zion to taste playoff basketball even if it’s just 15 min off the bench in one game.

The top 3 would be a win for me. #4 is more lagniappe

[Pelicanidae]

No injuries, solid contributions from players with an actual future on the team (so basically, keep playing Trey/Jose/Herb as key parts of rotation) and I think it would be cool if we could steal a game. If we can't, no huge deal, as long as we're competing.

Basically just being here is a victory in a lot of ways so as long as we comport ourselves well as a team and don't just collapse into ridiculousness, I'll probably be fine.

[AusPel]

BI v Bridges is what interests me the most

Imagine if PG, Kawhi and Batum were rotating through him last night

[MichaelMcNamara]

BI v Bridges is what interests me the most

Imagine if PG, Kawhi and Batum were rotating through him last night

Cam Johnson will take his turns on him, Crowder too. It will be a nice test for BI, especially as Phoenix makes adjustments and gives him new looks. FWIW - Ingram only played in 2 of the games vs the Suns. 22/6/5.5. Shot 40% from the field, 0% from three, 3 turnovers per game. Not his best, not his worst.

[AusPel]

Have to say, I loved seeing BI going to work along the baseline with those turnaround Js

Took me right back to the 90s and 2000s

It's pretty rare in today's NBA, where the majority is face-up business

[MichaelMcNamara]

Have to say, I loved seeing BI going to work along the baseline with those turnaround Js

Took me right back to the 90s and 2000s

It's pretty rare in today's NBA, where the majority is face-up business

You will like Johnny Davis in this draft. One of the best guards I have seen coming into the league with that baseline, mid post turnaround. Not a fit for the Pels IMO, but if you like that, you should watch him wherever he goes

[hornetsrebirth]

Have to say, I loved seeing BI going to work along the baseline with those turnaround Js

Took me right back to the 90s and 2000s

It's pretty rare in today's NBA, where the majority is face-up business

for sure, he hit that Olajuwon dream shake a couple of times. Analytics made the mid range game go out of style but BI so good with it, forget the analytics

[AusPel]

I have seen him bandied as a top 10 pick, but will have a closer look. Thanks

[6warddude]

willie learning from this series and applying it to make him a better coach going forward.....he will see everything the suns have to win this series that he would not see in the regular season...

all of the players learning from this series and hope that they can understand and work on what it takes to improve on in order to get to the next level as players and as a team....

i can also say im glad the owner is getting paid for the team being in the playoffs...

[AusPel]

for sure, he hit that Olajuwon dream shake a couple of times. Analytics made the mid range game go out of style but BI so good with it, forget the analytics

I'm all about that mid range maestro revival

It takes a lot of skill to shake your opponent and then drill one over him

Especially when you're not a particularly fast twitch athlete, ala BI

[JJackisangry]

The midrange is much more valuable in the playoffs when good looks are harder to come by. In this sense, I can see BI being a big time postseason player.

[AusPel]

Is it weird to say there's some Kobe about BI now? Even MJ?

[AusPel]

The midrange is much more valuable in the playoffs when good looks are harder to come by. In this sense, I can see BI being a big time postseason player.

You have to start looking at BI as a top 20-25 player

[MichaelMcNamara]

The midrange is much more valuable in the playoffs when good looks are harder to come by. In this sense, I can see BI being a big time postseason player.

The key is not making it your whole game and settling. I would say Kawhi was the mid range king there for a while, and he took about 1/3rd of his shots in the mid range in the regular season, and the same amount in the postseason. Slightly increased his shots at the rim and from 3, actually, in the postseason. This year, Ingram took about 48% of his shots in the mid range, which was up from 41% last year. Yesterday, he didnt even attempt a 3. His mid range was hitting. He was 4-6 from inside 6 feet, including 3-3 at the rim.

He is gonna have to take and make some 3's to really open things up for others, and he needs to keep attacking the rim too. He hits his mid range jumper at the 46 or 47 percent clip over the past two years, but he is close to 70% at the rim and even 32 percent from 3 would be more efficient than the mid range percentage. He has to have a good mix.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Is it weird to say there's some Kobe about BI now? Even MJ?

Sure, in the way that it reminds me of the Zach Galifinakis line to Charlize Theron

"My wife looks a little like you.....and a lot like Dog the Bounty Hunter"

Ingram is good, but lets compare him to the Tatum or Carmelo caliber first, before we get to top 15 players of all time

[AusPel]

Prob did get a bit excited there

But it's 3am and I have had a drink

[UNO Gracias]

We are playing with house money at this point, we have already exceeded mine (and everyone else’s expectations for this team entering the season). This is nothing barring a massive injury to BI or CJ that would have me thinking that this series is a loss. If we take a win out of this, I’m willing to write in Willie for mayor of New Orleans.

[6warddude]

i think BI will use this series to put the league on notice and have his booker moment...then will have to see how he will follow up on it next season.....those last 2 elimination games BI didnt fold and took on the challenge....

[MichaelMcNamara]

i think BI will use this series to put the league on notice and have his booker moment...then will have to see how he will follow up on it next season.....those last 2 elimination games BI didnt fold and took on the challenge....

What would "putting the league on notice" look like to you, specifically?

Personally, I would be impressed with anything more than - 25/5/5 on 46/37/85. Thats kind of what I would expect. More than that would be a step up for him. But maybe more importantly, I want those similar efficiencies at the end of game. If he goes gang busters in the first half of all the games and then is bad at end of games, its not really a "league on notice" thing, even though the stats might seem big because of the scoring in the non winning time moments.

[MichaelMcNamara]

We are playing with house money at this point, we have already exceeded mine (and everyone else’s expectations for this team entering the season). This is nothing barring a massive injury to BI or CJ that would have me thinking that this series is a loss. If we take a win out of this, I’m willing to write in Willie for mayor of New Orleans.

Depends on the win. I have seen countless teams go up 2-0 and then chill Game 3 before winning in 5. Lets not forget, we won Game 3 vs the Nuggets, then they came back and won by 58 in Game 4. A win where the opponent is going all out >>>> winning game 3 in a Gentlemens sweep IMO

[Eyquem]

The biggest win for the Pelicans might simply be the national exposure. A San Antonio Spurs site I look at frequently is now suddenly full of posts about what an incredible defender Herb is, and that's after seeing him in one game. Future free agents will be watching this series, so who knows what effect that could have in the coming years. It has always been a mystery to me that New Orleans hasn't been more of a destination for players, just based on its incredible culture, history, and architecture, but I suppose it's somewhat understandable that a bigger percentage of rich guys in their 20s find the diversity of strip clubs and glitzy nightclubs available in Miami and L.A. more alluring.

[SoCal4Pels]

Injuries are a random/uncontrollable variable, so I personally wouldn't base "success" around something of that nature; you play hard and the chips fall where they may. That is sports.

For me:

1. I am somewhere between not getting swept to winning two games against Phoenix

2. Seeing if Willie Green can learn from his mistakes by maximizing floor time for BI/CJ/Herb/Trey + (Jonas/Jose/Nance/Jax)... and not putting !@$%&* Snell in before Trey, which makes me doubt Green's brain is fully functional...

In all honesty, I already consider the season a great success regardless of what happens in the series due to seeing how the team has turned itself around after its terrible start, watching the front office learn from their mistakes by rectifying the Steven Adams, Bledsoe mistakes, the excellent scouting/drafting of our rookies, and how the team made the playoffs through showing consistently great effort in an extremely cutthroat western conference WITHOUT Zion and with a horrendous start to the season...

Been watching BI since he was a rook, and he's got that MJ/Kobe work ethic without being a total !@#$% psychopath like those two, so I am super happy for him that he finally made the playoffs.

[MichaelMcNamara]

The biggest win for the Pelicans might simply be the national exposure. A San Antonio Spurs site I look at frequently is now suddenly full of posts about what an incredible defender Herb is, and that's after seeing him in one game. Future free agents will be watching this series, so who knows what effect that could have in the coming years. It has always been a mystery to me that New Orleans hasn't been more of a destination for players, just based on its incredible culture, history, and architecture, but I suppose it's somewhat understandable that a bigger percentage of rich guys in their 20s find the diversity of strip clubs and glitzy nightclubs available in Miami and L.A. more alluring.

The 2007-08 team won 56 games and had perhaps the most pass first point guard in the league, and none of the premier guys even remotely considered the team. However, you could become a team that guys dont mind being traded to. This past offseason, Griff had some talks but guys like Lillard and Beal werent interested and let that be known. Perhaps you could become that level of small market team - where guys wont say no to being traded to your city, but New Orleans wont be a place guys try to go. Thats reserved for like 4-6 markets. Guys dont even go to Dallas as free agents. Its not something to realistically strive for, but getting into that "I dont mind" tier is a win