November 2nd - New Orleans Pelicans @ LA Lakers - 4-2

[Pelicanidae]

The problem is that they were demoralized in OT. They shouldn’t have been there. The guy just needed to make one FT. It’s not that hard but this team can’t do it.

The thing is, while it's absolutely fair to put blame on him in that moment for not hitting a FT, there's so much room for critiquing others.

We wouldn't have needed him to hit that FT if CJ had shot even *slightly* better than he did. We gave up 19 points off turnovers, so basically anyone could have just not given up the ball one more time and that's the win. Jonas shot 3/11 from the floor; even 4/11, which is still awful, and we win. Trey went 0/5 from 3, that's not like him: even 1/5 would have been a win.

So many areas where just one thing different would have made it so the entire fate of the game didn't rest on the shoulders of a rookie that Green barely even plays. Yet, the team put themselves in that position. Blame him for missing, blame everyone else for him missing being consequential.

[hornetsrebirth]

Can someone explain why Pels didn?t foul to prevent tying 3 pointer? I wasn?t able to watch the game.

It was a quick catch and shoot behind the three point line

[HoustonRox]

Gonna have to avoid the internet tomorrow because ya'll know...

"the Lakers are back!"

I'll throw up just hearing one syllable of Shannon Sharp's voice.

The Lakers with Westbrook embracing a bench role is a contender.

[Pelicanidae]

The Lakers with Westbrook embracing a bench role is a contender.

I don't think even the Lakers believe that.

[Silverfoxx]

Gonna have to avoid the internet tomorrow because ya'll know...

"the Lakers are back!"

I'll throw up just hearing one syllable of Shannon Sharp's voice.

Fax. Same

[AusPel]

Sons, I am irate

[hornetsrebirth]

AD just said that he overheard TM3 talking to someone on defense for that last play of regulation sounding confused like he didn't know what to do

[Jaxpel]

It was a quick catch and shoot behind the three point line

Why didn?t Pels foul on the catch? We?re they not all outside the 3 pt line ready to contend the catch?

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Why didn?t Pels foul on the catch? We?re they not all outside the 3 pt line ready to contend the catch?

No they packed the paint....like you know.....

[hornetsrebirth]

AD also just said their whole offensive strategy was to find whoever CJ was guarding and put him in the pick and roll

[HoustonRox]

I don't think even the Lakers believe that.

I’m sure they do otherwise they wouldn’t have beat two playoff teams in back to back games with Westbrook a top 2 player for them in both games.

[Jaxpel]

No they packed the paint....like you know.....

You?re kidding me right? There should not have been one Pel inside the 3 pt line. Willie really blew it if that was the case.

[Chris]

You?re kidding me right? There should not have been one Pel inside the 3 pt line. Willie really blew it if that was the case.

That indeed was the case. That's why I want to know exactly what strategy they were discussing during the break before that final play started.

[Pelicanidae]

I’m sure they do otherwise they wouldn’t have beat two playoff teams in back to back games with Westbrook a top 2 player for them in both games.

Sure, and the other top contenders this season must be Utah and Portland because they have some of the league's top records in *checks* early November.

Huge rushing to conclusions. Lakers roster is still overall terrible. Still generally old. Still reliant on injury prone figures. Moving Westbrook to the bench is not, on its own, the difference between a top 5 draft pick and becoming a title contender. It's small sample size overreaction and recency bias at work here, I think.

[luckyman]

Why didn?t Pels foul on the catch? We?re they not all outside the 3 pt line ready to contend the catch?

Our 2nd year guy, Trey Murphy, decided to contest rather than foul on the catch. No telling if he got scared or was told not to foul.

Nevermind the inbounds was a cross court pass nobody saw but Matt Ryan.

[luckyman]

I’m sure they do otherwise they wouldn’t have beat two playoff teams in back to back games with Westbrook a top 2 player for them in both games.

You're trolling and its weak trolling. They were one made free throw away from losing to a team missing their best player and 2 starters in total. At the end of a long road trip.

Do better fam. You're starting to sound like the guy here who trolls this site with many aliases.

[PaKwAn]

Even AD was saying before that play started to just guard the perimeter..of course we didn't do that.. the guys had an extra day off while being in LA was not a good thing

[stevemadden504]

Bad lose but we win this game when healthy.

[Jaxpel]

Pels should have been in a zone with 5 guys spread out just outside the 3 pt line, then instructed to jump into the player catching the pass, fouling him before he can get a shot off. C’mon, Willie, that’s common sense.

[Eman5805]

I’m baffled that ppl think in a catch and shoot scenario why aren’t we fouling on the catch….

Maybe because then we’d be fouling a shooter? And sending him to the line?

[PaKwAn]

Im mostly disappointed with the defense tonight, there were a number of times that the lakers had a 3 on 1 2 on 1 fastbreak opportunity..they also had a bunch of 2nd opportunities that we could have just grabbed or protected. We can't guard anyone from driving to the lane, this was apparent in that utah game as well

[luckyman]

I’m baffled that ppl think in a catch and shoot scenario why aren’t we fouling on the catch….

Maybe because then we’d be fouling a shooter? And sending him to the line?

So what? Make Matt freakin Ryan make all 3 free throws under pressure. Our rookie couldn't make one, and theirs would have needed to make all 3.

If he fouls early enough, and he had the opportunity, it would have been 2 free throws anyway. Mat Ryan actually looked down to make sure he was inbounds before shooting the ball.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Im mostly disappointed with the defense tonight, there were a number of times that the lakers had a 3 on 1 2 on 1 fastbreak opportunity..they also had a bunch of 2nd opportunities that we could have just grabbed or protected. We can't guard anyone from driving to the lane, this was apparent in that utah game as well

I have said it for weeks. We need a C who can guard the rim. Nance and JV aren't the answer.
They will get found out in the playoffs.

[hornetsrebirth]

Would have liked to see Willie Green take timeouts at the end of the half when the Pelicans were going into a skid, and at the end of OT game when we needed a 3 point to tie. Get the team settled in, get the right guys on the floor for the situation. And definitely need to have people prepared to defend coming out of a timeout the last play of regulation.

[hornetsrebirth]

I have said it for weeks. We need a C who can guard the rim. Nance and JV aren't the answer.
They will get found out in the playoffs.

Jonas could have done a better job at the rim, defending and definitely grabbing rebounds that Pat Beverly was getting. Only thing I can think is they were trying to prevent him from getting switched out on the perimeter, because that's where he gets exposed not in the paint.