December 7th - New Orleans Pelicans VS Los Angeles Lakers - VEGAS - 12-10

[6warddude]

LeBron played 23mins ....I honestly thought that he would had to play 40mins for them to beat us ....

We played with more hustle and energy in 3 games in four days then today ...maybe the rest days was to much for us...maybe we should have played Wednesday lol..

[As I See It]

Also, just to be clear. I would never pin a single loss on one player. I'm simply saying your Franchise, generational cornerstone player.. can't be terrible on defense and loaf up the court play after play. Franchise players make play easier for everyone else on the court. I'm not seeing that from Zion, the way we've seen it before. If he wasn't capable I wouldn't be saying this. But I know he is.. He's shown us already.

Simply stated: A $197,000,000 Max Player cannot play like HE DID / DOES. PERIOD!! This team has bent over backwards and mortgaged its future, to provide for his. Can anyone really say that $197,000,000 was something he earned or deserved based on the 114 games he played over the four years prior to this year? Can anyone really say that his dedication to his craft on the court, and off, is deserving of a $197,000,000 Max Contract and a 'safe' investment?

That $197,000,000 Max Contract has made our guy a much bigger liability to the Pels than Greg Oden ever was to the Trailblazers or Ben Simmons was to the 76'ers. Oden, at least had an excuse...a genetic defect, while Simmons, on the other hand, has amassed numerous post-season NBA honors. All our guy can show you is a broken bathroom scale.

DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE!!!

[Nichols]

Simply stated: A $197,000,000 Max Player cannot play like HE DID / DOES. PERIOD!! This team has bent over backwards and mortgaged its future, to provide for his. Can anyone really say that $197,000,000 was something he earned or deserved based on the 114 games he played over the four years prior to this year? Can anyone really say that his dedication to his craft on the court, and off, is deserving of a $197,000,000 Max Contract and a 'safe' investment?

That $197,000,000 Max Contract has made our guy a much bigger liability to the Pels than Greg Oden ever was to the Trailblazers or Ben Simmons was to the 76'ers. Oden, at least had an excuse...a genetic defect, while Simmons, on the other hand, has amassed numerous post-season NBA honors. All our guy can show you is a broken bathroom scale.

DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE!!!

I agree for the most part.. But, I believe his pay is justified based on potential.. and what he's shown us he's capable of. With that being said, I have no idea what it would take for him to play up to his potential. He just doesn't seem motivated enough.

[jawznola]

Hawk is, without a doubt, the single worst defender on this team and it is not close.

So the reason you point out - Naji and Dyson play defense - is exactly the reason he's not getting play in a shortened rotation.

The bigger complaint about us needing threes is Trey. Desperate for 3s, Trey is sat right there and you play him 9.5 minutes in the first half. That's inexcusable.

Right, because Dyson and Naji locked down all the Lakers right??? When you?re down 30 it doesn?t matter who the hell is in the game if they don?t have the offensive ability to get you back in there. Miss me with this defensive crap.

[Ivan Balakhonov]

I was afraid that Zion's max contract would bury this team. And absolutely nothing happened yet to make me believe otherwise. To disintegrate like this on the national TV is inexcusable. Last night looked eerily similar to that infamous loss to the Nuggets in the 2009 playoffs. This squad is so talented and they are capable of playing exciting basketball, yet when it really matters they just don't show up. I'm really annoyed with this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team. It's like a roller coaster. One night you believe they can do anything only to discover next time that they can be as mediocre as the most mediocre team in the NBA.

[ml wave]

And we had an extra day of rest compared to the Lakers as well..

I'm guessing an extra day of "rest" in Vegas didn't do us any favors.

[Freyfamilyreuni]

Simply stated: A $197,000,000 Max Player cannot play like HE DID / DOES. PERIOD!! This team has bent over backwards and mortgaged its future, to provide for his. Can anyone really say that $197,000,000 was something he earned or deserved based on the 114 games he played over the four years prior to this year? Can anyone really say that his dedication to his craft on the court, and off, is deserving of a $197,000,000 Max Contract and a 'safe' investment?

That $197,000,000 Max Contract has made our guy a much bigger liability to the Pels than Greg Oden ever was to the Trailblazers or Ben Simmons was to the 76'ers. Oden, at least had an excuse...a genetic defect, while Simmons, on the other hand, has amassed numerous post-season NBA honors. All our guy can show you is a broken bathroom scale.

DEFENSE...DEFENSE...DEFENSE!!!

That broken bathroom scale is actually the team’s get out of jail card. I’m pretty sure that Zion is over his weight limit right now. So if the team wants to go nuclear, they can.

[13 - 3]

I'm guessing an extra day of "rest" in Vegas didn't do us any favors.

What happened in Vegas stays in Vegas.

[13 - 3]

That broken bathroom scale is actually the team’s get out of jail card. I’m pretty sure that Zion is over his weight limit right now. So if the team wants to go nuclear, they can.

As long as we beat the good teams like we have been doing we should be okay for the real tournament in April.

[Karas]

As long as we beat the good teams like we have been doing we should be okay for the real tournament in April.

Hmmm, I am not sure I agree. Yesterday was a preview of a game that really matters. In light of that pressure Pels completely fell apart. Total disintegration! Beating good teams in regular season games is one thing. Based on the Vegas game, does not look like this team and its supposed generational leader are anywhere near ready for Big Time!

[hornetsrebirth]

The most glaring thing was Zion's energy but I'm also realizing that we had a bad game plan. The announcer called out how the Pelicans were running a 4/5 screen with Jonas and Zion which the Lakers loved because they can switch AD and Lebron. As much as Z deserves the blame for not rising to the occasion, we didn't really put him in a great position for success either.

[6warddude]

The most glaring thing was Zion's energy but I'm also realizing that we had a bad game plan. The announcer called out how the Pelicans were running a 4/5 screen with Jonas and Zion which the Lakers loved because they can switch AD and Lebron. As much as Z deserves the blame for not rising to the occasion, we didn't really put him in a great position for success either.

barkley was complaining about us using zion as point forward instead of us using him to finish...

[6warddude]

i also believe those 2 charging calls took zion out of his game....i saw 3 times that when zion attacked the basket and made contact with lebron,,lebron fell to the floor...

2 charges and a miss layup and zion not getting the calls, i guess took him out mentally....

[As I See It]

i also believe those 2 charging calls took zion out of his game....i saw 3 times that when zion attacked the basket and made contact with lebron,,lebron fell to the floor...

2 charges and a miss layup and zion not getting the calls, i guess took him out mentally....

He's 'Charmin' soft.

Of course, this is nothing new coming from me; I've only said it seemingly forever making me the forum's pariah.

[djrnno]

Soft coach, soft team. Nuff said

[ragincaucasian]

Zion is a fat kid with hundreds of millions of dollars. He doesn't care and never will. Did just enough to get the bag and then shut it down.

He will never be in shape. He will never have a killer mentality. He will never be a leader.

The lazy waddle close outs to defend the 3 ball tells you all you need to know.

At this point just trade for Draymond and let the drama unfold. I need some entertainment of some sort since we are going to be a middling team literally forever.

[Darkhorse985]

Zion is a fat kid with hundreds of millions of dollars. He doesn't care and never will. Did just enough to get the bag and then shut it down.

He will never be in shape. He will never have a killer mentality. He will never be a leader.

The lazy waddle close outs to defend the 3 ball tells you all you need to know.

At this point just trade for Draymond and let the drama unfold. I need some entertainment of some sort since we are going to be a middling team literally forever.

I?d take this trade:

Zion, Kira, Liddell

For

Draymond, Kuminga, Payton, and GS 2025 1st unprotected

[PELICANSFAN]

I?d take this trade:

Zion, Kira, Liddell

For

Draymond, Kuminga, Payton, and GS 2025 1st unprotected

Is that a joke?

[donato]

lol. Draymond is almost 34 years old. Hard pass.

[Darkhorse985]

lol. Draymond is almost 34 years old. Hard pass.

The prize in that deal is Kuminga and a 1st. Draymond brings a vet to enforce and raise the expectation of the team for a couple years. He is on the same timeline as CJ. I agree that the Pels should fire WG at the end of the year if the team underperforms. Too much talent.

PG: CJ/Daniels/Jose
SG: Ingram/Hawkins/Payton
SF: Jones/Murphy/Ryan
PF: Green/Kuminga/Naji
C: JV/Nance/Zeller

Better and deeper team than a Mr. 50% or less Zion

[donato]

The prize in that deal is Kuminga and a 1st. Draymond brings a vet to enforce and raise the expectation of the team for a couple years. He is on the same timeline as CJ. I agree that the Pels should fire WG at the end of the year if the team underperforms. Too much talent.

Kuminga and a late first is getting very poor value. I think we could definitely get a lot more value than that. If not, then I’d just keep him hoping he turns it around at some point.

[Darkhorse985]

Kuminga and a late first is getting very poor value. I think we could definitely get a lot more value than that. If not, then I’d just keep him hoping he turns it around at some point.

Everybody in the league knows Zion is a risk. I don’t think we get much more than Kuminga, a 1st, and a couple years of Draymond .

[donato]

Everybody in the league knows Zion is a risk. I don’t think we get much more than Kuminga, a 1st, and a couple years of Draymond .

Like I said, I’d take the risk of keeping him then if that were the case.