December 17th - New Orleans Pelicans @ San Antonio Spurs - 15-11

[Pelicanidae]

Hoopin' in San Antonio!

🏀: vs Spurs
🕕: 2:30 pm CT
📺: @BallySportsNO
📻: @995WRNO#Pelicans | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/PCx6UmVeRj

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 17, 2023

Early game tonight, which makes a nice change.

This is one that's a bit strange. On paper, it should absolutely be a win - Spurs are 4-20 right now. Wembanyama has been consistently good defensively but he's struggled scoring lately, shooting under 40% from the floor in 3 of his last 5 games. The Spurs are a bottom 6 team defensively, and 29th in the NBA offensively. They have no real consistent guard rotation, it's kind of a mess there.

They suck.

On the other hand, the Pels - despite two good wins recently - have generally struggled against teams that suck, and Wembanyama's combination of extreme height and rim protection looks like it could make things somewhat difficult for us, given that we thrive so much on getting to the rim; whether it's Zion, JV, Herb, BI, the Pelicans get to the rim as frequently as the top teams in the NBA, whereas our 3 point shooting has been somewhat inconsistent at times. How will we fare against a team that co-ordinates specifically to maximise their excellent rim protection?

Now, there are ways to mitigate it. One is cutting and off-ball motion, another is running heavy shooting lineups, and a third is by focusing hard on the paint in minutes where Wemby is sitting. But all of those are dependent on what the other team does, so it's interesting.

All in all, we should still win this game. Spurs are bad, Wemby is incredible but he's not perfect, and we have a very good roster overall. The team needs to go in with the mindset they had when they beat the Wolves recently, another defense driven by a large French rim protector, and dominate. Cannot afford to take it easy just because they're bad: we lose when we do that.

Let's go!

[As I See It]

This could very well be a trap game. Might be looking forward to Tuesday's, National, TNT game against Memphis and the return of Ja Morant.

Also we a uncanny ability to play to the level of our competition.

[Mrakar]

I'll just copy my post from last game:

I can't stress enough how important is every win against bad team. There are just too much good teams this season for Pels to be dropping easy games.
Out of top 11 teams right now i can only see Rockets dropping significantly and even they look like team that will be sticking around. Suns are behind us and baring injuries i expect them to jump over. Golden State is probably to get their ******** together so that is one more team that will be chasing us. Clippers are looking better and better. Lakers will be good as long as James is playing. Kings are gettinb back. Dallas is surprise for me, and one of the candidates to drop but its not looking like that right now. No need to comment the Nuggets and Wolves and Okc are where i was hoping we can be this season. Young teams using their talent to get wins.

So, i will repeat once again. We can't throw games against ******** teams!

To add to that our competitors won their games last night(except Nuggets who lost against Thunder).
Minny, GSW, Thunder, Dallas and Sacramento all won their games and there is a high possibility that we will not even move a spot with 4 game winning streak. That how good and tight is the West this year. We need to get every easy win there is.

Spurs are healthy again, but they still suck. We need to feed Jonas tonight and get them into foul trouble early.

[Pelicanidae]

I'll just copy my post from last game:


To add to that our competitors won their games last night(except Nuggets who lost against Thunder).
Minny, GSW, Thunder, Dallas and Sacramento all won their games and there is a high possibility that we will not even move a spot with 4 game winning streak. That how good and tight is the West this year. We need to get every easy win there is.

Spurs are healthy again, but they still suck. We need to feed Jonas tonight and get them into foul trouble early.

Fun Fact, we are only 2 games back of the 2nd seed. We are currently the 9th seed. That's how tight it is.

[As I See It]

Who guards Wemby?

[Fedupfan]

Who guards Wemby?

Probably Dyson and Herb, lol.

[donato]

Probably Dyson and Herb, lol.

I think those would be fine. Force him to go over. He likes to put it on the floor.

[Pelicanidae]

Your starting ✋ pic.twitter.com/86dWN2jEFb

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 17, 2023

Usual suspects

[Pelicanidae]

I think those would be fine. Force him to go over. He likes to put it on the floor.

If we learned anything from having Jrue on this team guarding Durant etc for years, it should be that sometimes tall offensive players can get really messed up by shorter guys with lower centres of gravity that just concede no space.

That's also the Marcus Smart school of defense.

[Pelicanidae]

Of course we must start every game by spotting our opponents the customary 10 point lead. As is our habit.

[Pelicanidae]

Herbs defending Wemby well though

[As I See It]

Of course we must start every game by spotting our opponents the customary 10 point lead. As is our habit.

Something has to happen with starting five. I say Dyson for CJ (actually been saying that). Too many cooks and not enough table setters.

[Pelicanidae]

Good start to the game from 3 for BI

[6warddude]

im going to need jonas to make wemby torso hurt in this game...

[Mrakar]

BI hot from 3, nice to see.

[6warddude]

Something has to happen with starting five. I say Dyson for CJ (actually been saying that). Too many cooks and not enough table setters.

im asking nicely....can you please,,,please, please, stop the dyson starting for CJ and trey at PF talk?...please?..

[As I See It]

im asking nicely....can you please,,,please, please, stop the dyson starting for CJ and trey at PF talk?...please?..

While I appreciate your warmth, I respectfully ask you to stick to your convictions and I'll stick to mine,

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

[Pelicanidae]

Great first quarter from both BI and Trey. Very efficient.

Love that the team's taking the threes, though there was a moment earlier where they took one in transition instead of driving into a completely open paint that I didn't love. Still.

Mindset's working out.

[Pelicanidae]

Jose picking off Wemby lmao

[Mrakar]

Very sloppy finish of the quarter. Instead of +20 we have +13. A lot of missed free throws and couple bad turnovers. Hope it doesn't bite us in the ****** later.

[RobertM320]

33-20 first quarter, but dang, FOUR missed FTs already. 3-7 from the line.

[Pelicanidae]

Now CJ can't miss from 3 lmao

[As I See It]

We currently have exactly one defender on the floor. Sheesh!!

[PaKwAn]

That last lineup defensively was basically a layup drill for the spurs

[As I See It]

This small ball line up is driving me nutz!!

"Let's concede the rebound."