January 26th - New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder - 26-18

[Pelicanidae]

Let's Hoop NOLA!

🏀: vs Thunder
🕖: 7:00 pm CT
📺: @BallySportsNO
📻: @995WRNO #Pelicans | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/qPe946sCVJ

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 26, 2024

Pels playing again, this time against the young Thunder, one of the better teams in the league this year, led by serial FT grifter SGA and rookie of the year competitor Chet Holmgren.

It's going to be a tough out and I think a loss here is one of those ''it could happen'' things that doesn't get me upset.

But only if we play well. Losing to a great team happens, if they're just on fire and your shots don't go. But losing because we just wet the bed? Unacceptable.

Tonight I'm going to be looking for effort and intensity, and seeing if we continue on the Point Zion train from last game. Hopefully we do and see the positive results continue.

Let's see what happens.

[Mrakar]

I am usually very pesimistic person but i really like our matchup vs thunder since we are much bigger team. I want us to assert dominance in the paint today, i want everyone to rebound the ball(yes Zion you too) and i want us to hustle. If we do that we are winning this game. Cmn Jonas, dont that skinny Abraham Lincoln wannabe outrebound and outhustle you today, i want to you to put the ball in the basket and him on the floor!

We will have problems with refs and Shai/Herb matchup, that is why i need early tehnical from someone, after the first bull******** foul.

We should win this and this is one of those that will upset me if we don't!!!

And if i am honest, this is the matchup i would like in the playoffs!

[PELICANSFAN]

Shai gets so many calls, it is sickening. It is almost Harden-like. He's averaging 11 FTs a game in January. Zion is only averaging 5 a game during the same period.

[JJackisangry]

Shai gets so many calls, it is sickening. It is almost Harden-like. He's averaging 11 FTs a game in January. Zion is only averaging 5 a game during the same period.

That is a crime. But it’s part of the reason we need to be careful with how we approach the paint.

[PaKwAn]

Zion is questionable due to a left foot bone contusion........

[donato]

Zion is questionable due to a left foot bone contusion........

I think it's probably just them having an excuse to rest him tomorrow, or maybe rest him tonight and play tomorrow.

[Fedupfan]

As soon as they say they are going to ride the point Zion wave. Enough of that BS.

[Fedupfan]

I think it's probably just them having an excuse to rest him tomorrow, or maybe rest him tonight and play tomorrow.

Yeah that’s what it is

[Pelicanidae]

Shai gets so many calls, it is sickening. It is almost Harden-like. He's averaging 11 FTs a game in January. Zion is only averaging 5 a game during the same period.

It's a shame because outside of the FTs I actually really like Shai's game. Tons of finesse, really great upper body control, excellent mover in tight spots, and a master of the awkward under-the-hoop finish. It's super fun. But the grifting is egregious and, as you say, so voluminous that it detracts.

Embiid is the same. He's averaging 12 FTAs a game for the entire season and a significant portion of that comes from outright flopping. Marcus-Smart-On-His-Worst-Day level flopping. Makes him intolerable to watch even if I'm happy to admit that he's very talented.

[6warddude]

I think it's probably just them having an excuse to rest him tomorrow, or maybe rest him tonight and play tomorrow.

they pulled ej up, so maybe zion sit out tonight..

[Fedupfan]

If he’s going to sit, I’d rather it be against an EC opponent.

[Fedupfan]

He’s out so I guess they care more about tomorrow which they will probably sit half the roster

[Mrakar]

Disgusting preformance. Turnovers and they are killing us in the paint instead of other way around. Jonas is playing like a ********** out there. Dunk the ********ing ball man...

[Fedupfan]

The difference in coaching here is severe. It’s something you can’t make up for.

[Fedupfan]

This is the game that will make you want to trade Jonas and half the roster. I just can’t stand to see them play passive on the home court.

[Fedupfan]

Disgusting preformance. Turnovers and they are killing us in the paint instead of other way around. Jonas is playing like a ********** out there. Dunk the ********ing ball man...

I know some will say that this is ok cause they scored 153 last game instead of being disgusted, like they should be that the game against a good team is the one they stink in. Idc what anyone says. The Pels can destroy this OKC team. This is the game where you decide who is part of the future. Jonas is at the point where they may trade him before the end of the weekend. Like I can deal with anything but being this soft against every high profile team is pathetic.

[6warddude]

trey is unplayable while he is in this slump....you know its bad for him when he is missing free throws... hawkins need all of those mins and use zeller for rebounding help....

start cj, ingram, hawkins, nance and jonas to catchup and take the lead...

[Fedupfan]

You can tell at halftime the message wasn’t urgency that’s for sure. Sheesh man I long for the day.

[Fedupfan]

Trey doesn’t even look like an NBA player right now to be fair. Could get his chucks and lack of defense from 90% of the Gleague.

[Fedupfan]

This is why you don’t celebrate one game like they do all the time. They are miserably soft and inconsistent. They refuse to play with urgency and be physical at all.

[Fedupfan]

These guys have been walking the entire night on both ends. That’s the difference in the game.

[WhyHornetsWhy]

They will lose the next two.

This is a 7th-8th seed team.

Embrace it and accept it.

[Fedupfan]

They just need a leader in the worst way. Someone that refuses to get punked like this.

[Fedupfan]

They will lose the next two.

This is a 7th-8th seed team.

Embrace it and accept it.

Only because they don’t have someone that holds them accountable and demands urgency. Willie said all the right things two games ago and yet his team still walks up and down the court.

[Darkhorse985]

Pels have to trade Brandon Ingram in the offseason. He will never be KD. He is an inconsistent mid range shooter who will ask for a supermax. Fans should walk out if Grif pays him.