Kings vs Pelicans Play-In Game 4/19/2024, GAMEDAY THREAD

[Nichols]

Ingram is a tradable asset. CJ is not. CJ is $35 for 2 years. BI is $50 million for 4-5. BI has shown to be ineffective when playing with Zion. CJ has not. Zion is the future of this team. All decisions should be made with he as the centerpiece. The team needs shooters, a true point guard, and an athletic paint protector who can run the floor. A volume mid range shooter doesn?t fit a Zion centered team.

I don't have much to say that I haven't already said on this issue. Some of you want Ingram gone. Nothing is changing that. Many of you never liked him from the beginning, so this doesn't surprise me. We can agree to disagree and leave it at that.

[NOEngineer]

Congrats to the Pelicans, and the long-suffering home fans who went to the game. Jose and Naji and Nance were gold. I'm very glad that Sacramento shot less than 30% from deep.

I think need to win 3 road games plus one home game to beat OKC, and we have to beat them in 6. CJ will probably need to avoid sucking in several of those victories. If we go to 7 SGA will shoot 40 free throws a la Dwayne Wade.

On a side note (pun intended) to the Pelicans, once you break the press you may want to move a few feet away from the sideline to avoid getting stripped, perhaps quickly toward the hoop where there is only one defender so you can score another basket. You're welcome.

[hornetsrebirth]

Good win Pels but CJ??? He has master the art of shrinking in big games.

It's true he has like the reverse clutch gene. He's been good this season, I just want him to play now the same way he has been playing all year.

[DroopyDawg]

While CJ didn't play his best game last night... let's not forget there was a stretch (down the stretch) where CJ averaged almost 30 ppg, and without those performances the Pels wouldn't be where they are.

Maybe that stretch of games took more out of him than we know. No doubt he does need to play better, but I'm giving him his props for getting us here.

[hornetsrebirth]

While CJ didn't play his best game last night... let's not forget there was a stretch (down the stretch) where CJ averaged almost 30 ppg, and without those performances the Pels wouldn't be where they are.

Maybe that stretch of games took more out of him than we know. No doubt he does need to play better, but I'm giving him his props for getting us here.

That's what I'm saying... he is a good player and was performing well for most of the regular season. And we need him to be that guy now. It seems like he has a tendency to play worse in big moments. Hopefully he can shake that in this next series.

[Pelicanidae]

Congrats to the team for winning, missed the game because life happens but catching up on it now.

JV the play-in GOAT. Not even exaggerating.

Going into the OKC matchup will be interesting. There's a lot of places where we match up well with them, but they often require us to behave in ways that the team doesn't really like doing, and it will be interesting to see if Green is going to make the adjustments and if the team will ACCEPT those adjustments in the playoffs, after having such a stubborn regular season in a lot of ways.

[msusousaphone]

CJ is an amazing low tier 3rd guy and elite top tier 4th guy in the rotation. The perfect compliment to Zion and BI because he can calm things down and hit open threes while other teams key on BI and Zion or even open things up so Zion can destroy the paint and BI can cool the midgame. He could even be a poor man's #2 behind Zion.....but BI as your #1 franchise player and CJ as your number #2 is just not a playoff contending combo....unless JV really punches above his level.

So I totally expect CJ to disappear and understand it a bit. He just isn't that guy. If he turns it on a game or two during this series it will be lagniappe. We need two to three players to really catch fire.

[P_B_&_G]

CJ is an amazing low tier 3rd guy and elite top tier 4th guy in the rotation. The perfect compliment to Zion and BI because he can calm things down and hit open threes while other teams key on BI and Zion or even open things up so Zion can destroy the paint and BI can cool the midgame. He could even be a poor man's #2 behind Zion.....but BI as your #1 franchise player and CJ as your number #2 is just not a playoff contending combo....unless JV really punches above his level.

So I totally expect CJ to disappear and understand it a bit. He just isn't that guy. If he turns it on a game or two during this series it will be lagniappe. We need two to three players to really catch fire.

The ball needs to find TM3 and he needs to be aggressive.

[JJackisangry]

While CJ didn't play his best game last night... let's not forget there was a stretch (down the stretch) where CJ averaged almost 30 ppg, and without those performances the Pels wouldn't be where they are.

Maybe that stretch of games took more out of him than we know. No doubt he does need to play better, but I'm giving him his props for getting us here.

He was incredible before the collapsed lung. I?m not really blaming CJ for getting paid or whatever but he hasn?t consistently reached the level we need from him. It?s unfortunate.

I just think he should run his own unit as a sixth man so we can balance out the team a bit better and his lack of athleticism won?t be exposed as much.

[Creative]

Yes ! After such a good season, this team deserved to play in the Playoffs. Even playing with the first team in the West Thunder will give the players additional experience, which will only pay off in the future. I’m still fu…k with Zion injury but we have to play this series with heart and very good defence.