The benching of Boogie

[Champ]

Face it this is off to a rough start and Gentry not making it any easier! Either Gentry goes or Boogie gets traded in the offseason for more pieces.

Pelicans are 3-6 since the Boogie trade

first win: Cousins suspended
second win: Cousins fouled out
third win: Cousins benched in 4th

— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) March 12, 2017

here's how bad the Boogie-Brow pairing has really been so far https://t.co/zdVGJjRLOS

— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) March 12, 2017

DeMarcus Cousins checked out with 9:25 remaining. Has 5 fouls.

So much for Boogie and AD trying to figure it out together.

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) March 12, 2017

[UNO Gracias]

The problem with benching him in a game this close is, we are looking to get these guys to gel, and there is no better time to test the grit of a player than in the crunch. We have lost plenty this year without Boogie, and won plenty without Boogie, but now Boogie is here, and we have to learn how to win with him.

[Champ]

The problem with benching him in a game this close is, we are looking to get these guys to gel, and there is no better time to test the grit of a player than in the crunch. We have lost plenty this year without Boogie, and won plenty without Boogie, but now Boogie is here, and we have to learn how to win with him.

[billfromfinance]

[Champ]

Working on a thing on the Monty to Gentry transition and... pic.twitter.com/2Qk0vyt6nH

— David Fisher (@DavidFisherTBW) March 11, 2017

[Champ]

You would have to imagine there would probably be no better coach for Boogie (personally) than Monty Williams.

— Joseph Clubber-Lang (@jdbillio) March 11, 2017

30 for 30: Monty's Revenge: What if I told you Monty Williams comes back and fires Dell and Gentry

— Joseph Clubber-Lang (@jdbillio) March 11, 2017

[new city champ]

Look, whether AD and Cousins work as a tandem in today's NBA is absolutely an open question. That's no knock on either guy. Nor is it a knock on the trade---if you have a chance to get a player the caliber of Cousins for the price we paid, you do it. But it is why not giving up a 2019 1st round pick was important to make the deal viable. All the cost--Hield and this year's pick--was current, not extended into the future. If AD-Cousins doesn't work, that sucks and it's a set back, but it's not fatal SO LONG AS management is willing to recognize that it won't work and mitigate the damage. But if there is one thing that concerns me most about Demps' tenure as GM it's that he has been very unwilling to eat sunk costs on deals he makes that don't work out. Instead he chases redemption by handing out bad contracts or holding on to players too long in hopes that things will turn our way. I hope Davis and Cousins do work, they are both incredibly talented players. But if it doesn't I hope Dell has learned from past mistakes and won't force the issue just to protect his reputation. A big part of being a successful manager is knowing when to let go of an idea that looks great on paper but just doesn't work out in the real world...

[Creative]

I think that they still need more time to guel. This strange thing with Boogie fouls trouble is not helping. First of all we need wins. He will be fine.

[All Metro]

I hate when Boogie wants to be a point guard and starts crossing people over in the paint

[Mythrol]

AD on Cousins' sitting in the 4th, "All that matters is we won. All that other stuff doesn't matter. No one cares about that. We're just trying to get wins. We gotta do whatever it takes."

https://youtu.be/75yIZgPB5oc

[da ThRONe]

AD on Cousins' sitting in the 4th, "All that matters is we won. All that other stuff doesn't matter. No one cares about that. We're just trying to get wins. We gotta do whatever it takes."

https://youtu.be/75yIZgPB5oc

I get why he said it but it's a very narrow approach. Sure we won that game, but to win bit we need him and Cousins to be on the court together.

[Topdawg26]

Gentry just has no clue about how to coach these guys. He needs to go next year.

[Mythrol]

I get why he said it but it's a very narrow approach. Sure we won that game, but to win bit we need him and Cousins to be on the court together.

Wins equal playoffs, making the playoffs is better than Boogie playing 8-10 more minutes in a single game.

People keyboard raging that Gentry stuck with a lineup that was playing well instead of trying to force Cousins at the end of ONE GAME are just looking for a reason to be upset.

To try and pretend ANY coach would have things all figured out a couple of weeks into this is asinine.

Now if Gentry starts closing games out every game without Cousins then maybe there can be a complaint made. But a single very close game where Cousins is just playing terrible and another lineup is working? Nah man. People need to step away from the ledge.

[Champ]

Wins equal playoffs, making the playoffs is better than Boogie playing 8-10 more minutes in a single game.

People keyboard raging that Gentry stuck with a lineup that was playing well instead of trying to force Cousins at the end of ONE GAME are just looking for a reason to be upset.

To try and pretend ANY coach would have things all figured out a couple of weeks into this is asinine.

Now if Gentry starts closing games out every game without Cousins then maybe there can be a complaint made. But a single very close game where Cousins is just playing terrible and another lineup is working? Nah man. People need to step away from the ledge.

So benching Boogie makes us a better team? How does Boogie really feel about that? You might want to look up why he hated George Karl. Anyway for Christ's sake we barely beat the Hornets last night and got thumped by the Raptors Wednesay night. Meanwhile Buddy is playing in front of standing room only crowds. Think we will have standing room only Tuesday night? Let that sink in. Again good win for Davis, good win on beating those mighty Hornets.

Gentry some sort of genius for benching Boogie? Be careful what you wish for!

[Champ]

I get why he said it but it's a very narrow approach. Sure we won that game, but to win bit we need him and Cousins to be on the court together.

Agree! That was the whole point of the trade? Wasn't it? I don't think we made the trade so Boogie could be on the bench in the 4th.

[da ThRONe]

Wins equal playoffs, making the playoffs is better than Boogie playing 8-10 more minutes in a single game.

People keyboard raging that Gentry stuck with a lineup that was playing well instead of trying to force Cousins at the end of ONE GAME are just looking for a reason to be upset.

To try and pretend ANY coach would have things all figured out a couple of weeks into this is asinine.

Now if Gentry starts closing games out every game without Cousins then maybe there can be a complaint made. But a single very close game where Cousins is just playing terrible and another lineup is working? Nah man. People need to step away from the ledge.

My post was more geared towards Davis' comment. I would have liked it to be more inclusive of Cousins. One game isn't going to make or break the future, but the idea that one win supersedes gaining chemistry with Anthony and DeMarcus is very foolish IMO.

[Mythrol]

My post was more geared towards Davis' comment. I would have liked it to be more inclusive of Cousins. One game isn't going to make or break the future, but the idea that one win supersedes gaining chemistry with Anthony and DeMarcus is very foolish IMO.

Cousins played 25 minutes last night. Let's not pretend he was a DNP-Coach's Decision. We are trying to balance making the playoffs and getting another super star to gel with our team. The 9 extra minutes he would have played is completely insignificant.

If Gentry makes a habit of this, however, then I'll be the first in line to roast him at the spit. But one game where Cousins was terrible and we were playing well otherwise? People need to chill.

[Mythrol]

So benching Boogie makes us a better team? How does Boogie really feel about that? You might want to look up why he hated George Karl. Anyway for Christ's sake we barely beat the Hornets last night and got thumped by the Raptors Wednesay night. Meanwhile Buddy is playing in front of standing room only crowds. Think we will have standing room only Tuesday night? Let that sink in. Again good win for Davis, good win on beating those mighty Hornets.

Gentry some sort of genius for benching Boogie? Be careful what you wish for!

So you didn't actually read my post and are just spewing nonsense and irrelevant stuff to have a crusade to hate on Gentry? Ok, have fun with that.

I'm going to continue to try and be objective about things instead of just some crying fan over perceived slights.

[NMThreeMVP]

So benching Boogie makes us a better team? How does Boogie really feel about that? You might want to look up why he hated George Karl. Anyway for Christ's sake we barely beat the Hornets last night and got thumped by the Raptors Wednesay night. Meanwhile Buddy is playing in front of standing room only crowds. Think we will have standing room only Tuesday night? Let that sink in. Again good win for Davis, good win on beating those mighty Hornets.

Gentry some sort of genius for benching Boogie? Be careful what you wish for!

1. It's 9 games after a trade in the middle of the season in which the Pels gave up 3 rotation pieces (4 if you count Jones).
2. The Pelicans 10 day guys and role players have been terrible during that stretch for the most part
3. The only other guy on the team that has any sort of expectation of being a reliable starter, Jrue Holiday, has played his worse basketball during this post All Star stretch
4. The coaching staff is being asked to go against the grain of the modern NBA and play 2 supremely talented big men together at the same time, with minimal practice time.

But sure, let's rush to being the first ones out the gate with the everything sucks hot take, because it's important to be first on a message board.

Meanwhile, Jordan Crawford gives us everything we'd hoped for from Buddy Hield and the Kings have loss 8 in a row since trading for Buddy. Buddy must suck!

Gentry may not be the right coach for this team if it's going to be build around AD/DC and Jrue. But it's far too early to be so righteously opposed to the idea that this will work itself out in time.

[Mythrol]

1. It's 9 games after a trade in the middle of the season in which the Pels gave up 3 rotation pieces (4 if you count Jones).
2. The Pelicans 10 day guys and role players have been terrible during that stretch for the most part
3. The only other guy on the team that has any sort of expectation of being a reliable starter, Jrue Holiday, has played his worse basketball during this post All Star stretch
4. The coaching staff is being asked to go against the grain of the modern NBA and play 2 supremely talented big men together at the same time, with minimal practice time.

But sure, let's rush to being the first ones out the gate with the everything sucks hot take, because it's important to be first on a message board.

Meanwhile, Jordan Crawford gives us everything we'd hoped for from Buddy Hield and the Kings have loss 8 in a row since trading for Buddy. Buddy must suck!

Gentry may not be the right coach for this team if it's going to be build around AD/DC and Jrue. But it's far too early to be so righteously opposed to the idea that this will work itself out in time.

Thank you. I don't have the energy today to deal with this nonsense.

Cousins doesn't play the last 9m in the 4th qtr + OT in a game in which he was playing terrible so clearly that must mean everything is falling apart. Meanwhile, the Kings have people going to their games so we should be upset or something? What?

[luckyman]

4. The coaching staff is being asked to go against the grain of the modern NBA and play 2 supremely talented big men together at the same time, with minimal practice time.

There is nothing "against the grain" about playing AD and Cousins together. AD shot 5 threes last game and Cousins shot 8 the previous game. This is not like they are playing Sampson and Olajuwon.

That being said, I think everyone can see there is an opportunity to take advantage of other teams that is not being done. This idea that there is a "new NBA" is severely overblown. You still have plsyers that can play with their back to the basket like Aldridge, Randolph, Lopez, Gasol bros, Lebron, Leonard, Valanciunas.

Further to that point, there is no reason Cousins should be asked to get the ball so often at the 3 pt line instead of at the elbow at the very least. Too much reliance on jump shooting continues.

[Champ]

Thank you. I don't have the energy today to deal with this nonsense.

Cousins doesn't play the last 9m in the 4th qtr + OT in a game in which he was playing terrible so clearly that must mean everything is falling apart. Meanwhile, the Kings have people going to their games so we should be upset or something? What?

This article is still so extremely relevant to the Pelicans https://t.co/Jxj8kqGMGY

— Joseph Clubber-Lang (@jdbillio) March 12, 2017

[Mythrol]

This article is still so extremely relevant to the Pelicans https://t.co/Jxj8kqGMGY

— Joseph Clubber-Lang (@jdbillio) March 12, 2017

What does this have to do at all with the team we are putting on the court? This is about Cousins supposed "benching", not about long term viability of the Pelicans in New Orleans. Win and the bandwagon will follow. I don't really care about what our numbers are while fielding a bad team.

[hornetsrebirth]

"benching" doesn't seem like the right word. Cousins got in foul trouble so he had to come out the game. The team got something of a rhythm going so there was no reason to bring him back in and foul out.

[NMThreeMVP]

There is nothing "against the grain" about playing AD and Cousins together. AD shot 5 threes last game and Cousins shot 8 the previous game. This is not like they are playing Sampson and Olajuwon.

That being said, I think everyone can see there is an opportunity to take advantage of other teams that is not being done. This idea that there is a "new NBA" is severely overblown. You still have plsyers that can play with their back to the basket like Aldridge, Randolph, Lopez, Gasol bros, Lebron, Leonard, Valanciunas.

Further to that point, there is no reason Cousins should be asked to get the ball so often at the 3 pt line instead of at the elbow at the very least. Too much reliance on jump shooting continues.

I feel like you're missing the fact that defensive rules have changed making it easier to pack the paint and defend post ups and penetration if you're not able to space the court effectively.

You listed less than a dozen players that "can" play with their back to the basket, but most of them don't. Boogie CAN also play with his back to the basket, but none of the players you mentioned spend significant minutes playing back to the basket, and neither will Boogie. It's just not the way the game is played anymore. Randolph is probably the only player on your list that plays a traditional post up game, and Memphis has come to realize it's better for them to stagger Gasol and Zach.

Is there a team in the league today that runs even 10% of their offense through the post?