January 15th - New Orleans Pelicans @ LA Lakers - 4-6

[Pelicanidae]

Sticking around in L.A. for another night

🏀 at LAL
🕘 9 p.m. CT
📺 @espn/@FOXSportsNOLA
📻 100.3 FM @ESPNRadioNOLA @SmoothieKing | #WontBowDown pic.twitter.com/1whs6rgzxa

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 15, 2021

We lost last game but basically nobody felt bad about it because both NAW and Kira got to play and they both showed some promise; particularly NAW, who exploded for 37 points on high efficiency. The two guys combined for 2 total turnovers, which is fantastic: Obviously not the harbinger of a completely turnoverless future given NAW's past looseness with the ball, but a good sign nonetheless.

Tonight we stay in LA to take on the 10-3 Lakers, who are currently the league's best record and are cruising. Now, there is a small bit of hope for us:

Lakers injury report: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Wesley Matthews questionable; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope probable vs the Pelicans #AnthonyDavis #KentaviousCaldwellPope #LeBronJames https://t.co/6VogIGqi6V

— TalkBasket (@TalkBasket) January 15, 2021

AD and Lebron are both questionable to play. Now, because we are the Pelicans, they almost certainly will play anyway and try to murder us, but if even one of them misses the game that does help us a lot. While last game's loss didn't hurt as much as the others, it did still hurt, and we need to try and pick up wins where we can if we want to make any sort of legitimate attempt at a playoff spot.

Pelicans Injury Report for Friday's game in LA: https://t.co/uDEWzwKi8k#NOPvsLAL | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/kAyP9Y3J58

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 15, 2021

Meanwhile, our own injury report has some news: Lonzo is still out, Bledsoe is once again listed as questionable, and Zion has been fully cleared to return.

It's going to be a tough game if the Lakers guys play: all I want to see is hustle and effort. A win would be nice, but I can take a loss if the process is good. Let's hope for a good one.

[luckyman]

No secret I've been calling for a Bledsoe/NAW backcourt for a while now.

Hopefully Bledsoe can play and we can observe.

Regardless, even if NAW goes 1 - 10 tonight, I would really hope he has cemented himself in the regular rotation at this point. No more DNPs or 10 minute games. Even when Lonzo returns.

Also as a basketball fan, really awesome to see Jax continuously lose some of that awkwardness and develop a really nice touch within 5 ft of the rim.

[Funcrusher]

Lonzo staying out and Zion back v. Lakers is like getting a late Christmas gift, it's just good.

[Pelicanidae]

Things I'm looking for tonight, win or lose:

- NAW to get legitimate run again, even if Bledsoe is back.
- Ingram to have a bounce back shooting night: he's shooting 28.2% from 3 over the last 7 games (11/39)
- Zion's continued defensive improvement that was going on before he missed last game
- Jax's passing signs to continue
- Kira minutes: at least ten of them would be nice, preferably 15 though I understand that if Bledsoe comes back that could be difficult.

[As I See It]

Things I'm looking for tonight, win or lose:


- Zion's continued defensive improvement that was going on before he missed last game

HUH?
What did I miss?
Is the 'Turn your Back on the Play' defense now in vogue in the NBA?
If so, my defense is NBA-worthy. Where do I sign up?

FANS, SHEESH!!!!

[Pelicanidae]

This isn’t a new development either. Lonzo played 336% more minutes than NAW last season(1985-591) and only converted 3 more drive attempts(41-38)

L
O
L https://t.co/op9I7phzIr

— GHOST (@NolaGhostSports) January 15, 2021

Jesus Christ lmao

[luckyman]

^^^Lonzo stans...explain.

[Pelicanidae]

SVG says NAW will start again tonight and Eric Bledsoe is a game time decision.

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) January 16, 2021

[Taker597]

SVG says NAW will start again tonight and Eric Bledsoe is a game time decision.

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) January 16, 2021

Can we make him. A ten minute into the game decision.. And he just so happeneds to play.

[AusPel]

Are Bron and AD playing?

[Pelicanidae]

Are Bron and AD playing?

Frank Vogel said everybody is available for the Lakers tonight, including Wesley Matthews, who missed the last three games with a sore Achilles.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 16, 2021

Sadly, yes.

[Pelicanidae]

Just looked up how Jrue's doing by the way, out of curiosity, since I haven't watched that much of the Bucks yet this year.

2nd in the NBA in steals total, steals per game, steal percentage. 5th among all PGs in 2pt%, shooting 49/39/84 splits for a TS% of 59% (his highest ever). Posting a career low TOV%, at 9.9%, which is 7th best among all PGs. BPM of +3.5 is 28th in the NBA.

Godspeed, Jrue. Get you a ring.

[Pelicanidae]

UPDATE: Eric Bledsoe, listed as questionable, is available for tonight's game

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 16, 2021

Bledsoe/NAW starting duo, which will send Hart back to the bench given Zion's return.

EDIT:

SCRATCH THAT

Tonight's 5️⃣ vs. LAL@NickeilAW @joshhart @B_Ingram13 @Zionwilliamson @RealStevenAdams @Verizon | #WontBowDown pic.twitter.com/hXWFXuAY5Y

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 16, 2021

BLEDSOE COMING OFF THE BENCH

[Taker597]

UPDATE: Eric Bledsoe, listed as questionable, is available for tonight's game

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 16, 2021

Bledsoe/NAW starting duo, which will send Hart back to the bench given Zion's return.

EDIT:

SCRATCH THAT

Tonight's 5️⃣ vs. LAL@NickeilAW @joshhart @B_Ingram13 @Zionwilliamson @RealStevenAdams @Verizon | #WontBowDown pic.twitter.com/hXWFXuAY5Y

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 16, 2021

BLEDSOE COMING OFF THE BENCH

I hope Lewis gets more burn

[13 - 3]

Here we go

[13 - 3]

Marc Jackson must like us now. At least he likes NAW

[Pelicanidae]

NAW continues where he left off lmao

[Chris]

NAW picking up where he left off

[13 - 3]

Quiet on this board so far

[13 - 3]

NAW

[tdcreator]

I like this starting lineup.

[Chris]

Turnovers continue to be a real problem

[Pelicanidae]

Zion can still dunk btw. A couple of people on here the other day were talking about how unathletic he had been compared to Duke (base on the memory that he dunked 15 times a game in college, I guess) and speculating that he had lost it. Well, there it was lol

[Pelicanidae]

I'm so glad that we're doing some Zion initiation. Let him have some turnovers, let him have the drives, let him get the reps. Peak Zion maximisation is him in a semi-creator role who can work off the dribble; he's barely done that since getting into the NBA. Let him do it a bit. If that requires benching Bledsoe, playing NAW as a starter, and booting Lonzo altogether then do it.

[Pelicanidae]

Zion with the swat