April 14th - New Orleans Pelicans VS New York Knicks - 25-29

[Eman5805]

Neither does it have to do with my point. The Knicks are better than us at defense. And that's it. It keeps them in more games than a team good at offense and horrid at defense. But the Knicks are no threat to anyone good.

[13 - 3]

Neither does it have to do with my point. The Knicks are better than us at defense. And that's it. It keeps them in more games than a team good at offense and horrid at defense. But the Knicks are no threat to anyone good.

One team is going to the playoffs likely. The other is fighting for a play in game.

[Pelicans_fan_504]

If that is you’re argument then we should have beat the Knicks.
Tell me about the Pelicans now. How many double digit leads blown theses season? How many losses to teams below.500? Defense ranking?
At least the Knicks are above .500

What does any of this have to do with the point he was making?

[13 - 3]

Just for S&G's, let's compare Butler and Adebayo (last year) to Julius Randle (this year):

2019-20.... Jimmy Butler: 19.9/6.7/6.0; .455/.244/.834
2019-20.... Bam Adebayo: 15.9/10.2/5.1; .557/.143/.691

2020-21.... Julius Randle: 23.2/10.6/6.0; .460/.404/.803

It never fails to amaze me how you make these brash claims that are so easily disproved. (I realize you've made it abundantly clear in the past how you feel about Julius Randle, so I will say you are consistent, my friend)

Bingo

[13 - 3]

What does any of this have to do with the point he was making?

It’s posted already.

[13 - 3]

Fine you want to say the Knicks are an overrated team then what does it say about us? Take Zion out of our offense and are we really that good?

[As I See It]

Fine you want to say the Knicks are an overrated team then what does it say about us? Take Zion out of our offense and are we really that good?

I'll go further....

Leave Zion in our offense and are we really that good?

[Pelicanidae]

Fine you want to say the Knicks are an overrated team then what does it say about us? Take Zion out of our offense and are we really that good?

No.

Not sure how this isn't clear to 100% of all people at this point in the year but the 2020-21 New Orleans Pelicans are not a very good team. There's no ambiguity on that. We play terrible, terrible defense, we've been bad at shooting the 3 all year long, and we show up with radically inconsistent effort on a night to night basis. We play down to bad competition, and we pay for it often. We suck.

But again, how good we are (or aren't, in this case) has nothing to do with how good the Knicks are or aren't. The Knicks being overrated (which I don't think they are, I don't think many people are rating them as highly as you did) says nothing about us: our own play says a lot about us, and it's not good.

[13 - 3]

I'll go further....

Leave Zion in our offense and are we really that good?

I say yes. Zion controls the tempo. Let’s just hope he stays healthy.

[As I See It]

I say yes. Zion controls the tempo. Let’s just hope he stays healthy.

Sorry, I see it differently. Our home team is bad with or without Zion. Why?

Anybody who has read me knows that I dismiss the roster as woefully weak (add three more competent, modern-day, average 2020 NBA Starters and the sky is the limit for the team and #1) and that our defense is paper thin.

[Taker597]

One team is going to the playoffs likely. The other is fighting for a play in game.

If you bar is simply making the play off. Then, you're standards are low.

[13 - 3]

I’m waiting for them to tell me the Monty Williams rebuild is a fluke too. Straight up what they have done in that amount of time is impressive. Yes Chris Paul has a lot to do with it. We went for the Bledsoe contract instead.

[As I See It]

If you bar is simply making the play off. Then, you're standards are low.

You can't dance without an invitation.

[13 - 3]

If you bar is simply making the play off. Then, you're standards are low.

With the 13 pick in the NBA the draft the Pelicans select?

Christ sake we can’t even tank right either.

[Pelicans_fan_504]

I’m waiting for them to tell me the Monty Williams rebuild is a fluke too. Straight up what they have done in that amount of time is impressive. Yes Chris Paul has a lot to do with it. We went for the Bledsoe contract instead.

Yea 10 years is so impressive.

[As I See It]

I’m waiting for them to tell me the Monty Williams rebuild is a fluke too. Straight up what they have done in that amount of time is impressive. Yes Chris Paul has a lot to do with it. We went for the Bledsoe contract instead.

Monty Williams was the fall guy in New Orleans for the ineptitude of Dell (Omer) Demps; the wrong guy was set adrift.

That said, this is a players league; players win games, not coaches. The moment the Suns paid (dearly) for a 35 year old perennial All Star, they became relevant, regardless if the coach's name is Monty Williams or Monty Python. This is not a slight on Coach Williams in the least (I wish he was still here), it's just a fact of life in the NBA.

Talent prevails and always will. Hence, we are who we are.

[DaFranchise80]

Monty Williams was the fall guy in New Orleans for the ineptitude of Dell (Omer) Demps; the wrong guy was set adrift.

That said, this is a players league; players win games, not coaches. The moment the Suns paid (dearly) for a 35 year old perennial All Star, they became relevant, regardless if the coach's name is Monty Williams or Monty Python. This is not a slight on Coach Williams in the least (I wish he was still here), it's just a fact of life in the NBA.

Talent prevails and always will. Hence, we are who we are.

Can’t disagree with this. Spot on assessment.

[13 - 3]

Yea 10 years is so impressive.

Monty Williams has not been there for 10 years. More like 2 years .

[13 - 3]

Monty Williams was the fall guy in New Orleans for the ineptitude of Dell (Omer) Demps; the wrong guy was set adrift.

That said, this is a players league; players win games, not coaches. The moment the Suns paid (dearly) for a 35 year old perennial All Star, they became relevant, regardless if the coach's name is Monty Williams or Monty Python. This is not a slight on Coach Williams in the least (I wish he was still here), it's just a fact of life in the NBA.

Talent prevails and always will. Hence, we are who we are.

Yep right on.

[Pelicanidae]

Monty Williams has not been there for 10 years. More like 2 years .

Sure but the ''Suns rebuild'' has been about a decade in the making. Huge parts of what are giving them success this year pre-date Monty Williams.

Devin Booker, who has been fantastic for them this year, was drafted in 2015, when their coach was Jeff Hornacek. He's been progressing along the path of stardom since, and while he's starting to his his peak he's also 24 years old - this is when you'd expect him to start peaking regardless of who his coach is. Clear he is part of a re-build that pre-dates Monty.

Similarly, Ayton is having arguably his best season as well - he was drafted in 2018, when Igor Kokoskov was the coach, and he's playing a massive role for them now. Clearly, he is part of this current Suns rebuild that pre-dates Monty. Mikal Bridges was drafted in 2018 too, and is again playing huge for Phoenix: he is a contributor who dates back in the rebuild further than Monty does.

This is not ''the Suns are good because Monty arrived and whipped them all into shape in a year''. This is ''The Suns are a team of young players who, yes are benefitting from a coach they've bought into, but who are largely talented anyway and are now starting to reach those years where they've found their feet and round out into good NBA players, and also have acquired a Hall of Fame PG to lead the squad.''

That's a very different thing. If you look at these Suns and say ''hey, Monty only got hired 18 months ago and everything good for them has come since then, therefore he is the Ultimate Cause of the Good'' then you completely miss the long and gruelling process that put the pieces in place (Booker, Ayton, Bridges) for Monty to work with. If that's your standard, no wonder you think we're behind schedule in our rebuild: you're given them 4+ years of prep time and expecting us to catch all of that up in one [shortened!] summer.

[13 - 3]

Sure but the ''Suns rebuild'' has been about a decade in the making. Huge parts of what are giving them success this year pre-date Monty Williams.

Devin Booker, who has been fantastic for them this year, was drafted in 2015, when their coach was Jeff Hornacek. He's been progressing along the path of stardom since, and while he's starting to his his peak he's also 24 years old - this is when you'd expect him to start peaking regardless of who his coach is. Clear he is part of a re-build that pre-dates Monty.

Similarly, Ayton is having arguably his best season as well - he was drafted in 2018, when Igor Kokoskov was the coach, and he's playing a massive role for them now. Clearly, he is part of this current Suns rebuild that pre-dates Monty. Mikal Bridges was drafted in 2018 too, and is again playing huge for Phoenix: he is a contributor who dates back in the rebuild further than Monty does.

This is not ''the Suns are good because Monty arrived and whipped them all into shape in a year''. This is ''The Suns are a team of young players who, yes are benefitting from a coach they've bought into, but who are largely talented anyway and are now starting to reach those years where they've found their feet and round out into good NBA players, and also have acquired a Hall of Fame PG to lead the squad.''

That's a very different thing. If you look at these Suns and say ''hey, Monty only got hired 18 months ago and everything good for them has come since then, therefore he is the Ultimate Cause of the Good'' then you completely miss the long and gruelling process that put the pieces in place (Booker, Ayton, Bridges) for Monty to work with. If that's your standard, no wonder you think we're behind schedule in our rebuild: you're given them 4+ years of prep time and expecting us to catch all of that up in one [shortened!] summer.

I knew you would throw him under the bus.

[Pelicanidae]

I knew you would throw him under the bus.

Yet another ridiculous response. You are on a roll.

[WildlifeAirGrp]

Sure it's a players league, but if the players don't care for the coach...I think the Suns would walk on glass for Monty, but what do I know.

[13 - 3]

Since it is a players league. Are our players responding to SVG? The answer is probably no

[JJackisangry]

It’s fair to question Stan for some of the issues we have had against poor sides this year. That is something that needs to be addressed. But I’ll say it again- whatever new coach we brought in should have had last year. We wasted an entire season on a lame duck manager and the blame mostly lies on ownership. Stan should have at least had last year. He should have had an entire offseason. If he is still stinking it up when next year starts, I think the pressure will mount a bit more. Gentry had 4-5 years to underachieve. Stan hasn’t even had a season under his belt (or an offseason for that matter). I’m honestly not impressed, but I am happy that he has been willing to set his pride aside for a bit and play the youngsters. Gentry cared more about his job than he cared about the future of this team so he persisted with the likes of Frank and Moore over NAW. Stan isn’t making the same mistake of wasting minutes on lame duck players. Hell- we offloaded Reddick for that reason.