Lakers Wax Pelicans


What’s scarier than Pierre the Pelican? The Pelican team performance versus the Lakers tonight.

Well.

It’s hard to even start recapping a game in which we played so poorly. Simply put, there is so much to fix that I don’t even know where to start. Let me start by reiterating that this is not a good Lakers team. They are a poor squad and just beat us 116-95. It wasn’t a fluke.. they simply outplayed us.

Here are some notes regarding tonight and this team’s issues.

1. 3 pointers are worth more than 2 pointers. The Pelicans made their first 3 with about 3 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. When you’re on the road and coming back from behind, you simply must hit 3 pointers. An offense based off of mid-range jumpers just doesn’t work, and our somewhat hot jump shooting streak to start the game was just setting us up for failure (we were taking long 2 after long 2). And on defense, you can’t leave to double in the post when your man is one pass away and a good shooter.

2. Steve Blake absolutely killed us. He was flying around the floor, forcing help, and hitting open men. We had no answer for him tonight.

3. I was incredulous for much of the game.. there were plays that looked like the Pelicans players were playing their first time together. No practice, no preseason, nothing. Passes hitting off of each other’s hands, passes to people that weren’t there.. it was so ugly.

4. There is a general lackadaisical attitude surrounding this team at times.

Individual Notes

Austin Rivers, Jeff Withey, and Lou Amundson got some run in today’s game, with Lou Amundson somehow mustering a +10 in his minutes on the floor. The reserves did an okay job tonight, but they were busting their butts out there, and I appreciated it.

Eric Gordon had some great and terrible plays tonight, but he seems to be the only Pelicans guard who can get to the rim.

Anthony Davis had one of his quieter nights, playing only 26 minutes in the game and putting up a very modest statline given his recent performances.

Greg Stiemsma went down with an injury early in the game and did not return. Reports are saying that he hurt his knee.

 

 

 


26 responses to “Lakers Wax Pelicans”

  1. Poor stiesma was crushed by Gordon after a screen(!!) was horrible see that in tv i hope he´s ok even if i don´t want him playing for a while with this players. Agree in everything with some details… Why in the hell AD is not the roll man in a P&R every freakin time??? Withey and Amudson looked fine, not awesome but with a lot of energy, Roberts now is in a slump, Rivers with highs and lows but trying(poor kid fighting screens for nothing more than every other laker open everywhere) and…. Just to say the 2nd half w/o Holiday looks a lot better the O, with Evans and Gordon attaking and taking FT with some kind of flow, but AD was no there for the defense, i need to see more of that. And at the end with Holiday/Gordon/Evans i saw potential too like others time but the game was over so who knows

  2. That performance is something to face palm on. Another game where the Pels shot selection was poor, especially shooting the 3 ball.  Stiemsma looked unconfortable on the floor prior to the injury. Whitey actually looked good in 18 minutes of play.  In addition, the interior defense looked horrible; Jordan Hill & Gasol burned the Pels down low with a combined 35 points.
    With a performance like that something has to give whether be the coaching, the work ethic of the players, or the inability to run certain sets of plays on both ends of the floor due to not having the right players executing it on a consistent basis. If the Pels cannot beat the Jazz, who are 0-8,  man, I do not  know where the Pels go from here.

  3. This is the most depressing post game write up I’ve ever read.  I love how it just peters out after an injury report.
    I had to go for a walk after this one.  It was so bad.  After such a shameful loss to the lowly Suns you’d think we’d at least be up for this game.  There was absolutely no cohesion.  I also thought Evans looked better than he has, but it didn’t look like there was any structure to anything tonight.  Even our run in the fourth looked like we were improvising, otherwise we looked stiff.  So sad to see.

  4. horrible line ups nd da pelicans coming out wit less energy is starting to look like da norm under monty Williams dis game had no energy thur out the game I hope he give rivers more mins because I feel rivers is better than Roberts because of rivers very good defense and I really dnt feel monty really adjusts well as a coach dats my input but I still have dis team as a 40 plus win team so dis is a learning curve to me lol

  5. lay down
    try not to cry
    cry a lot
    kind of how I feel right now. Although we are going through these ups and downs they are actually a lot of “good” teams that or sitting pretty much where we are sitting at which is two or more games under .500 it just feels so different because we aren’t proven like other good things are. I’m usually cool headed but it’s hard to look at all these blog sites and not see people calling for montys resume to be updated quickly. and I can actually see where they are coming from. I mean its been like four or five years and the pattern of players mentality in a defensive failures is obvious.I feel like you can’t blame it all on him but being the head coach it is your job to have your team ready to playand make working adjustments within the game. it may still be too early to tell. We always compare ourselves to a teens such as the Miami Heat but realistically if what happened to the heat what happening to us when they first started this is about where we should be because our caliber of players are nowhere near the players they had acquired . and when we do start gelling more we can strive for that 40 plus winning season

  6. As more games are being played, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to defend Monty Williams.  We thought our defensive woes would be over now that Dell brought in better players.  We thought our pace would increase now that our team is younger and more athletic.  At the very least, we thought we would do a better job of defending the three point line.  That is on Monty, not on the players.  
    If a team executes an inferior system, it’s the coach’s fault.  At the NBA level, if the coach is unable to get through to the players to enable them to execute his system properly, it’s the coach’s fault.  We all know our problems are not because of inferior personnel.  An effective coach can enable a player’s basketball IQ to increase.    
    I acknowledge that coaching is not an easy profession, but good coaches have sound offensive and defensive systems.  Good coaches are able to adjust to the times, and not stubbornly coach their team as if we were still living in the 1990’s.  Good coaches are able to get through to the players, in order to enable them to execute their system as well as possible.  
    I don’t see any of that in Monty.  He may not be a bad coach, but right now, I am starting to believe he isn’t the right coach for the Pelicans.

  7. This is just not a good basketball team right now. I’m sure they can turn it around, but it just shows how much Anderson is missed. They have no outside threat without him. No one who streches the floor. And can anyone, other than Davis, finish at the rim. It’s unbelievable how many shots are missed at the basket.

  8. Thank god that Duke-Kansas game was on so I could flip to something…..anything….else.  That was beyond pathetic.  We have to RUN.  Run on long rebounds, short rebounds, hell – run on made baskets.  We don’t run, we can’t win.  We need to play Rivers more.  He, at this point, is our 2nd best on ball defender.  Best thing about him, is he plays HARD.  I don’t always get that feel from Holiday, Evans, etc.  Gordon has been a bright spot, he’s healthy and explosive and has actually been playing hard on a regular basis.  Losses to Orlando, twice to Phoenix, and to the crappy Lakers.  Never, ever thought this would happen.  I am speechless.

  9. mojart Anderson will help no doubt, since he’s an energy-provider on defense (and an underrated rebounder) and can stretch the floor on O, but you’re kidding yourself if you think his return is the ultimate answer to the problems of this team.  After three (or is it four?) years with Monty we know what we’ll get.  A few games in a row where the energy and execution are good and which we’ll either compete or win; then we’ll go on a horrendous streak of games where we just flounder as a team … no identity, no cohesion, no …. purpose … I guess is the only way I can put it.  In other words, we’re on the road to another 25 win season unless something drastically changes with the coaching under Monty.  People have been complaining a lot about Tyreke, by the way, and I agree, but to me the far bigger disappointment so far has been Jrue.   He’s had one good game (Lakers at home) and one excellent game (Pacers), but other than those he’s really been a real disappointment … he just seems disinterested most of the time … at the point.

  10. We were mauled by Phoenix (surprising) and this not good Lakers team took it to us last night.  I do think, it’s too early to fire Monty but we have seen enough (or not seen enough) to have issues with coaching. As much as like Monty, the lack of performance falls squarely on his shoulders.  There are a lot of good coaches out there but I just don’t see the benefit of changing coaches right now.
    Sorry about Stiemsma’s knee, but this will give Withey more playing time.  Stiemsma is who he is – very limited with NO upside.  However, Withey has a  lot more upside and I believe will improve with playing time.
    Finally, I just hate these after the game interviews were everybody is just so lull, like they haven’t just got pounced.  Where’s the fire?  The passion?  Winners hate losing, right?  Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see that irritation with defensive breakdowns or with losing period.  Good coaches change the system to fit the talent and not force the talent into the system.  If we’re modeling San Antonio, we’ve missed a huge chunk of their methodology.

  11. lsucpolk   We miss the hustle and effort of players like Vasquez and Lopez much more than you acknowledge.  And hustle and effort is not on the coach.  This team needs a closed door players meeting, but who is going to call it?  Smith?  Davis? Holiday? Gordon?  Some leader needs to step up from among the players.

  12. I agree wholeheartedly with point 4. Except for Davis and Smith, I haven’t seen consistent effort from any of our best players. It was nice to see Gordon join the club last night, however.
    I’d like to see Evans on the bench until he’s either healthy enough to be a factor or cares enough to be a factor. Give his minutes to Rivers who at least will put forth effort and play some D. I’d like to see a Rivers, Gordon, Aminu, Davis, Smith starting lineup in the next game purely because no one else seemed to care last night.

  13. It really feels like the air is escaping from the room. Hope for a big season seems to just be evaporating before our eyes. The players seem to have lost focus, they play hard then they seem to just go zombie or something. At one point they were missing 2 out of 3 shots and the Lakers could do whatever they wanted, everything just was off. Lack of focus, is that the coach or the players? Energy was up and down, almost from second to second, or at least from play to play. AD looked pissed…he seems to be the only one who gets it, and Gordon maybe. If they don’t bring focus and drive, they are going to finish in the lottery….maybe that’s what they want? Unfortunately, they have to finish in the bottom 5 or that is a bust. They can’t be that bad, or can they?

    No, I think it’s becoming obvious that Monty doesn’t know how to work with a team like this. It’s not built to his style, so maybe that’s on Demps. But still, it should be a good group, and the right coach should be able to get better performance than this. They really look kind of lost out there, occasionally they seem to get an idea of what to do and they go roaring toward the ball or basket…and then, it’s gone, like they had a lapse of consciousness, “what just happened?” Are they just going to be like this for awhile, until the light goes on and they ‘get it’? Maybe the idea of having all these young players with little to moderate experience, none with winning experience, isn’t a good formula. They need that veteran, the one who has been in a gazzillion playoffs and a few finals (Derek Fischer?) to come in and give them focus.

    Reminds me of the Warriors back in the late 80’s, after they blew up RunTMC, brought in Spreewell, Weber then Owens. Players with talent but no idea what to do with it and seemed uncoachable, at least by the coach on the team (at least nobody is attacking the coach, yet). Success is right there, they can almost touch it, but it’s dark and they can’t see. Someone please, turn on the light.

  14. There’s one thing I can tell myself & others after seeing this, and it’s a bit cliche.

    The season is a marathon, not a sprint.

  15. Papa Pelican There is two sides to this. It seems Monty is having a hard time with the team, but you have to give him some credit with AD’s success. He seems to be bringing out the best in AD, who seems to be exceeding expectations. However, without the rest of the team playing like a team, you have to wonder if Monty is right for the job.

    I have to think there is just the right coach out there, one who would love the opportunity to help develop a player with the unlimited potential of AD, and who has just the right approach to do so with the team assembled. I have to think that isn’t Monty, no matter how much I like him and wish it was.

  16. LaNative How does the lack of performance, particularly when driven by effort, fall on the coaches shoulders?
    It’s not his fault that Jrue has spent his entire professional life playing in the most long 2 oriented offense in the NBA. He’ll get over it eventually

  17. I could not believe it myself, but somewhere during this game I started wondering who I would like as coach. I have long been a Monty supporter and don’t really feel like jumping off yet. After all, I was more than happy to watch the Hornets lose last year, and we are only 10 games in.
    But you have to think that the Pels job is one of the top five in the game right now. Lots of people in the league wish they had been in Scotty Brooks’ shoes when Durant was coming up.
    I don’t know…the players seem listless (Davis and Eric Gordon (wha?) excepting. I also hate to see the long time tradition of New Orleans running off bench players to become productive elsewhere, Xavier Henry being the latest. It is obvious that he at least warranted some run.
    Idk. Ima think about it.

  18. mateor Why not Stan Van Gundy?  Dude is a solid coach, good at making in-game adjustments and playing to the strengths of his roster.  Has won multiple playoff series in three different years.  He’s the best coach not currently coaching who we’d have a realistic shot at.  The only worry would be about his ability to get along with Anthony Davis, but AD is not a flaky dude like Dwight is, so I think we’d be good there.
    Secondly, regardless of how I feel about Monty’s ability as a tactician, he’s a solid human being and has been an asset to the NOLA community.  He never gave up on the team even when we were horrible and had little talent.  If he is replaced, his successor will have a lot to measure up to as a man, if nothing else.

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