Dare I say it? Do I talk about cohesion and team play and sharing the ball? Or do I just chalk it all up to the team looking good playing a totally overmatched squad. I’d love to make this recap all rainbows and flowers, but good lord – did you look at that starting line-up for the 76ers? Noel – Henry Sims – Mbah A Moute – Covington – Drew. Three of those guys weren’t even drafted!
So yeah, good win taking care of business. Sign that the team is going to go on a tear? Check back next week.
- With just a few minutes left in the third quarter and the Pelicans up 23, Davis sprinted the length of the floor trailing a fast break, slipped between two 76ers, ripped down a board in traffic and tossed up a putback while getting fouled. The team was up 23! Over the last few games, I will say Davis’ energy has been a joy to watch. Oh – and he put up a 32-10-3-3-4 with zero turnovers. And 19 shots.
- I admit, I couldn’t stop grinning in the third as the team was winging the ball around the perimeter, passing up open shots to give the ball to teammates for other open shots. They weren’t even necessarily better shots – but I love seeing it happen.
- Since Jrue has gone down, the team has been doing a lot more to post up Anthony Davis. I find it funny because Davis isn’t even a monster post-up threat right now. He’s got a mediocre face-up game, a solid jumper, and nothing with his back to the basket. But teams worry about him already! They either flat out double or always have a guy ready to jump over to help. It’s starting to bend defenses – which is the first step to breaking them.
- The 76ers had a lot of their starting line-up out there in the fourth when the Pelicans’ scrubs couldn’t score for 6 straight minutes. They cut the lead by 5 during that time. Oomph.
- Homeboy Anderson(19 and 7 with 3 steals) is a sick offensive weapon. Let’s hope he can talk to Travelin’ Ryan, who is garbage.
- Salmons played basketball tonight! He had an awesome pick – put his foot down on the accelerator in transition . . . and 3 76ers easily ran him down, stole the ball and left him sniffling on the asphalt. Maybe that last part was a flashback of mine.
- I think I could let Wolters go. As long as Jimmer is there to catch me as I fall.
Next game Wednesday against an okay Nuggets team! Dogfight!
9 responses to “Pelicans avenge 76ers loss”
Props to Ryno, for a solid effort in the 4th tonight, after seeming totally out of gas in the 4th last against the Mavs. Maybe the legs & then the whole body is coming around.
Time for Salmons to go…Wolters unfortunately the new dribbling Rivers but not as quick…Asik making me crazy when he blows chances repeatedly on offense…an airball hook/shotput from 5ft to the side? OK maybe he lost the handle…does he have small dwarf hands or something? Gordon tried to lob to Asik who promptly watched it go by and hit the backboard..Asik trying to become Saints new snapper on opening play of the game actually losing it between his legs and behind him? No way you can be that pathetic offensively if you are in the gym EVERY DAY..how is this possible? Davis energy good yes, but not so in the win at Minnesota 3 games ago…yes he hit big ones at end…last two nights he has been fantastic, but his jumper is definitely off…looks like he is not just catching and shooting but guiding it a bit. Gotta get the win Wednesday and hope for at least 1 of 3 after that…2 of 3 would be outstanding
Monster night from A.D. Those two passes to Asik were so pretty. Everyone in the stands was giggling and cheering. I really like watching these guys.
Also, Gordon is heating up. He’s making a lot of good decisions out there right now.
I’m ready for this team to TURN UP!!!!
Agree on Wolters. He seems less sure of himself than Fredette with the ball, and has only modestly better defense. If we are going to get a backup PG from the scrap heap I would prefer a better defender with more length/athleticism.
I’d like to see the Ajinca/Wothey frontcourt again, as long as it means we are up by more than 15 points……
And no, let’s not fire Monty. If we win 3/4 of our home games my season tickets are worth it, and I don’t need a new coach. Even though I don’t understand serving Salmons at an event like this, he has the players working hard at home and playing smart. If he can take it on the road in the 2nd half of the season we have a shot at Golden State in the first round. Lucky us…..
Lastly all hail Anthony Davis! 32 points on 19 shots! Three-times-infinity assist to turnover ratio. Twice as many blocks/steals as fouls. Sports Center highlights galore. So far no cure for cancer, but he’s only 22 and it’s only Monday….
Yay.
Philly’s offense is as bad as it gets (dead last in OFF EFF by a huge margin) Denver will be an interesting measuring stick, they are a bit more middle of the road. McNamara’s 5-0 projection looking good, too bad the 5 win’s weren’t for Randy Ayers or whoever it was we thought would be coach.
Agree with everything you’ve said.
Asik just seems like a liability on offense. He gets wide open but can never take advantage of that. Never heard of a 7-foot center who passes up dunks for awful layups a foot away from the basket and misses them.
When the Pelicans lost by 15 to Philly 10 days ago and this is written in the recap at BBS: “The team had 17 assists to 18 turnovers. The starters had 10 assists to 14 turnovers. There was no ball movement, and many, many ill-advised drives to the basket. It was ugly” and there is no mention of AD and Jrue not playing as a factor, I expect the same treatment in this write up. No mention of the Philly lineup (that is one player away from the game 10 days ago), and legitimate praise of the Pelican’s ball movement, especially considering how poor it was 10 days ago.
More importantly, I think it undermines Monty when the progress the team has shown passing the ball in the last few games is discounted in the write up of this game. In my opinion, at some point BBS has to take ownership of the discrepancy in how it presents the Pelican’s success and failures, and has to manages BBS’s writers’ expectation of the Pelicans this season. Again, in my opinion, a lot of the anti-Monty reader posting here is a reflection of the tone in what BBS writers post here. It certainly looks like Monty is going to be the coach through the end of the season and, the way things look now, beyond. Either management is less knowledgable about NBA basketball than BBS’s writers, or the other way round.
And if I am wrong about the BBS discrepancy, where is the article pointing out we are the only team in our Division, and one of only two in the Western Conference (with 36-6 Golden State), to have a winning record against every Division in the Western Conference? That should at least balance out some of our ugly losses especially those with key players out.
I know balance can be difficult to strike but the only way it is struck is to discuss it, hence my post.
Ex – Bulletin Board System user, eh?
You have good points about flaws in recaps, but that is on the author. Address them directly and specifically.
We have many flaws, and trust me, we actively discuss them and work them. In fact, mostly it is me initiating the conversations.
There is no site opinion, site agenda, etc.
Furthermore, there are varied opinions published, and you are doing a disservice to those. For example, I wrote about how poorly Gordon was playing early, Michael just updated that based on recent play.
I gave a fair look at the Pelicans’ record and outlook in January around the 30 game mark, and Grayson has updated that and will continue.
Lastly, none of us manage anyone’s feelings or expectations.
You raise good points, as I said, but some of this is just inaccurate. Passion appreciated, and the concerns, I feel, are well-stated and from a respectful position. I hope you find mine the same
You can also email me directly to discuss this further.