“They played a lot harder than we did. They competed and they played together and moved the basketball and we didn’t. When you’re going against a team like that the result is you’re going to get your ass kicked at home.”
–Alvin Gentry
That sums the New Orleans Pelicans (5-16) 111-93 loss against the Boston Celtics (12-9). The Pelicans played hard and looked to be getting the upper hand after surviving a first quarter tied at 25 with Anthony Davis only playing 6 minutes due to foul trouble and Tyreke Evans nor Eric Gordon scoring a single point. The Pelicans were up 42-40 with 4:31 to go in the second quarter when the Celtics subbed in Amir Johnson and Jae Crowder to go along with Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger and Isaiah Thomas. The Celtics would go on a 13-2 run to end the second quarter and never looked back.
The Pelicans starting backcourt of Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon were outscored 33-0 by Boston starters Bradley and Thomas. For the first time since his rookie season, Anthony Davis played over 13 minutes and didn’t attempt a free throw. The Celtics scored more points in the prime time zones: points in the paint, at the charity stripe, and beyond the arc (103), than the Pelicans did total points 93 (The Pelicans had 63 points in prime time zones.) The Pelicans shot an abysmal 18/44 (41%) from inside the paint for 36 points.
The Pelicans came out 0-3 on the keys to the game, scoring only 93 points (17 less than their home average heading into the game), Davis having a poor performance (16 points on 8/21 shooting and six rebounds), and letting Thomas go off for 22 points on 9/13 shooting.
The New Orleans Pelicans next game is Friday night at 7 pm against the Washington Wizards at the Smoothie King Center.
8 responses to “Recap: New Orleans Pelicans Lose to the Boston Celtics 111-93”
That was a brutal game to watch. Wow. Best game of the season – – > worst game. All in a couple of days. This season is slipping fast after such a positive season last year.
That was the most discouraging game. With the exception of Ryan, Jrue, Ajinka and Ish, the rest of the team had no effort at all! It pains me to say this, but AD was the worst! He was sulking on the bench, not even clapping hands with the other players – nothing… Do you remember the days when the team ran through when their names were announced and then all huddled around JuJu for a pre game dance & cheer? Sadly, our team right now barely has the energy to walk slowly through and hobble over to the bench to take a rest.
Even though you would not think of this game as a “trap” game, you have to wonder if the Cavs were still thinking about the win over the Cavs.
Same guys as last year, vastly different results. What’s the difference? Alvin Gentry. We hired a guy who’s career coaching record was below .500. Everyone thought he’d be amazing because of Golden State’s success last year, but we’ve come to realize something this year: the Golden State players are freak outliers, capable of winning regardless of their coach. They’re even making LUKE WALTON look like Phil Jackson.
This same group of guys played hard for Williams. If they’re not playing hard now, Gentry has to find a way to motivate them (that’s what a head coach is supposed to do). If they can’t execute his vaunted “system,” then he needs to devise one they can handle. I was very leery of the Gentry hire from the beginning, but even I couldn’t have imagined things would have gone this badly.
With all that being said, Boston (and specifically Thomas) did the same thing to us last year when Monty was the coach. They seem to really have our number.
RBee AD was mic’d up the whole game. They literally showed him clapping and cheering for teammates while he was in foul trouble on the bench. What game were you watching?
We had the same swings in effort and results in the first half of last year. Anyone remember the East Coast swing where Monty was going to be fired? I 100% agree that it is painful to be a fan of this team, but I put it on our weak-willed players rather than the coach. We have no players right now who are both excellent and hungry. Anderson, Cunningham, and Smith are the only guys that seem to be hungry and focused on doing what the coach wants done on offense. Cole shoots without even thinking about passing. Evans puts his head down and barrels in without thinking about passing until the last minute. Gordon takes most plays off, and panics whenever a defender is within 3 feet. Asik brings the ball down into traffic every time he touches it. Davis shies away from contact and shoots long two’s or off-balance runners. Nobody is moving off the ball on most plays.
My biggest fault with Gentry is the prohibition against offensive rebounding. Our defense is getting back and sacrificing 2nd-chance points while still being unable to stop the most rudimentary offensive plays. I’d rather see 2 or 3 guys crash the offensive boards at least half of the time, and have the shooter follow his own miss most of the time. Cunningham, Anderson, Holiday, and Smith are the only guys I notice on the offensive glass, and not that often Last night Anderson couldn’t buy a put-back, but at least he was trying.
The team needs to police its own level of effort. If they aren’t professional enough to do that, then we are screwed no matter who is coaching. A new guy might get a few games of increased effort, but to sustain it the players have to drive it. Davis’ attitude this year has not inspired the rest of the team, nor me. It’s starting to look like he got paid lost some of his hunger and drive.
Jason Quigley RBee I was watching the 2nd half. Yes, there was some clapping in cheering in the first half but that disappeared.
Last night was a Pelicans low-point for me. I’m done blaming the coaches. This year’s strategy is 180 degrees different than last year’s, but the product on the floor and the reason for losing is the same. The team has too many guys with deficiencies in heart, desire, discipline, toughness and basketball IQ. Its not a lack of talent or that the talent does not mesh. Its the lack of heart and intelligence that limits this bunch. They are capable of winning enough to make the playoffs, if healthy, because they have the physical talent and basketball skill to be contenders. But the lack of heart and discipline and intelligent play means they will never rise above also-ran status. And though AD’s ratings on these intangible qualities are not really too bad, especially considering his age, he’s not mentally strong enough to make everyone else play at a higher level as far as intensity, discipline and desire. So, while it took me 4 years to realize it, I guess Dell is the one at fault for putting this group of Wizard of OZ tin men, scarecrows and cowardly lions together. I’m ready to shake things up and bring in some new guys. Everyone but AD should be on the block. Maybe shipping out one or two of these guys will wake the rest of them up.