Pelicans sans Davis can’t hold on

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Published: February 27, 2016

Davis injured his foot in shoot around (designated a sprained big toe during the game) and with that the Pelicans were back to having only one of their projected started five again.  One.

The Pels then went ahead and did everything they could to get a win in that game – taking advantage of really weak defense by Zach Lavine and any big not named Dieng to stay up by about 10 throughout the game.

And then the Pels were bitten by not having enough good NBA basketball players and, for the third time I can remember, an inability to have any time outs at the end of the game.   The Timberwolves put Dieng on Ryan Anderson and he did a fantastic job sticking to Ryan through every screen and roll and denying post entry passes.  That left the Pelicans guards to attack, and they torched Zach Lavine – when they weren’t turning the ball over.  It almost got them there, but the turnovers and some hot shooting by the Wolves to close the game (and some rock-stupid fouling by the Pelicans) gave Minnesota a 2-point win.

Observations

  • The Pels interior defense is horrendeous without Davis and Asik – and with Gordon and Cole.  The Wolves wings ran curls, caught the ball on the run, and simply ran into the paint over and over.  The Pels guards/wings couldn’t keep up, and their interior defense didn’t ever come over to help – or came over way too late.  Only Dante seemed to really try.
  • I want Ajinca to succeed, but he played so poorly tonight that he made Perkins look like a better option.  He fouled the crap out of everything, kept getting stuck in no-mans land defending screen rolls so he couldn’t defend the ballhandler or roll man, and couldn’t box out anything.  It’s why he’s a back-up.
  • Jrue was really good as usual.  Rubio did a great job defending him, but Holiday still got his, mostly by forcing switches and torching whomever ended up on him.
  • Gordon was an offensive force tonight with his shooting and a nasty dunk that kinda shocked me.  I really enjoyed that end of the floor with him.
  • Oh, screw it.  This is so MESSED UP.  I’m so god damned SICK OF THESE INJURIES.  Inchoate RAAGEE.
  • RAGGEEE
  • And screw trying to be nice about Gordon.  He can shoot the ball and played very well offensively – enough that he made up for his craptastic defense.  The dude was guarding Wiggins in the post on four different possessions and ended up standing ON THE WRONG SIDE of Wiggins.   Wiggins would bump him, he’d give token resistance, and then just let Wiggins stand in between him and the basket as he lightly held onto Wiggins arm.  Yes, it only cost one basket, but COME ON.
  • And Gentry, every other game the last 2:00 minutes suck because there are too many time-outs.  Teams have gobs of them to burn.  AND YOU NEVER HAVE ANY WHEN YOU NEED THEM.
  • Ajinca, commit to something other than slapping at other players.
  • Ryan Anderson, swing the damn ball when you are covered.  Gordon and Jrue can shoot too!!

Bah.  Next game is Wednesday against Houston, when I’m sure someone else will get injured.

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