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I forgot about Asik. Davis must be terribly overrated on D if hea paired with a top 7 defensive C can't even be average.

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Only if you are thick enough to not count how completely worthless Ryan Anderson, Tyreke Evans, Eric Gordon and Jrue Holliday are on defense.

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I thought you told me how talented that group is once they're all healthy playing together.

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That doesn't mean Eric Gordon can play defense.

There is a lot of talent there offensively. Also, Eric Gordon.

I'm just messing with you soup. Your man crush is strong but well deserved.

Have I mentioned how worthless Eric Gordon is? I would trade him straight up for Richard Jefferson.

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Have I mentioned how worthless Eric Gordon is? I would trade him straight up for Richard Jefferson.

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I remember about 3-4 years ago he's the #1 guy I wanted for the Rox that was somewhat attainable. WTF happened to him.

Tyreke's ORTG is 100. His DRTG is 112. And he is supposed to be the #2 player on the team. Ryan Anderson is also shooting uncharacteristically poorly. Asik is playing well and somehow Austin Rivers still hasn't learned to hit a jump shot, despite having a top NBA coach as a dad.

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Have I mentioned how worthless Eric Gordon is? I would trade him straight up for Richard Jefferson.

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I remember about 3-4 years ago he's the #1 guy I wanted for the Rox that was somewhat attainable. WTF happened to him.

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Pellies got him in the Chris Paul trade that shouldn't have been. Then he had microfracture, lost his explosiveness, got a max contract, decided he didn't care anymore and doesn't want to play in NOLA. Only no other team wants an unexplosive, max contract SG that doesn't hit open shots or guard anyone.

Crazy what happened to him. I still contend that second to Ray Allen, Eric Gordon has the prettiest jumper in the league.

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I didn't go very in-depth, but Howard has played for three teams below league average in DRtg.


I don't watch the Pelicans very much, but I'm going to go with
1. Poor coaching. Defense is 1/3 physical talent, 1/3 knowing where to be, and 1/3 working hard. They have the first one and the second two are coaching.
2. Severe lack of depth. The Pels are basically running with a 7-man lineup. A roster full of really good, well-rounded players can pull that off, but the Pels have too many offense-only players. With endurance being a scarce resource, guys are going to save their energy for what they do best. For the Pelicans, that means offense.
3. Davis and Asik are their only players with a track record of good defense. Anderson has been adequate, everyone else has been pretty bad over the course of their careers. Some of that can probably be blamed on playing for bad teams, but it also means that none of the players know what it is like to be a big part of a high-performing defense.

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I would highly agree with #2, which relates to #3 because if Tyreke, Jrue and/or Eric Gordon play weak defense, your options are Jimmer, Austin Davis, or John Salmons. Not exactly defensive stalwarts...they are just shallow.

However, I am real impressed with Monty Williams as a coach. I thought he did a real nice job with the pieces they were given.

I think they are one year away from a playoff squad, if they can ever stay healthy.


In a way, they remind me of the 09-10 Memphis Grizzlies that was Hollins first full season with the Grizzlies, and a year before they first made the playoffs as an 8th seed winner over the #1 seeded Spurs. That Grizz team had Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, Mike Conley, ZBo, and Gasol, and that starting unit could play with anyone, but then they were bringing in Marcus Williams, Sam Young, Jamaal Tinsley, Hasheem Thabeet off the bench, and I'm not sure any of those guys are still in the league. That team also had the still fragile Darrell Arthur, young DeMarre Carroll (now doing well in Atlanta)...and of course, an early appearance of..

nm

Iowa, I'm not going to argue because I don't watch the Pelicans unless they are playing the Spurs. Does the fact that Monty Williams has been coaching that team for 5 years now impact your assessment of his coaching ability? I know they have had a lot of injury problems, but they've also been really bad defensively that entire time.

Ulrich, believe me, I'm not exactly an expert on the Pelicans, nor Williams, but I just don't think he is terrible, and was really impressed when he had dealt with the chaos the last few years. I don't think he is a top 3 coach, even among just the SW division coaches...just not terrible, but I would take him over about 40% of the league's coaches (so not a ringing endorsement).

I think he has these things going for him.

- Pelicans play in arguably the toughest division in pro sports, and had they been in the East last year, may have made the playoffs. They won almost two-thirds of their games vs EC opponents.

- He's been there 5 years ago, but none of those top guys from his first season (CP3, Ariza, West, Okafor, Bellanini, etc) are with them anymore. None of the top 12 minute guys from 4 years ago are even still there.

- He seems pretty fly

-I think he has strong interior defenders, but perimeter defenders who are thinking about their next offensive possession. And worse, those perimeter guys are fragile.

Looks like Davis will have his hands full tonight trying to match up with DMO. I read he's been described as the white Hakeem Olajuwon.

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@mdotbrown
Anthony Davis will learn to shoot threes soon and we'll have to invent a new sport.

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Davis sits and the Pels lose to the 76ers by 15...

3 at the buzzer to beat the thunder tonight.

I for one, welcome our new Brow overlord

It'll be interesting if some chick finally waxes the brow and he loses his basketball powers.

Watch out for people named Delilah!

Jrue Holiday out for at least 3 weeks.

Davis became the second player ever to put up 30/10/8/7. His like was 36/14/9/7. So a block and three assists from a quad-double.

Too bad Eric Gordon blows goats and the Pellies lost.

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Eric Gordon blows goats

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Ulrich,

I've changed my mind on Monty. Nice coach during the chaos they went through from transitioning to CP3 to AD, but not the guy for taking a team through the playoffs...but I wouldn't replace him with Scott Brooks, either.
I also don' think he will be replaced this year.

Davis is the next best player in the NBA, as Lebron begins to decline, and he'll be the best player in the NBA for a good while. The sky really is the limit for him. Dude fits the bill as a unique talent.

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Davis is the next best player in the NBA, as Lebron begins to decline, and he'll be the best player in the NBA for a good while. The sky really is the limit for him. Dude fits the bill as a unique talent.

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Once he gets some more polish on his game, he will be the next do-everything center like Hakeem or Robinson.

He's absolutely incredible.

Rumor on radio is they are going to wait and see if they can get Thibs, but Bulls would want some compensation for him.

I can't say that I would be excited about that, but I also know that rumors on radio are almost as valuable as plane sightings on Internet message boards.

Scott Skiles, Jeff Van Gundy, and Alvin Gentry, along with Thibs, all candidates for Pelicans.
Rick Barnes not a candidate.

The Rick Barnes thing never gets old.

Alvin Gentry named new Pelicans head coach. Will join them after Warriors season is over.