NBA Season 2021-22

[radiohead]

If Booker misses time this can be a pretty good series.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Any way the pelicans beat the clippers?

Yep. They improved a lot during the season, then made a big leap after the McCollum trade.  I'd be surprised if they lose to the Clippers.  After that, it'll be tough to beat Phoenix, though.

Maybe if Zion plays. 

Clips have a lot of size and length with PG, Morris, Batum, Covington. Very switchable team and it’s going to be tough for CJ. Plus, the games in LA…

They are long and experienced, but McCollum is playing out of his mind. Ingram can get his shot off on anyone. And Valanciunas has been great.

Herb is a tough match-up to throw at PG, and their offense is otherwise pretty mediocre.

And the young NOP are are probably more motivated than the older Clippers.

Plz clap

I mean you said this before george was out. Any doubt they win with George?

Nope. I think it would've been a different (probably more traditional) game, though. The NOP were owning the paint in the first quarter, then the LAC went small to look for more balanced scoring. That worked, and the Pels went ice cold, but eventually they took back the paint, made shots, and used their length to get stops. I got 'em winning one game against Phoenix, but wouldn't be shocked if they pull off two.   

Tarstradamus strikes again. Let's go Pels!

[celticsclay]

Yeah losing a first or second all nba guy is crippling. Hate to say it but we would get stomped pretty quick if we lost Tatum.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Always the excuses. Booker sitting isn't the reason the Ingram was super aggressive to start the game and the Pelicans played much more physical and at a faster pace. Nor the reason Hayes took over the third quarter, Alvarado and Murphy were great again off the bench, and Ingram (37 pts) and McCollum took over the 4th. This is a really, really good basketball team. 

[tazzmaniac]

Always the excuses. Booker sitting isn't the reason the Ingram was super aggressive to start the game and the Pelicans played much more physical and at a faster pace. Nor the reason Hayes took over the third quarter, Alvarado and Murphy were great again off the bench, and Ingram (37 pts) and McCollum took over the 4th. This is a really, really good basketball team.

Him sitting is also not why the Suns transition defense broke down so much. 

[Celtics2021]

Yeah losing a first or second all nba guy is crippling. Hate to say it but we would get stomped pretty quick if we lost Tatum.

To New Orleans?  No, we wouldn’t get stomped pretty quick, and Phoenix was already down midway through the third when Booker left the game.

Phoenix had an off night, but New Orleans is still a not-good team that Phoenix will be meat without Booker if need be.

[celticsclay]

Always the excuses. Booker sitting isn't the reason the Ingram was super aggressive to start the game and the Pelicans played much more physical and at a faster pace. Nor the reason Hayes took over the third quarter, Alvarado and Murphy were great again off the bench, and Ingram (37 pts) and McCollum took over the 4th. This is a really, really good basketball team.

Tar Heels let’s not be over the top. Even with their semi strong second half of the season the overwelming majority of the pelicans wins were against Sacramento, Lakers, Rockets and trailblazers. In fact  Ten of their 36 wins came against these teams in the last two months of the season alone. They are not a really really good basketball team by any stretch of the imagination.

[celticsclay]

Yeah losing a first or second all nba guy is crippling. Hate to say it but we would get stomped pretty quick if we lost Tatum.

To New Orleans?  No, we wouldn’t get stomped pretty quick, and Phoenix was already down midway through the third when Booker left the game.

Phoenix had an off night, but New Orleans is still a not-good team that Phoenix will be meat without Booker if need be.

I meant to the nets.

[celticsclay]

Are we seriously acting like losing a guy that had 31 points in first half is not significant? I mean wow, just when I thought I had seen it all lol.

[Celtics2021]

Yeah losing a first or second all nba guy is crippling. Hate to say it but we would get stomped pretty quick if we lost Tatum.

To New Orleans?  No, we wouldn’t get stomped pretty quick, and Phoenix was already down midway through the third when Booker left the game.

Phoenix had an off night, but New Orleans is still a not-good team that Phoenix will be meat without Booker if need be.

I meant to the nets.

Sure, but Phoenix wasn’t playing the Nets, and again, Phoenix was down despite him.  He’s a loss, but I’m not sure his loss is why they didn’t win tonight.

[celticsclay]

Yeah losing a first or second all nba guy is crippling. Hate to say it but we would get stomped pretty quick if we lost Tatum.

To New Orleans?  No, we wouldn’t get stomped pretty quick, and Phoenix was already down midway through the third when Booker left the game.

Phoenix had an off night, but New Orleans is still a not-good team that Phoenix will be meat without Booker if need be.

I meant to the nets.

Sure, but Phoenix wasn’t playing the Nets, and again, Phoenix was down despite him.  He’s a loss, but I’m not sure his loss is why they didn’t win tonight.

it’s obviously an unanswerable question. But he left at halftime with 31 points right? He had a chance to go for 50-60. I don’t think we should just gloss over that. I will acknowledge there is definitely a chance the pelicans could have squeaked it out if he still played, but personally I don’t think they would have. At a larger level I think acting like the pelicans are a very good team is more preposterous when the majority of their wins they got to make the playin were against tanking or flat out horrible teams In The west. 

[gouki88]

Atlanta playing much better thus far

Would love them to steal one in Miami.

Man we should have kept Struss lol.

I mean, Atl made it to the ECF last year. Should be a competitive series.

They weren't missing Capela though. He's a huge out for them. Collins was also healthy.

Although this time around they have Hunter. If Atlanta can hit their open shots generated by the way Trae draws the defence, they should be annoying for Miami

Miami is a pretty small team, so I don’t think the loss of Capela is as big of a deal. If I had to chose between having Hunter or Capela, I’d take Hunter. Collins looks fine. Just needs to get his wind back.

Sure, but his screening and rolling is a huge aspect of getting Trae going. Without him, Trae struggles more.

[Moranis]

Yeah losing a first or second all nba guy is crippling. Hate to say it but we would get stomped pretty quick if we lost Tatum.

To New Orleans?  No, we wouldn’t get stomped pretty quick, and Phoenix was already down midway through the third when Booker left the game.

Phoenix had an off night, but New Orleans is still a not-good team that Phoenix will be meat without Booker if need be.

I meant to the nets.

Sure, but Phoenix wasn’t playing the Nets, and again, Phoenix was down despite him.  He’s a loss, but I’m not sure his loss is why they didn’t win tonight.

it’s obviously an unanswerable question. But he left at halftime with 31 points right? He had a chance to go for 50-60. I don’t think we should just gloss over that. I will acknowledge there is definitely a chance the pelicans could have squeaked it out if he still played, but personally I don’t think they would have. At a larger level I think acting like the pelicans are a very good team is more preposterous when the majority of their wins they got to make the playin were against tanking or flat out horrible teams In The west.

he played over 7 minutes in the 3rd quarter with 0 points and during that time New Orleans took the lead and was extending it.

[gouki88]

Are we seriously acting like losing a guy that had 31 points in first half is not significant? I mean wow, just when I thought I had seen it all lol.

I don't think it's quite what you're making it out to be. Booker was subbed at the 4:35 mark in the 3rd quarter, and New Orleans was up 77-74. He'd also not scored in the third quarter, indicating that he had cooled off.

[Moranis]

Are we seriously acting like losing a guy that had 31 points in first half is not significant? I mean wow, just when I thought I had seen it all lol.

I don't think it's quite what you're making it out to be. Booker was subbed at the 4:35 mark in the 3rd quarter, and New Orleans was up 77-74. He'd also not scored in the third quarter, indicating that he had cooled off.

Yep.  7 minutes, 25 seconds in the 3rd quarter and was 0-1 with no other stats and the Suns had been outscored by 8 and the Pelicans were leading.

The Suns biggest issue was Brandon Ingram just torched them in the 2nd half.  26 points on 9 of 13 shooting in just over 20 minutes, also added 7 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal, a block, and had just 1 turnover.  He was +24 in the half.  I don't think Booker would have made an impact defensively on Ingram at all, and that was the Suns biggest issue in the 2nd half.