Lakers 136, Pelicans 115 Didn't get to watch, but a couple of stats caught my eye. Zion had 37 points (on 17-23 shooting) and 6 assists in 26 minutes. That's insanely good. Put a facial dunk on Trey Jemison that ranks #8 for the year in the NBA's Dunk Score category. Rest of the team shot 41%. On 3's, Trey and CJ combined to go 2-13, Hawkins made his first 3 and then 1-7 the rest of the night. Dictionary should print the Pels' team picture next to the word "inconsistent." Pretty crappy defensive effort too, the highlights on YouTube are full of Jaxon Hayes getting uncontested dunks in the halfcourt set. 2-2 on the road trip, return home vs Houston Thursday.
Rockets 109, Pelicans 97 Pels led from the opening tip until the 1st half buzzer, and then epically fell apart in the second half, shooting 27% from the field. I didn't think that was possible. Defensively, anyone playing a drinking game where you take a shot whenever Joel Meyers says "that was too easy"...probably needed transport to the ER. Nineteen to go, repeat with the Rockets, this time in Houston, Saturday.
Grizzlies 107, Pelicans 104 First of all, this result was ideal as a tank game. Zion and CJ sat out, but they were still competitive against a playoff team, even had a chance to send it to overtime, but missed two contested 3's in the last 5 seconds. Got very good play from the reserves, against one of the best benches in the league. Putting the tank aside, it was disappointing to outplay a playoff team for 3 quarters and lose because of 12 minute - as usual, the 3rd quarter flop, which they lost by a score of 32-15. It was 89-75 Pelicans the rest of the game. And, Pels got killed on the boards all night, gave up 23 offensive rebounds, leading to 24 second chance points. Huge difference in the game. Also disappointing was Trey Murphy, though he did hit a couple of 3's in the second half and had an alley-oop dunk that should be in top plays today, he finished with 27 points but was -26 in the +/- column. Still feel like he can fully replace what we gave away in the Ingram trade, but the consistency just isn't there. On the up side, Karlo Matkovic continues to impress/improve, had 13 points, 11 rebounds in 26 minutes. He's deadly from the corners and works hard under the rim. If he can expand his outside game to be better behind the arc all over instead of just the corners, he could be the big man with the outside game they're looking for next year, without trying to make a splash signing with Naz.
Pelicans 127, Clippers 120 As far as the tank goes, this was a bad game. They simply played too well, so well they even overcame the inevitable 3rd quarter flop when they squandered a 21-point lead. Best 3-point shooting game I've ever seen from the Pels, they were 17 of 31 overall - CJ 5/9, Hawkins 3/5, Alvarado 4/5, Murphy 3/7. Zion had the second triple double of his career, 22 pts, 10 reb and a career-high 12 assists in 32 minutes, despite the Clips being allowed to defense him with brass knuckles. Another good game off the bench from Matkovic, 15 points. I'd love to see a starting lineup the rest of the way with CJ, Murphy, Zion, Karlo and Missi, let's see if he can be a starting "4" in this league. Orlando tomorrow night.
Magic 113, Pelicans 93 We've known the Pels weren't going to the post season for 3 months, but now its official; mathematically out of the race for the final play-in spot. This was a first-class tank job, an atrocious effort. The Pels last lead of the game was 4-2. They were down 20 early in the 2Q, and trailed by as many as 36. Banchero and Wagner combined for 61 points; they made 14 of their first 15 shots, and single (double) handedly outscored the Pels in the first half. An ugly, ugly game. Turning to the lottery, they are a game out of the top (bottom) 3 protected slots with 15 to play. Also, with his bad ankle sprain that could put his tournament availability at question, Cooper Flagg now looks like prime Pelicans material.
Trey Murphy destroyed his shoulder in a 46 point loss to Detroit tonight, equaling the worst loss in franchise history. Torn labrum, partially torn rotator cuff. Don't know what the prognosis is, but that sounds like a horrific injury. Edit: a sports medicine doc I never heard of tweets that the labrum is typically an orthoscopic surgery with 4-6 months recovery.
Pelican 119, T-Wolves 115 This is not how you tank....good all around effort, with Zion leading the way with a 29 pt, 5 reb, 8 ast, 3 stl night. Similar to the Clippers game last week, they pissed him off and he proceded to go off. They need to park him though; he took a bad spill at one point that looked for sure like an injury, and they don't need to get him hurt in a meaningless game to pad the win column, when what they really need is to pad the L's. Tip of the hat to Bruce Brown for his best night as a Pel; 15 pts (4 of 7 3's), 7 rebounds, 6 assists. This is what needs to be happening right now, give the minutes to young guys like Karlo and Hawk, and older guys like Brown and Bamba who you will have to make a roster decision about eventually. Lotto watch: still in 4th, a game behind Charlotte, who you play at the end of the month. Pels and Minny run it back Friday. Edit: Zion OUT tonight with a "lower back contusion."... on the play I referenced above. They need to sit him for the rest of the year.
T-Wolves 134, Pelicans 93 Pistons 136, Pelicans 130 Zion sat both of these games, Missi out vs Pistons. They hung around with the Wolves for a little while Friday before getting blown out, and kept Detroit (who sat Cunningham and Hardaway) close all day yesterday, even taking the lead for awhile in the 3rd quarter. McCollum had his 4th 40-point game of the year and moved into 18th on the all time 3-pt shots made list. Next two guys on the list are active, and he'll need about a full season to catch the next retired guy, Paul Pearce. And a nice 25-point game from Hawkins. Host Philly tonight, still a half game behind Charlotte for third on the lotto list. (Charlotte at Nola this Sunday)
And that's it. 21-61 is the final record, second worst since the franchise moved from Charlotte. David Griffin fired today; Willie Green's fate will apparently be in the hands of DG's replacement, who (NBA insider Shams Chariania suggests) could be Joe Dumars. Gayle Benson's statement today also indicates plans to upgrade the Smoothie King Center. Pels are 4th in the draft lottery, which means they could draft as high as first and as low as 8th. If the lotto chalk holds, V.J. Edgecombe, SG out of Baylor, looks like the best available at 4, but I could lean to Tre Johnson from Texas, who is not as good an athlete but a better pure shooter. If they fall below 5th, I like the look of Kon Knueppel from Duke, one of those decent-sized white boys who can sit outside the arc and rain 3's.
