re: ESPN 2013-2014 outlook - panel discusses The Pelicans

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I'm not buying this at all. People think fast pace and they think hurry up offense, but fast pace is most commonly accomplished with transition offense which is set up by your defense. The way the team is forcing turnovers in preseason is an indication of the direction things are headed. They'll be disruptive and get quite a few points in transition leading to a faster pace. So Monty can "go fast" with the same philosophy he's always had of defense first. Defense first doesn't always have to look like the ugly 90's Knicks that got the rules changed.

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Totally agree. I'm kind of embarassed for some of these writers/commentators. It's obvious they don't know a hell of a lot about the roster. I suppose there's always a chance it can crash and burn but it's not happening. These are not a bunch of J.R. Smith characters. Sounds cliche but there are a ton of high characer guys on this team (Jrue, Ryno, AD, Smith, AR - hell almost everyone). The beauty of it all is Monty might not be the best X's and O's coach in the league but I think he's a man of character and, more importantly, players want to play for him.

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I hated the Nerlens Noel trade, in part because I doubt Holiday is an All-Star in more than a technical sense.

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I don't even know what this means. We are talking about a skinny center with one knee and no offensive game to speak of and a pick in the late teen's. I really couldn't care less if Jrue is an all star or not. With the weapons we should have, he probably won't score 18 a night. To base an opinion on him being an all star or not is just short sighted and dumb.

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but fast pace is most commonly accomplished with transition offense which is set up by your defense.

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yes

the heat play fast, but only when they're getting deflections/steals or some good opportunities off rebounds

last year there was only one fast break bezerker team, and they fired their coach