Good new article from MM. The first part is a Monty critique and what he thinks is fair/unfair, but as much as we've talked about Monty here, the more interesting part is what else is wrong with the team: too many low IQ, one dimensional players.

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There was a telling play in the 76ers loss last night where Quincy Pondexter forced his guy baseline and expected there to be help waiting for him. Quincy expected this for two reasons: 1.) Because that is the scheme the Pels run and 2.) Because he has been playing with a high IQ team for several years now, and that rotation would have been made in Memphis. Offensively, it is a lot of the same stuff, as guards often dribble into the paint with no alternative plan other than to hoist up a bad shot in traffic. There is never a cut to the rim when an off ball player notices his man standing around watching – instead that player just stands around and watches too.

And lastly, this team is chalk full of one-dimensional players. People look at the Atlanta Hawks and wonder why a roster with seemingly inferior talent can have such a superior record. Well, quite simply, they have a number of guys who can beat you in multiple ways IN ADDITION TO their specialists. The Pelicans have AD, Jrue, and a bunch of specialists. When those specialists get a match-up that is beneficial to them, they can look like quasi All-Stars, and on those nights the Pelicans usually win. But when Tyreke faces a team that protects the paint, or Ryno has a man up in his chest all night, or Asik has to guard a more mobile big man who doesn’t play next to the basket, they become non-factors. And on top of all of that, the Pelicans highest paid player isn’t even one-dimensional. There is nothing that Eric Gordon does at an elite level anymore.

I've been very much trying to pull you guys back from the ledge that have been ready to fire Monty after every bad loss since December, but this stretch we are about to start on Monday with the Knicks is what Monty's job is riding on IMO, and if he doesn't make it out of there with enough wins, I think it will be time to pull the trigger, especially if the team already has replacements lined up that feel we need to do some serious roster reconstruction. Start blowing it up now. MM also points out if you're going to fire Monty February is better than May because it gives potential coaches more time to decide and prepare.

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You look at a guy like John Calipari, and he is not going to make a quick decision at the end of the year if you fire Monty in May and Cal is already on the recruiting trail. But let him start thinking about it now. Same goes for Shaka Smart, Fred Hoiberg, and a number of top assistants around the league. Let all of them know that this job will be available in mid-April, and that Anthony Davis will sign a new contract in July that will lock him up for at least five more years.

Who wouldn’t want that job? Let them start thinking about it today. Let them get their assistants and possibly even the executives they want to work with lined up, so that they can hit the ground running the second the season ends. Because they are going to have a lot of work to do, not only with the systems they want to implement, but with the roster they want to construct. It will be an uphill battle, but you are starting with the guy most likely to be the best player on the planet over the next five years.

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