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We will be much better next year. +8… Mark my words…
Posted on 8/4/21 at 9:25 am
Posted on 8/4/21 at 9:25 am
I say around +8 over last year.
First, there were about 3-4 games that we had but couldn’t close out. If we close out those games we are +3. (The Portland game was killer). Graham will help in this area.
Second, last year we had 2 offensive liabilities in our starting 5…Adams and Lonzo. Although Lonzo did improve his shooting as the year went on he was still not the guy we wanted taking a game winning shot. He missed many open looks and the opposing team would give up the the long three from him and it usually worked.
Third, Marshall came on strong late in the season and was a defensive stopper and above average offensive player. His 3 pt shooting improved with increased playing time.
Fourth, BI and Zion will be better with another year of experience.
Fifth, with better perimeter shooters,(Graham, NAW, Murphy, JV, Marshall, Tomas if we keep him) the inside out game will be sick. Last year when Zion or BI kicked the ball out the shooting wasn’t there.
Sixth, the replacement of Adams with JV is huge. The fact that JV can step out and drain a three means his defender will actually have to guard him. Last year Adams’ defender would just hang back and clog up the paint and Zion still got 30. Next year should be sick.
Seventh, new coach Willie Green is huge. He will be given a team with many options of player combinations. He can go big…can go small…and can play a more defensive combo with Temple, Marshall and Hayes or play all offense with Graham, NAW, BI, Zion, JV, Tomas and add in Murphy.
There will be much more flexibility in next year’s team. Although I believe there is still another move or two that will be made, I like the way it is shaping up.
What say you?…
First, there were about 3-4 games that we had but couldn’t close out. If we close out those games we are +3. (The Portland game was killer). Graham will help in this area.
Second, last year we had 2 offensive liabilities in our starting 5…Adams and Lonzo. Although Lonzo did improve his shooting as the year went on he was still not the guy we wanted taking a game winning shot. He missed many open looks and the opposing team would give up the the long three from him and it usually worked.
Third, Marshall came on strong late in the season and was a defensive stopper and above average offensive player. His 3 pt shooting improved with increased playing time.
Fourth, BI and Zion will be better with another year of experience.
Fifth, with better perimeter shooters,(Graham, NAW, Murphy, JV, Marshall, Tomas if we keep him) the inside out game will be sick. Last year when Zion or BI kicked the ball out the shooting wasn’t there.
Sixth, the replacement of Adams with JV is huge. The fact that JV can step out and drain a three means his defender will actually have to guard him. Last year Adams’ defender would just hang back and clog up the paint and Zion still got 30. Next year should be sick.
Seventh, new coach Willie Green is huge. He will be given a team with many options of player combinations. He can go big…can go small…and can play a more defensive combo with Temple, Marshall and Hayes or play all offense with Graham, NAW, BI, Zion, JV, Tomas and add in Murphy.
There will be much more flexibility in next year’s team. Although I believe there is still another move or two that will be made, I like the way it is shaping up.
What say you?…
This post was edited on 8/4/21 at 9:35 am
4
Posted on 8/4/21 at 9:31 am to Eatem up
I said in another thread that losing Bledsoe will add 5 wins for us next year 
Posted on 8/4/21 at 9:44 am to Eatem up
quote:
First, there were about 3-4 games that we had but couldn’t close out.
realistically this number is closer to 15 than it is to 4.
There were 4 or 5 alone where we had the game 100% locked up and BLEW it in the final minute.
An additional 10 or so that we just couldn't finish.
I think we set a record for most blown 10+ point leads in the 4th quarter. That's on coaching. I think it's reasonable to expect a 10 win jump next season at a minimum. We got better, and the teams in our division (save MAYBE the mavs) got worse.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 9:47 am to Eatem up
JV for Adams is huge, and not just for 3pt spacing. He's also 30ish% better from the line and almost automatic from just inside the 3pt line. The pick and pop game is going to be amazing with him and should get zion some much more open space
Posted on 8/4/21 at 9:48 am to PP7 for heisman
quote:
I think we set a record for most blown 10+ point leads in the 4th quarter. That's on coaching. I think it's reasonable to expect a 10 win jump next season at a minimum. We got better, and the teams in our division (save MAYBE the mavs) got worse.
If I remember correctly, we did set some sort of blown lead record last season. I don't put it all on coaching though. Lets not forget Bledsoe admitting that he wasn't paying attention that time we blew a win. Or the very questionable decisions Lonzo would routinely make to close out games. Simply removing them in exchange for Graham should help tremendously at the end of games.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 9:59 am to Mickey Goldmill
I agree, the only question mark and it is a big one, is the coaching staff. I think we all wanted an up and coming younger coach but honestly I have no idea what Green brings to the table. Hopefully it works out and time will tell but hearing him talking about x's and o's don't matter as much as coaching out of a place of love scares the shite out of me lol.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 10:13 am to Mickey Goldmill
quote:A bit of a stretch. Honestly, can you say that Lonzo "routinely" made questionable decisions at the end of games that cost us a number of games? And, if you really think that, what proof do you have that someone like Graham solves that? This team significantly underperformed last year. Whether that was players or coaches or a more likely a combination, they should be better as long as they do not get bit by the injury bug.
If I remember correctly, we did set some sort of blown lead record last season. I don't put it all on coaching though. Lets not forget Bledsoe admitting that he wasn't paying attention that time we blew a win. Or the very questionable decisions Lonzo would routinely make to close out games. Simply removing them in exchange for Graham should help tremendously at the end of games.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 10:41 am to NOSHAU
From The Athletic this morning:
quote:
Clutch
Graham’s ability to make something out of nothing and hit tough shots will be helpful in some of the late-game situations that have haunted New Orleans the past two seasons.
While Ball was often an afterthought in late-game moments, Graham has proven he can be a cold-blooded shot maker when the clock is ticking down.
This isn’t necessarily fair to either player, but there’s a number that jumps off the page when you compare what these two guys have done in tight games.
Over the last two years, Ball was 20-39 in games he played where the score was within five points in the final five minutes. On the other hand, Graham was 31-28 in “clutch” games, and he played a crucial part in getting many of those wins.
Of course, Ball and Graham don’t get all of the credit (or blame) for the results of their respective teams. But the conversation about how Ball’s teams close games will follow him until he starts to have more consistent success. Point guards who get paid $20 million-plus per year should have a more significant imprint on the game in moments that matter.
In 2019-20, before LaMelo and Hayward came to town, Graham was legitimately one of the best end-of-game performers in the NBA. During that season, the 26-year-old was 13th in “clutch” points scored (101), second in 3s (15) and fourth in assists (27).
He finished with 66 field-goal attempts in the final five minutes of games within five points that season. Lonzo has attempted 67 such shots in the past two seasons combined.
Graham dragged a team that wasn’t exactly flooded with talent in 2019-20 to some huge wins because of daggers he hit at the end of close games.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 10:45 am to Eatem up
It all fell apart when the Pelicans lost an 6 point lead to the Pacers in the final 30 seconds with possession.
Posted on 8/4/21 at 10:49 am to Mickey Goldmill
quote:Gotta be Guillory. While I hope he is a huge improvement, he is looking only at stats pre-LeMelo. More likely to put up those stats with a team with less options. That team did not have BI or Zion. They had a lot of nothing outside of Rozier. Graham led the team in minutes and FGA. I hope he is a good 3 point shooter for us as he tends to be a bit streaky like Ball.
From The Athletic this morning:
Posted on 8/5/21 at 8:16 am to PP7 for heisman
I agree…I think it will be more like +10.
Hoping for one more move…like adding Danny Green.
Hoping for one more move…like adding Danny Green.
Posted on 8/5/21 at 8:35 am to Eatem up
My bad…I see Green signed with the sixers.
Someone else then. Sign Billy as backup C and another stretch 4.
Someone else then. Sign Billy as backup C and another stretch 4.
Posted on 8/5/21 at 10:02 am to Eatem up
I suppose billy h gets a deal only after the memphis deal is wrapped up.
two more days.
two more days.
Posted on 8/5/21 at 10:23 am to NOSHAU
quote:
I hope he is a good 3 point shooter for us as he tends to be a bit streaky like Ball.
everyone has bad nights, its how you recognize this and still try to have a positive impact on the game. Lonzo could only do one thing, shoot an open 3, and if he was sucking, he'd keep shooting and missing. At least Graham has other facets to his game he can fall back on, and he shouldn't be out there trying to create as many shots as he has in the past and should see much more catch and shoot open 3's, which he shot at 42% the last 2 years.
and also, it doesn't matter if you go 2-7 from 3, if the two you made were in the last 5 minutes of a close game after missing your first 5. I'll take that over going 3 for 7 every night but never making one in the clutch.
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