Why the Pelicans can still make the playoffs

Lol he takes nights off

That is why they should make the playoffs, and if they don't, i put the blame squarely on him, not our mediocre coach.

If the don't start playing defense soon, they are going to fall hard especially after the all star break. We don't have a closer for this team to be trying to out score their opponents night in and night out.

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All we have is Jrue and AD

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and 3 guys that shoot 40% from 3.

If AD is the superstar, then he should be able to get it done. Garnett won 50 games in his 5th season with Terrell Brandon and rookie Wally Szerbiak as his best players.
He finished 1st in the West with a team that had Mark Madsen, Trenton Hassell, and Fred Hoiberg playing 20 minutes a night.

You want to be a real superstar AD? Now's the time to prove it. Westbrook found a way to keep his team of shitty players playing above .500 after Durant went down.

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AD really is tired

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boogie was tired
they are all tired...

pace + lack of depth/big minutes

this team isnt making the playoffs, in my opinion. they are wearing out with 30 games to play and other teams around them are coming on.

lets put the worst-case-hat on:
1) pels miss the playoffs this year
2) pels sign cousins to a max not knowing whether or not he'll ever recover partially much less fully
3) pels again dont have a 1st rnd pick in the june draft
4) benson dies and the ownership situation gets even more muddled
5) demps and gentry are fired, davis FINALLY starts the process of working his way out

or...you know, they could get lucky.
you never know

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AD really is tired.

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well boo fricking hoo.
Jimmy Butler, KAT and Wiggins don't look tired. They play the same minutes as AD/Cousins/Jrue.

but they don't play at a high pace right. they just play hard defense every night, as if that doesn't make one tired, only running the floor on offense does.

AD is averaging 36.4 minutes a night.
Shaq averaged 37.5 his first 12 seasons in the league.

Suck it up superstar. Every other superstar in the league plays 35+ minutes a night too.

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While I do believe AD would live up to his Top 5 player billing if he were on a better team, he clearly isn't a top 5 player by himself, something you've been pointing out. Telling him to suck it up is pointless if you are correct that he isn't a top 5 player despite his talent level.

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I don't want to be correct on that, and i still think he can be that top 5 player. He still plays immature at times. There's no reason for him to get blocked going to the goal, or throw up a wild layup to prevent getting blocked. thats something rookie AD would have happen to him. that shouldn't happen now, at least not as often. Lack of development.
Lack of confidence in him as well when you consistently draw up plays at the end of the game and he isn't the one getting the ball. Make him sink or swim right now as that true superstar. It will help us in the long run.

true but i can't ever see a scenario where benson sells the team if he's healthy
Gail gets handed a billion dollar asset, does she put it up for sale?

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Gail gets handed a billion dollar asset, does she put it up for sale?

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From all of my interactions with her and much more from information I hear from people who know her well: absolutely not. It is an appreciating asset that makes her money. She loves the city and being the biggest fish in our little pond. She already has enough money to do whatever she wants and she wants to be a sports owner. If the Pels start losing serious money, then that would be a different story, but it is unlikley given the subsidies and revenue sharing.

Would she have to pay estate taxes? I know the Irsays got hit with a tax bill of a few hundred million when the team was past down. I wouldn't think a wife would have to pay them though..