Can New Orleans Pelicans Avoid NBA Play-In Game? | Easiest Strength Of Schedule Remaining?
You know you don’t want to take credit from these guys when they go out and have a performance like he did he hit some shots that we gave him and he also hit some tough shots we have to do better I mean there’s no excuse to get
50 put on us twice and so um our mentality coming out especially in the first quarter cuz both games it’s been the first half where he’s really done some damage against us you know quite frankly we were soft guarding we just had a soft mentality when it came to
Being physical on him and and he’s a he’s a great player you can’t allow him to be comfortable and that’s what we did tonight uh that is Willie Green and the he to which Willie Green was referring as Devin Booker who put another 50 Burger on the pels last night uh the
Suns beat New Orleans 124 to 111 and the there was never even a game the most disappointing part about it is New Orleans has so much to play for right now and I am sympathetic because you’re without Brandon Ingram who is arguably your best player and we could have the
Conversation because the way Zion played certainly the way Zion played in the last month but you’re at home and like we talked about it’s not just that now with seven games to go you’re trying to push forward but you’re also trying to hold off Phoenix remember we’re looking at it
Through a pelican’s lens and this is a team that right now after that loss the Pelicans are in the six seed and that’s good because you avoid the play in and so we’re looking at the pels and now you’re two and a half behind the Clippers remember you got a tiebreaker
Over the Clippers as well and you’d love to be a four seed because if you’re a four seed then not only do you avoid the playin but you get homecourt advantage in the first round but the problem is the suns are one of the teams right on
Your heels they made up a full game on you last night and so the the Phoenix Suns are one game behind the Pelicans and if you fall behind Phoenix all of a sudden you’re back in the playin so that’s the conversation we’ve been having all season long about this team well what’s
The next step what’s the graduation well it’s avoid the playin just be in the postseason and you’ve got an amazing opportunity and I think this team is plenty good enough to do it and quite honestly I think they will do it I think the pels will avoid the playin and will
Be a top six um one of the things that gives me um a lot of confidence is this has been a team that’s been magnificent especially in the last month at bouncing back after a loss we ju we just saw it they lost to OKC at home 11 119 112 where they were
Down 20 rally took a lead thought they were going to win it and they just kind of threw up on themselves in the last two minutes of the game and OKC won that game well next time out pels beat the Bucks 10700 go back to that ugly Road loss a
Week ago in Orlando ugly Road loss 121 106 second of a backtack so that they’re in Orlando they lose the next night they’re in Miami and they blew the doors off the heat 111 to 88 you that ugly home loss to Cleveland a few weeks back
116 to 95 next time out they beat the Clippers they man handled the Clippers in that game so in a really key game because that’s what gave you the season series win over Los Angeles so if you do have a tiebreaker you win the tiebreaker
So this has been a team that has been really good at responding to losses or to adversity even since the bi injury so that was an ugly loss at home last night to the Suns but you’ve got the magic on Wednesday night and and that’s a game that I think
New Orleans should absolutely win and when you look at the remaining strength of schedule in the NBA New Orleans their remaining strength of schedule is 21st 21st in the NFL in the NBA excuse me remaining strength of schedule and when I look at the teams that you’re that
You’re battling by the way the toughest strength of schedule remaining this is why when I said I think New Orleans will actually end up avoiding the playin the number one toughest strength of schedule remaining with seven games left the Phoenix Suns the team that’s one game behind you the Phoenix Suns have the
Toughest remaining strength of schedule and the next closest team behind Phoenix to you is Sacramento they have the fourth toughest remaining strength of schedule Phoenix has to play two against Minnesota two against the Clippers they have Cleveland they get another game against New Orleans and one against Sacramento Sacramento’s got to play the
Celtics the Thunder the Clippers New Orleans the Knicks and the Suns so easiest remaining opponents uh for Sacramento a game against the Nets and a game against Portland so Phoenix has the toughest road to hoe and Sacramento is right behind him and those are the teams trying to catch you
While your strength of schedule remaining straight the schedule is 21st by the way the team you’re looking up at that you’re trying to catch in uh in the Clippers the Clippers have the sixth toughest remaining strength of schedule so the point is the schedule lays out to
Benefit New Orleans here go take care of your business starts tomorrow with the magic coming into the blender hey thanks so much for watching please leave your comments i’ love to interact and be sure to hit the red subscribe button below you [Applause] You f than you after
Matt Moscona reacts to the New Orleans Pelicans loss to the Phoenix Suns and breaks down their current playoff standing. We look ahead to the Pels next matchup against the Orlando Magic and break down the Pelicans remaining strength of schedule.
Photo Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
1 Comment
Love this Pels talk!