New Orleans Pelicans ground to a halt by Memphis Grizzlies 93-81
81. 69. Final. 93. 211
The schedule says that the New Orleans Pelicans played in a basketball game tonight. Supposedly it took place in Memphis against the Grizzlies. I watched something that was played in the Fed Ex Forum tonight but I’m not 100 percent sure it was actually basketball. The team that was supposedly the Pelicans shot just 34.2 percent from the floor and somehow were in the game most of the night. It was pretty ugly and something that I hopefully won’t have to watch again for a while.
JRUE HOLIDAY. C-. <strong>10</strong><strong> points, 4-11 FG, 1-3 3PT, 1-1 FT, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers</strong><p class=. PG. New Orleans Pelicans
ERIC GORDON. F. <strong>11</strong><strong> points, 4-14 FG, 0-5 3PT, 3-4 FT, 0 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover</strong><p>Watching <strong><a href=. SG. New Orleans Pelicans
SF/PG/SG. New Orleans Pelicans. TYREKE EVANS. C+. 2<strong>1</strong><strong> points, 7-17 FG, 2-4 3PT, 5-8 FT, 4 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 4 turnovers </strong><p>Evans was probably the best player on the floor for the Pelicans tonight and at one point in the third quarter was the only real reason they were in the game. But he missed a wide open fast break lay-up in the third quarter which led to a <strong><a href=
New Orleans Pelicans. ANTHONY DAVIS. C. <strong>14 </strong><strong>points, 6-12 FG, 0-0 3PT, 2-2 FT, 2 assists, 8 rebounds, 1 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover</strong><p>Davis was thoroughly outplayed by <strong><a href=. PF/C
C-. 6<strong> points, 1-7 FG, 0-0 3PT, 4-9 FT, 0 assists, 8 rebounds, 0 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers</strong><p>Asik was great defensively tonight but at a certain point the bad offense can’t be ignored. All of Asik’s seven shots came from within three feet. For a guy that is as big as Asik is going just 1-7 in those situations is inexcusable. </p>. C. New Orleans Pelicans. OMER ASIK
D. <strong>7 points, 2-14 FG, 0-7 3PT, 3-3 FT, 0 assists, 9 rebounds, 0 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers</strong><p>Anderson has to make threes for the Pelicans to be an above average team. On a roster without a lot of floor spacing he is the one guy who can get hot and carry the Pelicans to a win on any given night. So far this year he hasn’t made shots consistently enough and it has shown. Eventually that will change, we are just waiting for that time. </p>. PF/SF. New Orleans Pelicans. RYAN ANDERSON
PG/SG. New Orleans Pelicans. AUSTIN RIVERS. C. 7<strong> points, 3-4 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0 assists, 1 rebounds, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 1 turnover</strong><p>I liked what I saw from Rivers tonight. He had a nice hesitation dribble for a lay-up out of the pick-and-roll in the second half, made a three and wasn’t horrific on defense. He could be better on the defensive end and had a bought of over-dribbling early that cost the Pelicans which limited his grade but there were good signs. </p>
PG/SG. New Orleans Pelicans. JIMMER FREDETTE. INC. #FreeJimmer. I mean he couldn’t have been worse than Babbitt.
New Orleans Pelicans. JOHN SALMONS. A+. Congrats to <strong><a href=. SF
INC. 0 <strong>points, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 2 assists, 0 rebounds, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 turnover</strong><p>He only played four minutes but he moved the ball in the flow of the offense to pick up two assists which is a good sign. He may get a shot tomorrow to earn more minutes. </p>. SF. New Orleans Pelicans. DARIUS MILLER
F. 0<strong> points, 0-4 FG, 0-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0 assists, 4 rebounds, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers</strong><p>Babbitt had a shot to earn himself minutes as the backup small forward tonight with Salmons out and he did not take advantage at all. He missed open looks, got beat plenty on the defensive end on cuts and was beat on the glass a few times for offensive rebounds. It wasn’t a good showing at all for him. </p>. SF. New Orleans Pelicans. LUKE BABBITT
C. <strong>5</strong><strong> points, 2-3 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, 0 assists, 1 rebound, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers</strong><p>Ajinca wasn’t awful when he wasn’t fouling which is kind of the story of his Pelicans career. He knocked in a few jumpers, was a big man with long arms on defense and got up and down the floor. But three fouls in 10 minutes makes it hard to play and makes it easy for opponents to get into the bonus. It needs to be cleaned up. </p>. C. New Orleans Pelicans. ALEXIS AJINCA
Other observations:
- The Pelicans got good looks they just didn’t go down, which has been the story of basically every game this year. In a game against such a defensive juggernaut that never is a good thing.
- They also gave up a lot of points to random role players, most notably Tayshaun Prince. Prince never really had to work hard for his points and when that happens it helps lead to a double-digit loss.
- Monty used the bench a bit more tonight but it still wasn’t a lot. Evans played 39 minutes, Holiday 36, Gordon 37 and Davis 32 despite foul trouble. The Pelicans play another physical team tomorrow night in Charlotte. That one could be ugly too.