What are we, 5% of the way in to the season?
The only huge surprise out West is the Pelicans looking like they can't even tie their shoes.
Davis has been awful (38% from the floor and 3 TO's per game) and they're just not a well coached team.
Alvin Gentry was just a horrible choice based on the games I have watched.
He's letting Ryan Anderson rot on the bench early in games and then playing him once they're down by 15. His minutes look OK but they're just inflated by all the garbage time he's gotten after their doors have been blown off.
And when Anderson does play, they're not pairing him with Davis often enough. Floor spacing sucks with AD in the game and he has nowhere to operate down low.
Gentry has always been a middling coach though, so I guess I'm not surprised. He's only coached a team to an above .500 record in 3 of his 12 head coaching seasons. They could have done WAYYYYYYY better than hiring someone like him.
They really miss Evans in particular. He helps Davis's game because he can get to rim, collapse the defense, and create opportunities for Davis. For a superstar, AD isn't great at creating his own shot, so Tyreke's playmaking ability is sorely missed.The Pels starting backcourt is Tyreke and Jrue. Tyreke had knee surgery and is out 2 mos. Jrue's ankle issues resurfaced and he has played 71 out of a possible 192 minutes.
Their backup backcourt is Norris Cole and Pondexter. Neither has played this year and both are out indefinitely.
EJ has been forced to play more min at the 2 where he really struggles defensively, and with the other 1 min (outside of Jrue) going to Lil' Nate and Ish Smith their backcourt defense bas been horrific (see McCollum going for 37, Curry having qtrs of 24 and 28).
Pointing to a lack of Ryan Anderson (who might be the worst defensive big in the NBA) does nothing to shine light on their problematic backcourt.
Brow is among the best in the league. But he can't create his own shot. Few players of his size can. And without anyone being able to run PnR and put any pressure on defenses, they just drop to AD and force the NBDL players to make it happen. And they can't.
Blaming Gentry for his entire roster of backcourt players going down seems silly too.
They really miss Evans in particular. He helps Davis's game because he can get to rim, collapse the defense, and create opportunities for Davis. For a superstar, AD isn't great at creating his own shot, so Tyreke's playmaking ability is sorely missed.
Play Ryan Anderson at the two duhThe Pels starting backcourt is Tyreke and Jrue. Tyreke had knee surgery and is out 2 mos. Jrue's ankle issues resurfaced and he has played 71 out of a possible 192 minutes.
Their backup backcourt is Norris Cole and Pondexter. Neither has played this year and both are out indefinitely.
EJ has been forced to play more min at the 2 where he really struggles defensively, and with the other 1 min (outside of Jrue) going to Lil' Nate and Ish Smith their backcourt defense bas been horrific (see McCollum going for 37, Curry having qtrs of 24 and 28).
Pointing to a lack of Ryan Anderson (who might be the worst defensive big in the NBA) does nothing to shine light on their problematic backcourt.
Brow is among the best in the league. But he can't create his own shot. Few players of his size can. And without anyone being able to run PnR and put any pressure on defenses, they just drop to AD and force the NBDL players to make it happen. And they can't.
Blaming Gentry for his entire roster of backcourt players going down seems silly too.
Play Ryan Anderson at the two duh