Celtics 125, Pelicans 114. Without Zion, BI and Herb, not enough firepower to counter 72 from Tatum and Brown. CJ had 38, but I don't think he hit a 3 in the 2nd half. At Detroit Friday.
Pels 116, Pistons 110. Now 2-2 through 4 games of this 5-game road trip, but I had the impression of a tired team. 21 of 30 from the line and a lot of short misses and general sloppiness. We need some healthy bodies back yesterday. Jonas stepped up big tonight, 33 and 16, CJ and Murphy with 19 each. Monday afternoon in Cleveland to close the road trip, then home Wednesday vs the Heat
nola.com calls out Brandon Ingram on his extended absence, basically calling him soft. Points out he's missed 44% of the team's regular season games over the last two years. He's missed 24 games with a left toe contusion; Memphis' Desmond Bane missed 17 games with a grade 2 toe sprain, considered a more serious injury. Article implies team brass feels he should be back already. https://www.nola.com/sports/pelican...cle_3b8853a8-9516-11ed-91d3-4bfa5f5e9b18.html
Zion and BI still out, Herb doubtful for return home tonight vs Miami. Meanwhile, Memphis has won 10 in a row and Denver 6. Between the Pels and the Saints, I have no recent memory of a healthy team.
Supposedly there's a lot of NBA insider talk about the Pels being a top contender for a trade involving Bogdanovic from Detroit. Don't know who we'd give up though, or even how you build the starting lineup when everyone's healthy.
Make it 3-9, Heat 100, Pels 96. Three home games this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Ingram just told media he hopes to return during this stretch.
And a one-point loss to Denver tonight. Really stings, because we came back from 19 down to take a one point lead with :30 left. Somehow allowed Jokic to get all alone 5 feet from the rim to get the lead back, then couldn't get anything but a contested 3 after inbounding under Denver's basket with 3.7 seconds left. This depleted unit can't close games, and now more depleted - Dyson Daniels rolled an ankle in the 2nd quarter and didn't return. After 3 weeks of no Zion, we hear today that his injury evaluation was right where they thought he would be.....and they'll evaluate again in 2 weeks. I've been saying for years, this medical staff has no idea how to get injured players healthy. Oh, and this was interesting....Valenciunas did not play in the 4th quarter, all Nance and Hernangomez in the middle.
Indications are Brandon Ingram will play tonight. He and Naji Marshall are listed as probable, Dyson Daniels is out (sprained ankle).
