Don't be a Pelicant; Be a Pelican - Friday 5pm PDT

[floppymoose]

go JK go

[Old_Blue]

Not quite Ted Lasso level nugget of wisdom...But, we'll take it nonetheless.

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[xdrta+]

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[watch1958]

Everyone is out for NOLA. Sounds like a loss.

[HiRez]

Steph still being listed as game time decision after a week off, it's a little concerning. Should be an easy win regardless, but as we've seen repeatedly this year, there is no such thing as an easy win for this team, regardless of personnel and rest. Now I gotta worry about which rando scrub is going to have a career night against us. Watch Elfrid Payton go off for 40.

[vvoland]

Steph still being listed as game time decision after a week off, it's a little concerning. Should be an easy win regardless, but as we've seen repeatedly this year, there is no such thing as an easy win for this team, regardless of personnel and rest. Now I gotta worry about which rando scrub is going to have a career night against us. Watch Elfrid Payton go off for 40.

I'm guessing they're debating how likely it is they can rest Steph and still get the W vs how bad it might be to lose 3 in a row to teams like this. I doubt he'd miss the game if this was the play-in. Onus's idea of resting the vets and hanging on to the 8 seed might be worth considering.

[whatisacenter]

Wish Zion was playing

[HiRez]

Steph still being listed as game time decision after a week off, it's a little concerning. Should be an easy win regardless, but as we've seen repeatedly this year, there is no such thing as an easy win for this team, regardless of personnel and rest. Now I gotta worry about which rando scrub is going to have a career night against us. Watch Elfrid Payton go off for 40.

I'm guessing they're debating how likely it is they can rest Steph and still get the W vs how bad it might be to lose 3 in a row to teams like this. I doubt he'd miss the game if this was the play-in. Onus's idea of resting the vets and hanging on to the 8 seed might be worth considering.

I think you're right about the internal debate.

But I am adamantly opposed to ceding a locked playoff slot and taking chances with the play-in. First of all this team has shown no reason for confidence to win a play-in game (and historically, they're 0-2 in such games), we have seen how they can and do lose to the worst teams in the league regardless of rest or who is playing. Second, even if they do prevail to make the playoffs, they'll be exhausted from the effort and face a top-tier, well-rested team immediately. If they drop into the play-in, they're going nowhere.

People thinking we can easily beat Houston 4 times in 7 games may be mistaken, they are not the same team they used to be, they are younger and hungrier than the Warriors, and they're on a roll right now, having won 12 of their last 13. Plus, you can't count on drawing them anyway, it could just as easily be Denver or the Lakers. Which pretty much means they need to run the table the rest of the schedule since they're already #7. They own the tiebreaker against MIN, but not LAC. They likely won't win every game, but they can't give any more of them away.

[vvoland]

Steph still being listed as game time decision after a week off, it's a little concerning. Should be an easy win regardless, but as we've seen repeatedly this year, there is no such thing as an easy win for this team, regardless of personnel and rest. Now I gotta worry about which rando scrub is going to have a career night against us. Watch Elfrid Payton go off for 40.

I'm guessing they're debating how likely it is they can rest Steph and still get the W vs how bad it might be to lose 3 in a row to teams like this. I doubt he'd miss the game if this was the play-in. Onus's idea of resting the vets and hanging on to the 8 seed might be worth considering.

I think you're right about the internal debate.

But I am adamantly opposed to ceding a locked playoff slot and taking chances with the play-in. First of all this team has shown no reason for confidence to win a play-in game (and historically, they're 0-2 in such games), we have seen how they can and do lose to the worst teams in the league regardless of rest or who is playing. Second, even if they do prevail to make the playoffs, they'll be exhausted from the effort and face a top-tier, well-rested team immediately. If they drop into the play-in, they're going nowhere.

People thinking we can easily beat Houston 4 times in 7 games may be mistaken, they are not the same team they used to be, they are younger and hungrier than the Warriors, and they're on a roll right now, having won 12 of their last 13. Plus, you can't count on drawing them anyway, it could just as easily be Denver or the Lakers. Which pretty much means they need to run the table the rest of the schedule since they're already #7. They own the tiebreaker against MIN, but not LAC. They likely won't win every game, but they can't give any more of them away.

Problem is, we may not be ceding anything. If we're rushing Steph back like this is a play-in game, only for him to sprint through the finish line the next 10 games, that week of rest may not be enough even with the week he just got. Even with those heroics, our chances of getting the 7 seed and seeing either LAC or MIN jump us to 6 is what.. 50/50, at best?

so if we have a 50/50 chance of getting the 7 seed by running Steph (and Jimmy and Dray) out there like the playoffs already started vs giving the vets games off and still only having to win 1 game, it's not absurd. I'm not even sure I'd vote to do that but i do think it's worth considering:

Hou is likely to get the 2 seed.
Slipping to 8th means you still have to win only once to be the 7th seed with 4 days rest instead of 6.
The teams in the 9/10 look unlikely to win the 2nd game though just having to play 2 games in the play-in is a disaster with OKC waiting.
Giving Steph ~4 weeks off before the playoff start has echoes of '22
Kids need minutes to find their confidence (which for moody/podz/jk usually means finding their 3pt shot)

The downside is being in the lottery and a small chance to keep our 1st round pick.

If we can't beat Min/LAC after giving the vets 3 weeks off, we probably shouldn't be in the playoffs and maybe we'll see if any of the kids pop down the stretch.

[HiRez]

If we can't beat Min/LAC after giving the vets 3 weeks off, we probably shouldn't be in the playoffs and maybe we'll see if any of the kids pop down the stretch.

I don't know, playing with fire, man. They could easily end up going to LA to play the Clippers for the play-in, as Minnesota owns the tiebreaker over them (I don't think Minnesota would be an easy win either). Or worse, they might not win a single game and it's hard to flip the switch and suddenly regain momentum even with key players returning.

Steph has had a week off, that should be enough to make a run. There's a middle ground too where we don't sit the main guys but just try to limit them to like 25-30 minutes a game, give them a chance to win without burning out trying to chase wins.

[Chris Porter's Hair]

I'll be there tonight. Can only hope they put on a better show than they did for my Miami visit the other day /shudder

[EvanZ]

I'll be there tonight. Can only hope they put on a better show than they did for my Miami visit the other day /shudder

Damn this sounds like a fun way to live.

[vvoland]

If we can't beat Min/LAC after giving the vets 3 weeks off, we probably shouldn't be in the playoffs and maybe we'll see if any of the kids pop down the stretch.

I don't know, playing with fire, man. They could easily end up going to LA to play the Clippers for the play-in, as Minnesota owns the tiebreaker over them (I don't think Minnesota would be an easy win either). Or worse, they might not win a single game and it's hard to flip the switch and suddenly regain momentum even with key players returning.

Steph has had a week off, that should be enough to make a run. There's a middle ground too where we don't sit the main guys but just try to limit them to like 25-30 minutes a game, give them a chance to win without burning out trying to chase wins.

We've been essentially playing them about this much the last two seasons and guys are still getting exhausted after 15-20 games. They're older, the game is harder, it kinda makes sense.

I hear about the fire, I'm just saying we may not be able to avoid it even if we do bring curry back. Or we do avoid the fire of the play-in only to run out of steam by game 3 of the first round because the last ~30 games of the season were a sprint to the finish.

I'm not saying I'm on board, I'm just saying it's worth considering. And I don't actually mean sit them for all 10 games. I would, however, sit Steph/Dray/Jimmy in the two b2b's we have left (probably wouldn't have them travel to LA or PHX). In the other games, I'd only play the full team vs Hou, as a statement game, and sit the last 3/4 games if 6 is def out of reach by then.


This is all anathema to professional athletes so we're just blowing smoke, but I think I'd give the vets those 5 games off completely. The other 5? Not sure, I'd probably play them just so they get some decent run w/ the kids and work on some combinations but it's probably not enough time to matter so why risk any of the vets stepping on a foot and rolling an ankle?

[HiRez]

I hear you @vvoland, there's no easy answers and I don't think the best path is clear. Anything they do has risks associated with it, that's just where they are now.

[AirP.]

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[whatisacenter]

Glad Steph is back because a Draymond/Jimmy led team was looking pretty poor.

[AirP.]

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[marthafokker]

Damn... trying to duplicate 15 points 1st half starting lineup again? With Stepth this time?

[AirP.]

Lack of energy.

[marthafokker]

Someone going to blame JK for this mess yet? Hahaha.