March 14, 2025 • 34 mins
On the latest New Orleans Pelicans Podcast for Friday, March 14, 2025, Pelicans.com’s Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell are joined by Pelicans Radio color analyst John DeShazier and TV studio host/reporter Erin Summers for a Radio Roundtable to discuss Zion Williamson's recent play among other team topics.
Plus it's Friday, so Jim has some trending numbers and a weekend showdown game you can’t miss!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans, a podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad. Here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who covered the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast,
your official podcast of the New Orleans Pelicans. Gus kattannge
with you along with Jimichinhoff Repelicans dot com. As last night,
the Pels taking on the Orlando Magic, the team Jim
that has I think safe to say, has had the
Pelican's number. But the Pels are playing well. There was
a lot of good things going into it. And then
(00:56):
last night, well, uh this happened.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Elbow kick it out to KCP extra pass boncaro right
corner three, the no dip three is good and it's
sixty one thirty five. Wagner got away with another walk
by the way out the whole three times. Wagner for
three and he banked it in let's go home fifth now,
let that that that'll do it.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
That's fifth ish.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
He just banked it in a deathperation. If that's happening,
we might as well shut this baby down.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Paula Mncarra with thirty four points, Franz Wagner twenty seven
points for him. Needless to say, they led the Magic
in the one thirteen ninety three win. Pelicans were down
by thirty at the half. Here's head coach Willie Green.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
They were extremely aggressive defensively against us, and that's kind
of that's that's who they are. They're big, they can
switch multiple screens, they're physical, they rebound the ball. Well,
that's that's their foundation. I thought they did a good
job of coming out right way and just punching us
right in the mouth. And you know, we dug ourselves
(02:05):
in a big hole halftime better effort than the second half.
We competed a bit better. But when we get down
that big you know it's our margin for aaron is small,
so tough to make up for a thirty point deficit.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Right, So on are the reasons perhaps you got down
by thirty? As you heard Jim head coach Willie Green
say that it got punched in the mouth. He expanded
a little bit on that.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
Well, we have to walk into games with the mindset
right away that we're going to attack and be on
the same page, make sure our communication is there. And
that's what I told our guys, like, look the lack
of physicality, we look soft, and then when we look
soft defensively, we stopped sharing the ball offensively. Is do
(02:51):
we do it every game? No, but those are the
inconsistencies that we're seeing.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
By the way, too. Going back to one of the
highlights that you played, I'm glad I wasn't the only
one that thought Franz Wagner was traveling. I said that
three or four times to the other writers and they
kind of looked at me blankly. I don't know if
that was because they're sick of listening to me this
season or what it was, but yeah, I thought the
same thing. I was like, Man, this guy is shuffling
like crazy. I'm not blaming the refs though. I'm not
gonna sit here and say, hey, that the refs cost
(03:16):
us this game. They were down by thirty six or
whatever it was in the third quarter and that was
all on the refs. No, I'm not saying that at all.
But to Willie Green's point, you know, we mentioned on
one of the recent postgame radio shows. I think was
at one of the watch parties that the four letter
word that you never want to hear your coach say
about you is soft, and obviously he used that word.
(03:37):
I think one of the recent games he said we
got punked. I think it was the Houston game that
was really discouraging. So I mean to me, the way
that you react to the coach saying that is, I mean,
you really have two options. You can either change your mindset,
which is a word he used, it changed your mentality
as players the way that you come into the game,
or you got to change the personnel and have it
(03:58):
be more guys that have that mental consistently and so
that your coach isn't using that word after the game.
So I mean, it's one of the two things. I mean,
you can't continue to have sporadically where the coach is
using that description because those are definitely fighting words if
you're a player, as far as that something that you
just don't want to hear and you need to react
(04:19):
to that in some fashion.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
You heard coach say it there that it's not every
game has been. Some of those games, as you mentioned,
some being you know, the punk game, we're soft and
it's not the first time we've heard that so but
there have been other games where players have played very well,
and that's going to be our focus on our radio
round table, because let's be honest, when you're down by
thirty in a game, it's not really much to break
down yesterday. Either you play better or you don't. I mean,
(04:44):
it's one of the other. We'll see how this team
reacts tomorrow night in San Antonio, and then there's gonna
be some interesting games coming up, you know, against some
teams that you are going to probably mention in a
radio round table like Detroit, and look, you better be
ready to play. Some of these teams that are coming
up with eight games are many. Minnesota is playing really
(05:05):
well as of late and they have a lot to
play for it. And I know your Sportless Scale comes
on Monday. I'm very interested to see what that scale
is gonna be like with some of those teams coming up.
But let's get to our radio round table. Of course,
today is Friday, so we're gonna have a weekend showdown
and some trending numbers here as well. But first up,
the analyst for our radio broadcast, mister John Deschazer and
(05:25):
Aaron Summers, who if she had a business card, she
would need two sides. Right, it's team reporter sign a
reporter for radio host on the Gulf Coast Sports and
Entertainment Network. She's also the Saints team reporter host the
Saints podcast. Yeah, she needs two sides. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
I feel like I feel like I'm not very productive
when I when you list off that those items. But yeah,
I mean, I guess for our purposes, she's the radio
sideline reporter for the Radio round Table.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So yes, I could just use a big font for yours.
Yeah that she Mi can offer Pelicans dot com.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
There you go, There you go, says a Lockdowugh. What
happened to business cards? By the way, I remember there
was something, didn't We run into somebody at one of
the watch parties.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah, gave us a business card and I asked you
lit about it.
Speaker 7 (06:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
We looked at each other like, and I was like,
I haven't seen a business card for my purposes in
like ten years, and I haven't even thought about it
in the last ten years.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
So I guess everyone's gone digital.
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Yes, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, Well, if it makes you any feeling better, it's
been probably twelve fourteen years since I've had one.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
Mm hmm. Yeah, it's probably about the same timeline for
me as well, So it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Anyway, people that would have business cards Aaron Summers and
John de days or they join us now, all right,
time now for our radio roundtable. It's been a minute
since we've seen John Deschazer, Aaron Summers, and Jamike and
off with myself here in this group doing it. Got
a lot to talk about here, even though it was
only on sixteen fifteen games. It's something like that, I
can't really count fifteen.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Now, wow, but who's counting?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, who's county?
Speaker 7 (06:50):
Look.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
One of the things that we've been talking about the
last several podcasts and during the broadcast JD with you
and Todd is the way Zion Williamson has been performing.
So what has been your favorite aspect of Zion's performance
over the last several weeks.
Speaker 8 (07:04):
I think I like best that he is involving his teammates.
He's at a career high and assists obviously, but the
way he's going about it, especially early in games, where
he feeds his teammates, tries to get them into a rhythm,
and then he decides and picks and chooses his spots
where he gets aggressive offensively in terms of score. I
think that's the kind of thing that can feed a
(07:25):
team because everybody kind of understands and sees that. And
when you see a guy, the star guy, being unselfish,
I think it lends to everybody saying, okay, if he's
willing to do it, I'm willing to do it.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Now.
Speaker 8 (07:37):
The biggest part of it is, you know, in order
to get assists, and he's got a couple of triple
doubles the last couple of weeks, guy's got to make
shots for you. So when guys are making shots, everybody's
confidence jumps up. I know, we can talk about his rebounding.
He is at a career high there, and he's at
a career high and steals too, and due's averaging twenty
four points in twenty eight minutes a game, you know,
just about a point a minute. But to me, it's
(07:58):
the assist and that really jumps off the page to me,
because again, if you have the star guy who's unselfish,
then everybody kind of feeds into that and everybody says, okay,
if he can do it.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
I'll do it too.
Speaker 9 (08:12):
Yeah. I think that the unselfish aspect of his game
has been huge, and I think in extending that, the
all around game that he's bringing because he's really playing
at a high level on both ends of the court.
You mentioned a career high and assists, rebound, steals, and blocks,
so he's not only playing less minutes, but he's more
(08:32):
effective in all areas of the game. And I think
that it gets his teammates going as well, not only
getting them involved offensively, but they see he is aggressive
from the beginning of the game and then he still
seems to have those notches he can turn it up,
which I think have been really impressive over the last
few games, just seeing especially that game on Tuesday where
(08:54):
we are down twenty or up twenty two points and
then down and then it's just back and forth. But
he just kept ants and then leveling up and took
over the game, and he's bringing his teammates along with him.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
I have two things. I mean, the first thing to me,
just from a broad standpoint, bigger picture, is it seems
to me that he's kind of crystallizing what needs to
be surrounding him in terms of I mean, the way
that kale Olnik has fit in it just seems like
it's becoming even more clear if it wasn't already what
kind of players and pieces that have to be around him.
And I mean, he's taken his game to a level
(09:29):
that it encourages me as far as just the ability
to put pieces that compliment him. And then the second
part of it, and this is me being petty as usual.
I just love and I've enjoyed the fact that he's
really silenced a ton of the criticism of him. I
feel like some of it, you know, there's stuff that's justified.
There's you know, every player has flaws, everyone has things
that they can do better. But I feel like the
(09:50):
way that he's played lately has not only quieted a
lot of people, but it's also kind of exposed to
the people that aren't paying attention. Some of the people
who say who are still saying like, oh, you know,
he's not in shape. It's like you obviously are not watching.
So I enjoy that part of it too, that the
people that you see, whether it's people in national media
or social media, that they've definitely kind of you can
see the people that haven't been paying attention by because
(10:13):
that's how well he's been playing.
Speaker 9 (10:14):
Speaking of being in shape, though, he leads the team
in pace, which is interesting because people didn't really think
he got back on defense. But he is running on
both ends of the floor, and that's something that physically
he may not have been able to do in the past,
and I think that just speaks to what he is
bringing every time he takes the floor.
Speaker 8 (10:34):
I think Zion's biggest critics have fallen off because of availability.
When he's been available, he's always been effective when he's
been on the court, whether it was that two sixty
four to eighty four, he's always been effective when he's
been on the court. He's a lot more, it seems,
available now that they've got this minute restriction thing going,
(10:54):
and you know, he's in the best shape of his life.
And so now when a guy's on the court or
you can see the full array of what a guy
is and we're seeing a lot more of that. But
when he wasn't available, you know, you open yourself up
the critics because you can't defend yourself because you ain't playing.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Right, no doubt, I thought Tuesday night after the win,
CIJ McCollums starting out by saying, is motor is different,
you know, kind of goes to that there as well.
So it's a mental and physical aspect as to why
I think Pels fans should be excited about what Zion
can do next year. All right, So, as Jim said,
fifteen games remain what other players maybe in their development
is some are things they're going to be taking a
(11:32):
look at it. I know there was a player yesterday
at the very beginning of the game think you said
is attacking the rim with malice and Carlo Mackovic. Is
he one of those.
Speaker 9 (11:40):
No I wanted to have.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
That's my dude. That's my dude. I'm glad you came
to me first. I could hog it. That's my dude.
Speaker 8 (11:45):
The last four games, small sample size, Carlo twenty twelve points,
seven rebounds, a block and shooting seventy seventy four percent
from the field twenty to twenty seven. Now, again, he's
a guy who you see it coming earlier in the season.
Obviously is in the G League. Then when he plays
a little bit, he looks like a deer in headlights.
It doesn't seem like it's really clicking yet. And now
(12:08):
you see the game kind of slowing down for him.
He's kind of figured it out. He understands where his
spots are, where it's what he's supposed to do. And look,
Carlo attacks the rim as well as just about anybody
on this team. Now, you know you're gonna put everybody
behind Zion and trade win, but look, he attacks the
rim in traffic, which is something you don't see often
(12:29):
in this league, I don't think, and a guy who
to me might be a little bit more athletic than
maybe defenders think he is, because once he goes down there,
you know, everybody's kind of standing around like he's gonna
lay it up.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
No, Carl is going to dunk it.
Speaker 8 (12:42):
He's going to hurt you. He's going to put you
on a poster. And I like that aggression about it.
Speaker 9 (12:48):
Yeah, I mean, pre post All Star for Carlo, he's
more than doubled his points per game from three and
a half to ten. His field goal percentage is up
ten points, his turnovers are down, reb are up. So
he is just continuing to elevate his game throughout the season.
And he's somebody that was lost I think a couple
of seasons ago we saw him make his debut in
(13:10):
Summer League, and he was having a really hard time
translating from the euro style of play to playing here
at the NBA, albeit Summer League level. And he learned
a lot over the last year being in Birmingham. Even
at that level, I mean, he dominated, but he learned
a lot about not fouling as much, and he's even
improved in that area as well. So I think he's
(13:32):
somebody that's fascinating. Last night during the game, Andrew Lopez
kind of looked over and was like, that is what
I need Eve to start doing, And it was after
Carlo threw down a two handed dunk. He's like, he's
got to get both hands on the ball. He's got
to be aggressive. And I think that while we saw
Eve really accelerate quickly at the beginning of the year,
(13:53):
he has seemed to plateau a little bit that maybe
we can see a little bit more in these last couples,
but I mean those two together and I think having
Kelly Olenik in and showing them a little bit more
of how you can play beside Zee has been really beneficial.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
I went with Jordan Hawkins for this one because I
really like the way that he's played lately, and I
want to see him just continue that over the last
month of the season. A couple of stats. He shot
thirty nine percent on threes in March so far. He
was forty one percent in October, which had been I
think by far, his best three point shooting month of
the season. And it was interesting. Jose Alvarado talked the
(14:34):
other day about how Jordan Hawkins lately has not been
affected as much by the back injury that had him
sidelined for a while, and it seemed like it really
hurt his production as well. But it was funny when
I look back at the beginning part of the season,
because Jose was talking about how he was saying, like, yeah,
you guys, remember when early in the season, when Jordan
was playing so well and he was shooting at a
(14:54):
great level. It's like the first five games of the
season or so feel like three years ago that I
had actually forgotten that. You know, for example, in the
starts that he's made this season, he's averaged nineteen zero
point four points. And if you go back and look
at the first week or two of the regular season,
he was playing really well. He had multiple twenty point
games it just feels like like I had to remind
(15:15):
myself of that because, like I said, that feels like
a completely different era of our lives, of how long
ago that was. But anyways, he's a guy that I'm
I'm paying close attention to over the last fifteen games
of the season just to see if he can continue
to do what he's done lately. I feel like going
into the offseason will be a lot more optimistic about
(15:36):
him going forward if he continues to play the way
he has lately, and also just be able to say,
you know, the back injury definitely affected him at a
level that I only I'll speak for myself, I didn't
even realize at the time.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
You guys going with Carlo and Jordan, y'all know I
love me some dunks up top.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Joseph drives to the rack, lay up his block by
Macovich and was not a shot clock violation, and Carlo
Carlos to take it right off the glass, go ninety
four feet.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
And punch it down.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Carlo doing at all nice. That made it to nothing
just to start the game, so to year point, Jad,
that's how he started. But for you, Jim, since you
did say Jordan Hawkins not a three, but a.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
He spins, there's the triple team, throw it out to
Bamba swinging around the perimeter. Hawkins drives in hangs and
dunks over Bunk Carrol fly, Hawk fly, and he did, although.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
It could have gone with threes right Carlo's quarter now
all of a sudden, Jordan Hawkins three. But I did
choose dunks.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
Hawkins has He has more dunks lately. So he's definitely
meeting your standards a lot more in recent games.
Speaker 8 (16:39):
It's very important hawk Hawk looks like healthy. I guess that,
you know, I'll put I'll credit that too. But it
looks like he's kind of out of his head a
little bit more because he he went through a stretch
where he couldn't make a shot. And you know, I
know a lot of that is mental with shooters. You know,
you gotta see something go in before you can get
your confidence right. He just went through a stretch where
(17:01):
it was like, is Hawk ever gonna make another three?
Is he ever gonna you know, drive to the basket.
Is he gonna get to the two? You know, to
a MIDI?
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Is he gonna be able to finish when he gets
to the rim?
Speaker 8 (17:11):
And so seeing him healthy and making shots really goes
a long way, all.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Right, Aaron, eight games left in a month of March?
Is there a game in a month of March you're
looking forward to the most?
Speaker 9 (17:21):
I think that there's an interesting stretch at the end
of the month where we have those three home games
to close out March. You have the seventy six ers
on that Monday, and then you have three days off
before you see the Warriors on Friday night. So I
kind of think the Warriors game is one that I'm
really looking forward to. They're gonna have some time off,
they're gonna be able to really prepare for that game,
(17:42):
and the Warriors are obviously still fighting for seeding in
the Western Conference, so we should see all of their stars.
I don't I don't know, because sometimes stuff likes to
sit here. But I think that that's gonna be a
big game.
Speaker 8 (17:54):
Okay, you say game, and so you know, I make
my own rules not cheat, and so I'm gonna say
two game, the two Piston games, because I'm looking forward
to seeing that young team that's really improved. Thirty seven
and thirty right now, last year fourteen and sixty eight
year before seventeen sixty five year before twenty three and
(18:15):
fifty nine, year before twenty and fifty two, year before
twenty and forty six, a vastly improved team. And I
want to see, especially Kate Cunningham, who's turned into kind
of a you know, a kind of.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
A triple double threat. Every night.
Speaker 8 (18:29):
I want to see that aggressive young team and just
see how improved it is, you know, with my own eyes,
because you see it, you know, you see the clips,
you see the highlights on like Shack, I do watch them,
and so I just want to see it with my
own eyes because I mean, they obviously are vastly improved.
A team that's that's you know, in the in the
playoff mix.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Yeah, I mean Chauncey Billips has done an amazing job
touching the Pistons. Oh wait, he's not the Oh wait anyways, Yeah,
it's funny. I had the I had the Pistons as well,
but I had specifically just the home game because haven't
played them yet this year. I'm curious to see them
play in person. I mean, to me, there, they've been
one of the most interesting fun teams to watch on
(19:07):
League Pass all season. I think them in Houston have
been up there on that list. They have a ton
of young talent. They play very hard nose, they're a
little confrontational, so we might see a scrap here or
there with my guy Isaiah Stewart. But yeah, I mean
Detroit is the team that I'm looking forward to. There's
a few other games that are interesting as well, the
two Minnesota games as well. But by the way, to JD,
(19:28):
when you're reading off those records, that reminded me, I
need to I need to call my counterpart at at
Pistons dot com and and tell him, like, congratulations man,
because that is brutal numbers.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
I'm like that.
Speaker 6 (19:39):
I can't imagine going through those seasons that many seasons
in a row with that record.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Oh god, I mean, I mean, pat thatman on the back.
He's going to heaven.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Well, I tell you what, it's getting closer and closer
to the postseason. Give me a bold prediction or hot
take for the Western Conference postseason raced down to stretch.
Speaker 8 (19:58):
I don't know how hot this is. I'm going to
take the war years old the Nuggets in the first round.
I'm gonna think that the Warriors taking out the Grizzlies
in the second round Wow. I think I didn't know
the Jimmy Butler addition was going to be as effective
as it has been. But you add him in and
you get that contrast to Steph Curry's game. I think
they might have what it takes to take out Denver,
(20:19):
and I understand yokis just you know, maybe gonna get
maybe gonna win MVP again. And when Aaron Gordon is healthy,
they're kind of a totally different team. And when Jamal
Murray is playing well, they are championship caliber team. But
Aaron Gordon hadn't been healthy a lot, and Jamal Murray's
been kind of up and down, so I think the
Warriors might might be able to take him out.
Speaker 9 (20:40):
Okay, shake gel, Just Alexander is gonna win MVP because
he actually plays both sides of the ball. What a
concept and not joker shade. No, I'm not even getting
to the playoffs yet because I am predicting that the
Lakers fault to the play in.
Speaker 8 (20:54):
Whoa, whoa, Yeah, that is a bold prediction.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
I can't believe I didn't say that.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
He's happy.
Speaker 9 (21:04):
I might know my audience here, but they've lost three
in a row. Lebron's not playing right now. It's a
very tight race, and I don't know, I could kind
of feel them sliding from four to six or seven.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
My bold prediction is this will be the most interesting
Western Conference seating race that we've ever seen ever ever,
because I think, you know, Jad mentioned Golden States on fire,
Minnesota has been hot lately, Denver I think is a
dangerous team. And then you also have the younger teams
with Houston and Memphis that you know haven't especially Houston
(21:37):
doesn't have much playoff any playoff experience with the guys
with the core that they have, and then you have
the Lakers with Luca. It just seems like the positioning
of some of these potential matchups is going to be
so intriguing. I mean, we could see Warriors Lakers, we
could see Nuggets Warriors, I mean there's so many. We
could see the Timberwolves Nuggets again last year. So that's
why I say this, This this race to figure out
(22:00):
what the matchups are going to be in the first
round in the plane is going to be as interesting
as it gets.
Speaker 8 (22:05):
All right, final question ahead, Nuggets don't want to see Timberwolves.
Speaker 6 (22:08):
Yeah, that's a bad matchup.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
They will.
Speaker 8 (22:12):
Sudden start to look like that is the antidote.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Look, it is March madness, and obviously that means the
tournament and the brackets and all of that stuff. One
to ten, man, what's your excitement level is it?
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I'm gonna I'm gonna defer.
Speaker 8 (22:24):
I'm gonna defer and go second or third on this
because you know I'm gonna I'm gonna throw rain on it.
Speaker 9 (22:29):
So okay, I think he's gonna go with like a zero,
like he doesn't care, he doesn't watch any of it.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Carolina.
Speaker 9 (22:36):
Yeah, we got a big game tonight. We're playing Duke
in the semifinals the ACC tournament. We've got to win
tonight so we can actually get into the NCAA tournament
because we are like one of the first four teams out.
Cooper Flagg is not going to probably play because why
would you play him?
Speaker 7 (22:47):
Right now?
Speaker 9 (22:48):
So wait, this is where my head's at right now.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
I do care.
Speaker 9 (22:51):
It was a really big deal in in the Carolinas
because you had a lot of teams, there a lot
of rivalries, and I'm old enough where they literally would
like roll a TV out on a car in the
classroom and we would watch the tournament.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
N Yeah, nice.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
That is awesome.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
Yeah, I love it. I went with a six on
the scale of one to ten. Honestly, I have not
watched much college basketball this season, but I always love
the tournament. And I do think that that six would
be lower if the Pelicans were headed to the playoffs.
My interest definitely has gone up a little bit, just
based on the fact that we know that they're going
to be in the lottery prospect watching. But so it
(23:30):
would be lower if the Pelicans were head of the playoffs.
But it actually it would be higher than six if
more of the top projected picks are actually going to
be in the NCAA tournament, because it seems like a
bunch of them their teams aren't going to be there.
So that's my answer. It was six. What do you
got to say?
Speaker 8 (23:42):
That's a beautiful thing, because I'm probably like at a
negative three.
Speaker 9 (23:45):
And I knew it was going to be like zero.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
Just don't watch college basketball because it's just not interesting
to me.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
I mean, and I get it.
Speaker 8 (23:53):
I mean, I guess eighty two seventy eight is romantic
in some ways or another. But when I watched the
NBA and I'm looking at the guys and I'm like, hmm,
that's not a skilled team, right, and these aren't really
skilled players, and it's tough for me to make the transition.
And I used to be so all in on college basketball.
I mean, you know, final fours and all those things,
and now you know, because you know, you get that
(24:15):
Thursday Friday when you get like all the games, yeah,
and you know, you like, you know, you like take
the afternoon all from work and you watch them all
and I'm like, all right, what's the assignment.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
I can go to work. I ain't watching this.
Speaker 8 (24:27):
So I mean, now do no Alabama and Auburn of
two teams that I kind of want to see in
the tournament. And you know, we heard about Cooper Flag
and Duke and those kinds of things. But it's just
not enough overall allure from me. And I understand the
whole room. I mean, it's a great time of year.
You get the small conferences and they get their one chance,
and you know, you get a fourteen beating a three
(24:49):
and that kind of thing, and you know, all those
things are great and wonderful, and yet.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
I'm just not that interested.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
I have two things for you, JD. One, you said
eighty two to seventy eight. I don't know what what
college basketball your time night like.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
To be nice.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
Sixty fifty eight is more more of your speed.
Speaker 8 (25:10):
I'm trying to be nice and like pump it up, yeah,
and make it interesting because I mean I watch enough
to I mean I see enough final score where it's like.
Speaker 6 (25:17):
Yeah, and I guess we're not gonna hear JD singing
one Shining Moment either.
Speaker 8 (25:21):
That's well, hey, you might get that because that's Luther.
So I kind of I kind of know most of
the words, so I do like the song. I'll watch
it for the end of the tournament. It's one shining moment.
Speaker 9 (25:33):
Yeah, no, it's gonna be one of your calls. Someone's
going to hit a basket for the Pills at the
end of the season and you're gonna be like, that's
just one shining moment.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
Well, I don't know enough of the word to do that.
Speaker 8 (25:41):
And then the Pills won like eighteen games, So now
we're not gonna shine work.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We're not gonna shine trademark call.
Speaker 8 (25:47):
You can work, well, you know, everything can be working.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Everything's got a place, so you know, it is interesting.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Maybe we'll do this after the season and kind of
talk about it because kind of one of the things
you brought up is maybe why you saw this fast draft?
Was it French players went one and two? You know,
and things that nature. How how good is the development
of basketball right now moving into the league and all
that stuff.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
So that's something to talk.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
About another day, but it's always appreciate the time, mister
John de Chazer, Amy Summers will see you on TV
tomorrow you and the graph will be in San Antonio
and Jim, are you hanging out with us tomorrow and studio?
Speaker 6 (26:20):
I think I have another plan, very copident. Yeah, no,
I'm going to be there.
Speaker 9 (26:24):
Is this weather coming in?
Speaker 4 (26:27):
Yeah, Like, have your people call. We'll figure this out.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
We will see you next time though, on the next
radio roundtable. Thank you guys every time. All right, thanks
to j D and Aaron. Always a pleasure when they
join us here on the show. All right, Jim, it
is Friday, tg I, Yes.
Speaker 7 (26:43):
Sir tg I, Jim, It's Friday, which means mister Ichenhoffer
as a pair of things for us, trending numbers and
weekend showdown.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
Who what are we starting with?
Speaker 8 (27:01):
Jim?
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Well, Mellory, I hope you have a great weekend. Let's
start with the trending number, and that is four, and
that is how many times in franchise history the Pelicans
have won the season series versus the Spurs. Now they
have a chance on Saturday, they're up to one in
the season series. This would be they win. This will
be the fifth time. You know, the team started in
(27:24):
two thousand and two, so this is the twenty third
season of New Orleans professional basketball here with this franchise.
And what's interesting too about that the trending number of four,
with the four times that the Pelicans have won the
season series against the Spurs. By the way, there were
several ties, so it's not like all of those other
seasons they lost the season series to San Antonio, but
(27:45):
nonetheless only four times total, and that they only did it.
They only won the season series twice in the first
twenty years of facing the Spurs had to head and
now this would be three years in a row if
they are able to win Saturday. So I thought that
was an interesting little stat and tidbit, the fact that
the series between New Orleans and San Antonio has flipped
(28:06):
so much in the direction of the Pelicans. And you know,
I'm gonna be honest here, Gus. The Spurs have made
my life miserable for a long time. I think they
were also they also really were the opponent in I
think what would a lot of people would say would
be the most tough, difficult playoff loss that the Pelicans
have had the entire time they've been here, which was
two thousand and eight Game seven against San Antonio. So
(28:28):
am I happy to see the series flip the other
direction in favor of New Orleans? Absolutely? I am one
hundred percent. So if they can get the win, like
I said, that'd be three years in a row that
they've won the season series against the Spurs, after they
only did it twice in the first twenty years. For
the Weekend Showdown, Sunday afternoon two thirty on ABC is
(28:50):
a game between Phoenix and the Lakers. I think this
is such an interesting game because both of these teams,
in different ways, are in not desperation mode, but they're
they're in a situation where they really need to get wins.
So to see those two teams face each other I
think will be interesting. The Suns are thirty and thirty six,
they're still two and a half games out of tenth
place for the final play in spot. The Lakers are
(29:11):
forty and twenty four. They have a three game losing streak,
and then they also play at Denver tonight with obviously
without Lebron James. So I mean, unless they pull off
a big upset win, they're gonna be looking at a
four game losing streak going into the matchup with Phoenix
on Sunday. So that's the weekend showdown. I think there's
several interesting matchups in the West, but I think I'm
(29:32):
gonna go with that one, also partly because it's Sunday
and maybe we'll be able to talk about it a
little bit and break it down on Monday's podcast.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
They're so off the cuff. I know you're not ready
for this, but I just you got enough knowledge. You
brought up the Spurs thing.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
One time.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I asked the graph on my Talk Shore, like, who's
the rival, Who's the Pelican's rival? Without question?
Speaker 4 (29:54):
Quickly?
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Hey, because this was the time of you know, Ad
and the Lakers and all that stuff, and Graft said Spurs.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Graft said Spurs without questioning, is like that plate that
the series the past. I mean, he had a whole
twenty minute diatribe on why the Spurs are the Pelicans' rival.
You said they've made you angry as a Who would
you say is the Pels rival?
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Is it the Spurs?
Speaker 6 (30:19):
I think it's changed hands several times over the last
maybe five ten years. I think historically you'd have to
pick the Spurs if you said who's been their biggest
rival over the twenty three seasons that I mentioned, I
think you'd have to go to San Antonio. But I
think it does depend. It seems like it's fluctuated a
lot over the last few years. I thought, for a
second there I thought Memphis was the biggest rival, And
(30:41):
I guess part of the way I look at it too,
because the players change. But I try to look at
it more from the perspective of the fans, And I
think if you did a poll right now, I don't
know necessarily if there would be if if you look at,
for example, just the four teams in the Southwest Division
besides the Pelicans. I mean, if you looked at overall,
maybe it would still be the Lake is the team
that fans, you know, dislike the most and consider to
(31:03):
be the team that they want to beat. But within
the division. I don't know if if any of any
one of those other four teams really would get, you know,
like a consensus, huge chunk of votes. I think there
would be people who would say Dallas. I think there
probably would be some people that would say Houston. I
definitely think you'd still get a lot of Spurs votes
and maybe some Grizzlies. So I don't know. I don't
I don't think there is really a clear cut pick
(31:25):
right now. But I agree with with Graf overall that
you know, from a since its franchise got here standpoint,
I mean that. I mean, it was so long ago
at this point, but that two thousand and eight playoff
series still to me, and they also coincidentally played Dallas
in the first round of that series. I mean, those
are among the most memorable postseason experiences that I've had
(31:47):
here since I've been here, and I think the entire
time that New Orleans has has had a team here,
those are right up.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
I'll never forget that season. I'll never forget how the
SMOOTHI King Center sounded, I'll never forget the crowd chanting
flopper to Dirt Novitzky, and I'll never forget thinking We're
going to the Western Conference finals and Kobe Chris Paul right, who.
Speaker 6 (32:08):
Was in one two MVP that I mean the area.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
It was that game at LA where they beat the
Hornets at the time that separated. But if the Hornets
would have won that game and Chris Paul would have
had a good game, he'd have been the MVP.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
Right, and they might have been the one seed too
instead of the two seeds, which would have changed their matchups.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
And yet but I'll never forget that because that that
was really one of those first times I grew up
watching you know, the NBA and NBC and Isaiah Thomas
kissing the cheek of Magic Johnson in the finals and
growing up obviously on WGN watching Jordan and the Bulls.
I mean, that was my only way of you know,
my attachment to the NBA. And when they had exhibition
(32:49):
games at the Smoothie King Center then the New Orleans
Arena where it was the Lakers in shock with Kobe
that came in facing the Hornets, who would eventually you know,
play here, I was like, Wow, that's the NBA.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
I just remember that.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
So to be able to get that feeling, the vibe,
how hot it felt in that arena because of the
bodies and everyone's screaming.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
I'll just I'll I can't. I can't wait to get
back to that.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
Yeah, we need to get get some rivalries back, we
need to get some intensity back, and we need to
get I mean, the biggest thing is just those high
stakes games that always brings it out.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
So yeah, shoving, you know, some technical fouls, some things
that ature. Anyway, we hope you enjoy your weekend. If
you go out to the Saint Patti's Day parade route
remembers a lot of people walking, be safe and more importantly,
snap as many photos as you can if Jim is
out there parading around, because you will be out.
Speaker 6 (33:39):
There right definitely. Wait, what day is it?
Speaker 2 (33:42):
That is Sunday? Sunday, ten am, Jim, it starts at
ten am.
Speaker 6 (33:47):
Yeah, that might be a little early, but based on
my Saturday night plans.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Exactly right. But we will see you, of course on
the broadcast Saturday as the pealstake on the Furst Any
seven thirty game. On Monday that we'll be right back
here for the New Orleans Pelicans podcast and it also
be the Pels hosting the Detroit Pistons. We got a
lot to get into.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
Go and join your weekend.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Be careful for that weather tomorrow afternoonish, but then you
should be fine. Have a beautiful Sunday, and we'll see
you back on Monday on the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Thanks for listening to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast. Join
us three times per week on pelicans dot com, the
Pelicans mobile app, the iHeartRadio app, or where you get
your podcast, and be sure to give Jim and Guss
a follow on x at Jim Underscore I Can Offer
(34:35):
and Gcat Underscore seventeen. We'll see you next time right
here on the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans, a podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad. Here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who covered the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast,
your official podcast of the New Orleans Pelicans. Gus kattannge
with you along with Jimichinhoff Repelicans dot com. As last night,
the Pels taking on the Orlando Magic, the team Jim
that has I think safe to say, has had the
Pelican's number. But the Pels are playing well. There was
a lot of good things going into it. And then
(00:56):
last night, well, uh this happened.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Elbow kick it out to KCP extra pass boncaro right
corner three, the no dip three is good and it's
sixty one thirty five. Wagner got away with another walk
by the way out the whole three times. Wagner for
three and he banked it in let's go home fifth now,
let that that that'll do it.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
That's fifth ish.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
He just banked it in a deathperation. If that's happening,
we might as well shut this baby down.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Paula Mncarra with thirty four points, Franz Wagner twenty seven
points for him. Needless to say, they led the Magic
in the one thirteen ninety three win. Pelicans were down
by thirty at the half. Here's head coach Willie Green.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
They were extremely aggressive defensively against us, and that's kind
of that's that's who they are. They're big, they can
switch multiple screens, they're physical, they rebound the ball. Well,
that's that's their foundation. I thought they did a good
job of coming out right way and just punching us
right in the mouth. And you know, we dug ourselves
(02:05):
in a big hole halftime better effort than the second half.
We competed a bit better. But when we get down
that big you know it's our margin for aaron is small,
so tough to make up for a thirty point deficit.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Right, So on are the reasons perhaps you got down
by thirty? As you heard Jim head coach Willie Green
say that it got punched in the mouth. He expanded
a little bit on that.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
Well, we have to walk into games with the mindset
right away that we're going to attack and be on
the same page, make sure our communication is there. And
that's what I told our guys, like, look the lack
of physicality, we look soft, and then when we look
soft defensively, we stopped sharing the ball offensively. Is do
(02:51):
we do it every game? No, but those are the
inconsistencies that we're seeing.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
By the way, too. Going back to one of the
highlights that you played, I'm glad I wasn't the only
one that thought Franz Wagner was traveling. I said that
three or four times to the other writers and they
kind of looked at me blankly. I don't know if
that was because they're sick of listening to me this
season or what it was, but yeah, I thought the
same thing. I was like, Man, this guy is shuffling
like crazy. I'm not blaming the refs though. I'm not
gonna sit here and say, hey, that the refs cost
(03:16):
us this game. They were down by thirty six or
whatever it was in the third quarter and that was
all on the refs. No, I'm not saying that at all.
But to Willie Green's point, you know, we mentioned on
one of the recent postgame radio shows. I think was
at one of the watch parties that the four letter
word that you never want to hear your coach say
about you is soft, and obviously he used that word.
(03:37):
I think one of the recent games he said we
got punked. I think it was the Houston game that
was really discouraging. So I mean to me, the way
that you react to the coach saying that is, I mean,
you really have two options. You can either change your mindset,
which is a word he used, it changed your mentality
as players the way that you come into the game,
or you got to change the personnel and have it
(03:58):
be more guys that have that mental consistently and so
that your coach isn't using that word after the game.
So I mean, it's one of the two things. I mean,
you can't continue to have sporadically where the coach is
using that description because those are definitely fighting words if
you're a player, as far as that something that you
just don't want to hear and you need to react
(04:19):
to that in some fashion.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
You heard coach say it there that it's not every
game has been. Some of those games, as you mentioned,
some being you know, the punk game, we're soft and
it's not the first time we've heard that so but
there have been other games where players have played very well,
and that's going to be our focus on our radio
round table, because let's be honest, when you're down by
thirty in a game, it's not really much to break
down yesterday. Either you play better or you don't. I mean,
(04:44):
it's one of the other. We'll see how this team
reacts tomorrow night in San Antonio, and then there's gonna
be some interesting games coming up, you know, against some
teams that you are going to probably mention in a
radio round table like Detroit, and look, you better be
ready to play. Some of these teams that are coming
up with eight games are many. Minnesota is playing really
(05:05):
well as of late and they have a lot to
play for it. And I know your Sportless Scale comes
on Monday. I'm very interested to see what that scale
is gonna be like with some of those teams coming up.
But let's get to our radio round table. Of course,
today is Friday, so we're gonna have a weekend showdown
and some trending numbers here as well. But first up,
the analyst for our radio broadcast, mister John Deschazer and
(05:25):
Aaron Summers, who if she had a business card, she
would need two sides. Right, it's team reporter sign a
reporter for radio host on the Gulf Coast Sports and
Entertainment Network. She's also the Saints team reporter host the
Saints podcast. Yeah, she needs two sides. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
I feel like I feel like I'm not very productive
when I when you list off that those items. But yeah,
I mean, I guess for our purposes, she's the radio
sideline reporter for the Radio round Table.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So yes, I could just use a big font for yours.
Yeah that she Mi can offer Pelicans dot com.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
There you go, There you go, says a Lockdowugh. What
happened to business cards? By the way, I remember there
was something, didn't We run into somebody at one of
the watch parties.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah, gave us a business card and I asked you
lit about it.
Speaker 7 (06:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
We looked at each other like, and I was like,
I haven't seen a business card for my purposes in
like ten years, and I haven't even thought about it
in the last ten years.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
So I guess everyone's gone digital.
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Yes, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, Well, if it makes you any feeling better, it's
been probably twelve fourteen years since I've had one.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
Mm hmm. Yeah, it's probably about the same timeline for
me as well, So it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Anyway, people that would have business cards Aaron Summers and
John de days or they join us now, all right,
time now for our radio roundtable. It's been a minute
since we've seen John Deschazer, Aaron Summers, and Jamike and
off with myself here in this group doing it. Got
a lot to talk about here, even though it was
only on sixteen fifteen games. It's something like that, I
can't really count fifteen.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Now, wow, but who's counting?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, who's county?
Speaker 7 (06:50):
Look.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
One of the things that we've been talking about the
last several podcasts and during the broadcast JD with you
and Todd is the way Zion Williamson has been performing.
So what has been your favorite aspect of Zion's performance
over the last several weeks.
Speaker 8 (07:04):
I think I like best that he is involving his teammates.
He's at a career high and assists obviously, but the
way he's going about it, especially early in games, where
he feeds his teammates, tries to get them into a rhythm,
and then he decides and picks and chooses his spots
where he gets aggressive offensively in terms of score. I
think that's the kind of thing that can feed a
(07:25):
team because everybody kind of understands and sees that. And
when you see a guy, the star guy, being unselfish,
I think it lends to everybody saying, okay, if he's
willing to do it, I'm willing to do it.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Now.
Speaker 8 (07:37):
The biggest part of it is, you know, in order
to get assists, and he's got a couple of triple
doubles the last couple of weeks, guy's got to make
shots for you. So when guys are making shots, everybody's
confidence jumps up. I know, we can talk about his rebounding.
He is at a career high there, and he's at
a career high and steals too, and due's averaging twenty
four points in twenty eight minutes a game, you know,
just about a point a minute. But to me, it's
(07:58):
the assist and that really jumps off the page to me,
because again, if you have the star guy who's unselfish,
then everybody kind of feeds into that and everybody says, okay,
if he can do it.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
I'll do it too.
Speaker 9 (08:12):
Yeah. I think that the unselfish aspect of his game
has been huge, and I think in extending that, the
all around game that he's bringing because he's really playing
at a high level on both ends of the court.
You mentioned a career high and assists, rebound, steals, and blocks,
so he's not only playing less minutes, but he's more
(08:32):
effective in all areas of the game. And I think
that it gets his teammates going as well, not only
getting them involved offensively, but they see he is aggressive
from the beginning of the game and then he still
seems to have those notches he can turn it up,
which I think have been really impressive over the last
few games, just seeing especially that game on Tuesday where
(08:54):
we are down twenty or up twenty two points and
then down and then it's just back and forth. But
he just kept ants and then leveling up and took
over the game, and he's bringing his teammates along with him.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
I have two things. I mean, the first thing to me,
just from a broad standpoint, bigger picture, is it seems
to me that he's kind of crystallizing what needs to
be surrounding him in terms of I mean, the way
that kale Olnik has fit in it just seems like
it's becoming even more clear if it wasn't already what
kind of players and pieces that have to be around him.
And I mean, he's taken his game to a level
(09:29):
that it encourages me as far as just the ability
to put pieces that compliment him. And then the second
part of it, and this is me being petty as usual.
I just love and I've enjoyed the fact that he's
really silenced a ton of the criticism of him. I
feel like some of it, you know, there's stuff that's justified.
There's you know, every player has flaws, everyone has things
that they can do better. But I feel like the
(09:50):
way that he's played lately has not only quieted a
lot of people, but it's also kind of exposed to
the people that aren't paying attention. Some of the people
who say who are still saying like, oh, you know,
he's not in shape. It's like you obviously are not watching.
So I enjoy that part of it too, that the
people that you see, whether it's people in national media
or social media, that they've definitely kind of you can
see the people that haven't been paying attention by because
(10:13):
that's how well he's been playing.
Speaker 9 (10:14):
Speaking of being in shape, though, he leads the team
in pace, which is interesting because people didn't really think
he got back on defense. But he is running on
both ends of the floor, and that's something that physically
he may not have been able to do in the past,
and I think that just speaks to what he is
bringing every time he takes the floor.
Speaker 8 (10:34):
I think Zion's biggest critics have fallen off because of availability.
When he's been available, he's always been effective when he's
been on the court, whether it was that two sixty
four to eighty four, he's always been effective when he's
been on the court. He's a lot more, it seems,
available now that they've got this minute restriction thing going,
(10:54):
and you know, he's in the best shape of his life.
And so now when a guy's on the court or
you can see the full array of what a guy
is and we're seeing a lot more of that. But
when he wasn't available, you know, you open yourself up
the critics because you can't defend yourself because you ain't playing.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Right, no doubt, I thought Tuesday night after the win,
CIJ McCollums starting out by saying, is motor is different,
you know, kind of goes to that there as well.
So it's a mental and physical aspect as to why
I think Pels fans should be excited about what Zion
can do next year. All right, So, as Jim said,
fifteen games remain what other players maybe in their development
is some are things they're going to be taking a
(11:32):
look at it. I know there was a player yesterday
at the very beginning of the game think you said
is attacking the rim with malice and Carlo Mackovic. Is
he one of those.
Speaker 9 (11:40):
No I wanted to have.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
That's my dude. That's my dude. I'm glad you came
to me first. I could hog it. That's my dude.
Speaker 8 (11:45):
The last four games, small sample size, Carlo twenty twelve points,
seven rebounds, a block and shooting seventy seventy four percent
from the field twenty to twenty seven. Now, again, he's
a guy who you see it coming earlier in the season.
Obviously is in the G League. Then when he plays
a little bit, he looks like a deer in headlights.
It doesn't seem like it's really clicking yet. And now
(12:08):
you see the game kind of slowing down for him.
He's kind of figured it out. He understands where his
spots are, where it's what he's supposed to do. And look,
Carlo attacks the rim as well as just about anybody
on this team. Now, you know you're gonna put everybody
behind Zion and trade win, but look, he attacks the
rim in traffic, which is something you don't see often
(12:29):
in this league, I don't think, and a guy who
to me might be a little bit more athletic than
maybe defenders think he is, because once he goes down there,
you know, everybody's kind of standing around like he's gonna
lay it up.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
No, Carl is going to dunk it.
Speaker 8 (12:42):
He's going to hurt you. He's going to put you
on a poster. And I like that aggression about it.
Speaker 9 (12:48):
Yeah, I mean, pre post All Star for Carlo, he's
more than doubled his points per game from three and
a half to ten. His field goal percentage is up
ten points, his turnovers are down, reb are up. So
he is just continuing to elevate his game throughout the season.
And he's somebody that was lost I think a couple
of seasons ago we saw him make his debut in
(13:10):
Summer League, and he was having a really hard time
translating from the euro style of play to playing here
at the NBA, albeit Summer League level. And he learned
a lot over the last year being in Birmingham. Even
at that level, I mean, he dominated, but he learned
a lot about not fouling as much, and he's even
improved in that area as well. So I think he's
(13:32):
somebody that's fascinating. Last night during the game, Andrew Lopez
kind of looked over and was like, that is what
I need Eve to start doing, And it was after
Carlo threw down a two handed dunk. He's like, he's
got to get both hands on the ball. He's got
to be aggressive. And I think that while we saw
Eve really accelerate quickly at the beginning of the year,
(13:53):
he has seemed to plateau a little bit that maybe
we can see a little bit more in these last couples,
but I mean those two together and I think having
Kelly Olenik in and showing them a little bit more
of how you can play beside Zee has been really beneficial.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
I went with Jordan Hawkins for this one because I
really like the way that he's played lately, and I
want to see him just continue that over the last
month of the season. A couple of stats. He shot
thirty nine percent on threes in March so far. He
was forty one percent in October, which had been I
think by far, his best three point shooting month of
the season. And it was interesting. Jose Alvarado talked the
(14:34):
other day about how Jordan Hawkins lately has not been
affected as much by the back injury that had him
sidelined for a while, and it seemed like it really
hurt his production as well. But it was funny when
I look back at the beginning part of the season,
because Jose was talking about how he was saying, like, yeah,
you guys, remember when early in the season, when Jordan
was playing so well and he was shooting at a
(14:54):
great level. It's like the first five games of the
season or so feel like three years ago that I
had actually forgotten that. You know, for example, in the
starts that he's made this season, he's averaged nineteen zero
point four points. And if you go back and look
at the first week or two of the regular season,
he was playing really well. He had multiple twenty point
games it just feels like like I had to remind
(15:15):
myself of that because, like I said, that feels like
a completely different era of our lives, of how long
ago that was. But anyways, he's a guy that I'm
I'm paying close attention to over the last fifteen games
of the season just to see if he can continue
to do what he's done lately. I feel like going
into the offseason will be a lot more optimistic about
(15:36):
him going forward if he continues to play the way
he has lately, and also just be able to say,
you know, the back injury definitely affected him at a
level that I only I'll speak for myself, I didn't
even realize at the time.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
You guys going with Carlo and Jordan, y'all know I
love me some dunks up top.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Joseph drives to the rack, lay up his block by
Macovich and was not a shot clock violation, and Carlo
Carlos to take it right off the glass, go ninety
four feet.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
And punch it down.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Carlo doing at all nice. That made it to nothing
just to start the game, so to year point, Jad,
that's how he started. But for you, Jim, since you
did say Jordan Hawkins not a three, but a.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
He spins, there's the triple team, throw it out to
Bamba swinging around the perimeter. Hawkins drives in hangs and
dunks over Bunk Carrol fly, Hawk fly, and he did, although.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
It could have gone with threes right Carlo's quarter now
all of a sudden, Jordan Hawkins three. But I did
choose dunks.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
Hawkins has He has more dunks lately. So he's definitely
meeting your standards a lot more in recent games.
Speaker 8 (16:39):
It's very important hawk Hawk looks like healthy. I guess that,
you know, I'll put I'll credit that too. But it
looks like he's kind of out of his head a
little bit more because he he went through a stretch
where he couldn't make a shot. And you know, I
know a lot of that is mental with shooters. You know,
you gotta see something go in before you can get
your confidence right. He just went through a stretch where
(17:01):
it was like, is Hawk ever gonna make another three?
Is he ever gonna you know, drive to the basket.
Is he gonna get to the two? You know, to
a MIDI?
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Is he gonna be able to finish when he gets
to the rim?
Speaker 8 (17:11):
And so seeing him healthy and making shots really goes
a long way, all.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Right, Aaron, eight games left in a month of March?
Is there a game in a month of March you're
looking forward to the most?
Speaker 9 (17:21):
I think that there's an interesting stretch at the end
of the month where we have those three home games
to close out March. You have the seventy six ers
on that Monday, and then you have three days off
before you see the Warriors on Friday night. So I
kind of think the Warriors game is one that I'm
really looking forward to. They're gonna have some time off,
they're gonna be able to really prepare for that game,
(17:42):
and the Warriors are obviously still fighting for seeding in
the Western Conference, so we should see all of their stars.
I don't I don't know, because sometimes stuff likes to
sit here. But I think that that's gonna be a
big game.
Speaker 8 (17:54):
Okay, you say game, and so you know, I make
my own rules not cheat, and so I'm gonna say
two game, the two Piston games, because I'm looking forward
to seeing that young team that's really improved. Thirty seven
and thirty right now, last year fourteen and sixty eight
year before seventeen sixty five year before twenty three and
(18:15):
fifty nine, year before twenty and fifty two, year before
twenty and forty six, a vastly improved team. And I
want to see, especially Kate Cunningham, who's turned into kind
of a you know, a kind of.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
A triple double threat. Every night.
Speaker 8 (18:29):
I want to see that aggressive young team and just
see how improved it is, you know, with my own eyes,
because you see it, you know, you see the clips,
you see the highlights on like Shack, I do watch them,
and so I just want to see it with my
own eyes because I mean, they obviously are vastly improved.
A team that's that's you know, in the in the
playoff mix.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Yeah, I mean Chauncey Billips has done an amazing job
touching the Pistons. Oh wait, he's not the Oh wait anyways, Yeah,
it's funny. I had the I had the Pistons as well,
but I had specifically just the home game because haven't
played them yet this year. I'm curious to see them
play in person. I mean, to me, there, they've been
one of the most interesting fun teams to watch on
(19:07):
League Pass all season. I think them in Houston have
been up there on that list. They have a ton
of young talent. They play very hard nose, they're a
little confrontational, so we might see a scrap here or
there with my guy Isaiah Stewart. But yeah, I mean
Detroit is the team that I'm looking forward to. There's
a few other games that are interesting as well, the
two Minnesota games as well. But by the way, to JD,
(19:28):
when you're reading off those records, that reminded me, I
need to I need to call my counterpart at at
Pistons dot com and and tell him, like, congratulations man,
because that is brutal numbers.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
I'm like that.
Speaker 6 (19:39):
I can't imagine going through those seasons that many seasons
in a row with that record.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Oh god, I mean, I mean, pat thatman on the back.
He's going to heaven.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Well, I tell you what, it's getting closer and closer
to the postseason. Give me a bold prediction or hot
take for the Western Conference postseason raced down to stretch.
Speaker 8 (19:58):
I don't know how hot this is. I'm going to
take the war years old the Nuggets in the first round.
I'm gonna think that the Warriors taking out the Grizzlies
in the second round Wow. I think I didn't know
the Jimmy Butler addition was going to be as effective
as it has been. But you add him in and
you get that contrast to Steph Curry's game. I think
they might have what it takes to take out Denver,
(20:19):
and I understand yokis just you know, maybe gonna get
maybe gonna win MVP again. And when Aaron Gordon is healthy,
they're kind of a totally different team. And when Jamal
Murray is playing well, they are championship caliber team. But
Aaron Gordon hadn't been healthy a lot, and Jamal Murray's
been kind of up and down, so I think the
Warriors might might be able to take him out.
Speaker 9 (20:40):
Okay, shake gel, Just Alexander is gonna win MVP because
he actually plays both sides of the ball. What a
concept and not joker shade. No, I'm not even getting
to the playoffs yet because I am predicting that the
Lakers fault to the play in.
Speaker 8 (20:54):
Whoa, whoa, Yeah, that is a bold prediction.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
I can't believe I didn't say that.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
He's happy.
Speaker 9 (21:04):
I might know my audience here, but they've lost three
in a row. Lebron's not playing right now. It's a
very tight race, and I don't know, I could kind
of feel them sliding from four to six or seven.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
My bold prediction is this will be the most interesting
Western Conference seating race that we've ever seen ever ever,
because I think, you know, Jad mentioned Golden States on fire,
Minnesota has been hot lately, Denver I think is a
dangerous team. And then you also have the younger teams
with Houston and Memphis that you know haven't especially Houston
(21:37):
doesn't have much playoff any playoff experience with the guys
with the core that they have, and then you have
the Lakers with Luca. It just seems like the positioning
of some of these potential matchups is going to be
so intriguing. I mean, we could see Warriors Lakers, we
could see Nuggets Warriors, I mean there's so many. We
could see the Timberwolves Nuggets again last year. So that's
why I say this, This this race to figure out
(22:00):
what the matchups are going to be in the first
round in the plane is going to be as interesting
as it gets.
Speaker 8 (22:05):
All right, final question ahead, Nuggets don't want to see Timberwolves.
Speaker 6 (22:08):
Yeah, that's a bad matchup.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
They will.
Speaker 8 (22:12):
Sudden start to look like that is the antidote.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Look, it is March madness, and obviously that means the
tournament and the brackets and all of that stuff. One
to ten, man, what's your excitement level is it?
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I'm gonna I'm gonna defer.
Speaker 8 (22:24):
I'm gonna defer and go second or third on this
because you know I'm gonna I'm gonna throw rain on it.
Speaker 9 (22:29):
So okay, I think he's gonna go with like a zero,
like he doesn't care, he doesn't watch any of it.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Carolina.
Speaker 9 (22:36):
Yeah, we got a big game tonight. We're playing Duke
in the semifinals the ACC tournament. We've got to win
tonight so we can actually get into the NCAA tournament
because we are like one of the first four teams out.
Cooper Flagg is not going to probably play because why
would you play him?
Speaker 7 (22:47):
Right now?
Speaker 9 (22:48):
So wait, this is where my head's at right now.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
I do care.
Speaker 9 (22:51):
It was a really big deal in in the Carolinas
because you had a lot of teams, there a lot
of rivalries, and I'm old enough where they literally would
like roll a TV out on a car in the
classroom and we would watch the tournament.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
N Yeah, nice.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
That is awesome.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
Yeah, I love it. I went with a six on
the scale of one to ten. Honestly, I have not
watched much college basketball this season, but I always love
the tournament. And I do think that that six would
be lower if the Pelicans were headed to the playoffs.
My interest definitely has gone up a little bit, just
based on the fact that we know that they're going
to be in the lottery prospect watching. But so it
(23:30):
would be lower if the Pelicans were head of the playoffs.
But it actually it would be higher than six if
more of the top projected picks are actually going to
be in the NCAA tournament, because it seems like a
bunch of them their teams aren't going to be there.
So that's my answer. It was six. What do you
got to say?
Speaker 8 (23:42):
That's a beautiful thing, because I'm probably like at a
negative three.
Speaker 9 (23:45):
And I knew it was going to be like zero.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
Just don't watch college basketball because it's just not interesting
to me.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
I mean, and I get it.
Speaker 8 (23:53):
I mean, I guess eighty two seventy eight is romantic
in some ways or another. But when I watched the
NBA and I'm looking at the guys and I'm like, hmm,
that's not a skilled team, right, and these aren't really
skilled players, and it's tough for me to make the transition.
And I used to be so all in on college basketball.
I mean, you know, final fours and all those things,
and now you know, because you know, you get that
(24:15):
Thursday Friday when you get like all the games, yeah,
and you know, you like, you know, you like take
the afternoon all from work and you watch them all
and I'm like, all right, what's the assignment.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
I can go to work. I ain't watching this.
Speaker 8 (24:27):
So I mean, now do no Alabama and Auburn of
two teams that I kind of want to see in
the tournament. And you know, we heard about Cooper Flag
and Duke and those kinds of things. But it's just
not enough overall allure from me. And I understand the
whole room. I mean, it's a great time of year.
You get the small conferences and they get their one chance,
and you know, you get a fourteen beating a three
(24:49):
and that kind of thing, and you know, all those
things are great and wonderful, and yet.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
I'm just not that interested.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
I have two things for you, JD. One, you said
eighty two to seventy eight. I don't know what what
college basketball your time night like.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
To be nice.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
Sixty fifty eight is more more of your speed.
Speaker 8 (25:10):
I'm trying to be nice and like pump it up, yeah,
and make it interesting because I mean I watch enough
to I mean I see enough final score where it's like.
Speaker 6 (25:17):
Yeah, and I guess we're not gonna hear JD singing
one Shining Moment either.
Speaker 8 (25:21):
That's well, hey, you might get that because that's Luther.
So I kind of I kind of know most of
the words, so I do like the song. I'll watch
it for the end of the tournament. It's one shining moment.
Speaker 9 (25:33):
Yeah, no, it's gonna be one of your calls. Someone's
going to hit a basket for the Pills at the
end of the season and you're gonna be like, that's
just one shining moment.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
Well, I don't know enough of the word to do that.
Speaker 8 (25:41):
And then the Pills won like eighteen games, So now
we're not gonna shine work.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We're not gonna shine trademark call.
Speaker 8 (25:47):
You can work, well, you know, everything can be working.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Everything's got a place, so you know, it is interesting.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Maybe we'll do this after the season and kind of
talk about it because kind of one of the things
you brought up is maybe why you saw this fast draft?
Was it French players went one and two? You know,
and things that nature. How how good is the development
of basketball right now moving into the league and all
that stuff.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
So that's something to talk.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
About another day, but it's always appreciate the time, mister
John de Chazer, Amy Summers will see you on TV
tomorrow you and the graph will be in San Antonio
and Jim, are you hanging out with us tomorrow and studio?
Speaker 6 (26:20):
I think I have another plan, very copident. Yeah, no,
I'm going to be there.
Speaker 9 (26:24):
Is this weather coming in?
Speaker 4 (26:27):
Yeah, Like, have your people call. We'll figure this out.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
We will see you next time though, on the next
radio roundtable. Thank you guys every time. All right, thanks
to j D and Aaron. Always a pleasure when they
join us here on the show. All right, Jim, it
is Friday, tg I, Yes.
Speaker 7 (26:43):
Sir tg I, Jim, It's Friday, which means mister Ichenhoffer
as a pair of things for us, trending numbers and
weekend showdown.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
Who what are we starting with?
Speaker 8 (27:01):
Jim?
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Well, Mellory, I hope you have a great weekend. Let's
start with the trending number, and that is four, and
that is how many times in franchise history the Pelicans
have won the season series versus the Spurs. Now they
have a chance on Saturday, they're up to one in
the season series. This would be they win. This will
be the fifth time. You know, the team started in
(27:24):
two thousand and two, so this is the twenty third
season of New Orleans professional basketball here with this franchise.
And what's interesting too about that the trending number of four,
with the four times that the Pelicans have won the
season series against the Spurs. By the way, there were
several ties, so it's not like all of those other
seasons they lost the season series to San Antonio, but
(27:45):
nonetheless only four times total, and that they only did it.
They only won the season series twice in the first
twenty years of facing the Spurs had to head and
now this would be three years in a row if
they are able to win Saturday. So I thought that
was an interesting little stat and tidbit, the fact that
the series between New Orleans and San Antonio has flipped
(28:06):
so much in the direction of the Pelicans. And you know,
I'm gonna be honest here, Gus. The Spurs have made
my life miserable for a long time. I think they
were also they also really were the opponent in I
think what would a lot of people would say would
be the most tough, difficult playoff loss that the Pelicans
have had the entire time they've been here, which was
two thousand and eight Game seven against San Antonio. So
(28:28):
am I happy to see the series flip the other
direction in favor of New Orleans? Absolutely? I am one
hundred percent. So if they can get the win, like
I said, that'd be three years in a row that
they've won the season series against the Spurs, after they
only did it twice in the first twenty years. For
the Weekend Showdown, Sunday afternoon two thirty on ABC is
(28:50):
a game between Phoenix and the Lakers. I think this
is such an interesting game because both of these teams,
in different ways, are in not desperation mode, but they're
they're in a situation where they really need to get wins.
So to see those two teams face each other I
think will be interesting. The Suns are thirty and thirty six,
they're still two and a half games out of tenth
place for the final play in spot. The Lakers are
(29:11):
forty and twenty four. They have a three game losing streak,
and then they also play at Denver tonight with obviously
without Lebron James. So I mean, unless they pull off
a big upset win, they're gonna be looking at a
four game losing streak going into the matchup with Phoenix
on Sunday. So that's the weekend showdown. I think there's
several interesting matchups in the West, but I think I'm
(29:32):
gonna go with that one, also partly because it's Sunday
and maybe we'll be able to talk about it a
little bit and break it down on Monday's podcast.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
They're so off the cuff. I know you're not ready
for this, but I just you got enough knowledge. You
brought up the Spurs thing.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
One time.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I asked the graph on my Talk Shore, like, who's
the rival, Who's the Pelican's rival? Without question?
Speaker 4 (29:54):
Quickly?
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Hey, because this was the time of you know, Ad
and the Lakers and all that stuff, and Graft said Spurs.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Graft said Spurs without questioning, is like that plate that
the series the past. I mean, he had a whole
twenty minute diatribe on why the Spurs are the Pelicans' rival.
You said they've made you angry as a Who would
you say is the Pels rival?
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Is it the Spurs?
Speaker 6 (30:19):
I think it's changed hands several times over the last
maybe five ten years. I think historically you'd have to
pick the Spurs if you said who's been their biggest
rival over the twenty three seasons that I mentioned, I
think you'd have to go to San Antonio. But I
think it does depend. It seems like it's fluctuated a
lot over the last few years. I thought, for a
second there I thought Memphis was the biggest rival, And
(30:41):
I guess part of the way I look at it too,
because the players change. But I try to look at
it more from the perspective of the fans, And I
think if you did a poll right now, I don't
know necessarily if there would be if if you look at,
for example, just the four teams in the Southwest Division
besides the Pelicans. I mean, if you looked at overall,
maybe it would still be the Lake is the team
that fans, you know, dislike the most and consider to
(31:03):
be the team that they want to beat. But within
the division. I don't know if if any of any
one of those other four teams really would get, you know,
like a consensus, huge chunk of votes. I think there
would be people who would say Dallas. I think there
probably would be some people that would say Houston. I
definitely think you'd still get a lot of Spurs votes
and maybe some Grizzlies. So I don't know. I don't
I don't think there is really a clear cut pick
(31:25):
right now. But I agree with with Graf overall that
you know, from a since its franchise got here standpoint,
I mean that. I mean, it was so long ago
at this point, but that two thousand and eight playoff
series still to me, and they also coincidentally played Dallas
in the first round of that series. I mean, those
are among the most memorable postseason experiences that I've had
(31:47):
here since I've been here, and I think the entire
time that New Orleans has has had a team here,
those are right up.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
I'll never forget that season. I'll never forget how the
SMOOTHI King Center sounded, I'll never forget the crowd chanting
flopper to Dirt Novitzky, and I'll never forget thinking We're
going to the Western Conference finals and Kobe Chris Paul right, who.
Speaker 6 (32:08):
Was in one two MVP that I mean the area.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
It was that game at LA where they beat the
Hornets at the time that separated. But if the Hornets
would have won that game and Chris Paul would have
had a good game, he'd have been the MVP.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
Right, and they might have been the one seed too
instead of the two seeds, which would have changed their matchups.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
And yet but I'll never forget that because that that
was really one of those first times I grew up
watching you know, the NBA and NBC and Isaiah Thomas
kissing the cheek of Magic Johnson in the finals and
growing up obviously on WGN watching Jordan and the Bulls.
I mean, that was my only way of you know,
my attachment to the NBA. And when they had exhibition
(32:49):
games at the Smoothie King Center then the New Orleans
Arena where it was the Lakers in shock with Kobe
that came in facing the Hornets, who would eventually you know,
play here, I was like, Wow, that's the NBA.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
I just remember that.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
So to be able to get that feeling, the vibe,
how hot it felt in that arena because of the
bodies and everyone's screaming.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
I'll just I'll I can't. I can't wait to get
back to that.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
Yeah, we need to get get some rivalries back, we
need to get some intensity back, and we need to
get I mean, the biggest thing is just those high
stakes games that always brings it out.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
So yeah, shoving, you know, some technical fouls, some things
that ature. Anyway, we hope you enjoy your weekend. If
you go out to the Saint Patti's Day parade route
remembers a lot of people walking, be safe and more importantly,
snap as many photos as you can if Jim is
out there parading around, because you will be out.
Speaker 6 (33:39):
There right definitely. Wait, what day is it?
Speaker 2 (33:42):
That is Sunday? Sunday, ten am, Jim, it starts at
ten am.
Speaker 6 (33:47):
Yeah, that might be a little early, but based on
my Saturday night plans.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Exactly right. But we will see you, of course on
the broadcast Saturday as the pealstake on the Furst Any
seven thirty game. On Monday that we'll be right back
here for the New Orleans Pelicans podcast and it also
be the Pels hosting the Detroit Pistons. We got a
lot to get into.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
Go and join your weekend.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Be careful for that weather tomorrow afternoonish, but then you
should be fine. Have a beautiful Sunday, and we'll see
you back on Monday on the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Thanks for listening to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast. Join
us three times per week on pelicans dot com, the
Pelicans mobile app, the iHeartRadio app, or where you get
your podcast, and be sure to give Jim and Guss
a follow on x at Jim Underscore I Can Offer
(34:35):
and Gcat Underscore seventeen. We'll see you next time right
here on the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast
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