Heat vs. Pelicans Xmas Day Game Thread

[RRR3]

Bam gonna show everyone he’s a future MVP candidate.

[RRR3]

Duncan for 3

[RRR3]

So sick of these soft foul calls. Let people play defense on shooters.

[8Ball]

Bam gonna show everyone he’s a future MVP candidate.

Trade him for Harden now straight up.

Bam is overrated.

[dbugz]

Trade him for Harden now straight up.

Bam is overrated.

fluke finals appearance.

[RRR3]

Heat haters seething ITT

[DoctorP]

Good to see the Heat shooting 3s again.

If the Heat were a fluke last season the the Laker title is also a fluke.

Bran only has 3 rings.

[DoctorP]

3 REAL rings.

[Ghost1]

Good to see the Heat shooting 3s again.

If the Heat were a fluke last season the the Laker title is also a fluke.

Bran only has 3 rings.

lockout ring, ray allen miracle ring, adam silver ring, summer league ring

[Ghost1]

ingram looks like black gollum

[DoctorP]

lockout ring, ray allen miracle ring, adam silver ring, summer league ring

:lol

[DoctorP]

Leonard back in the starting lineup. Mo Harkless debacle has ended for now.

Spo will surely try more lineups

[insidehoops]

Mid 2Q: Heat 43, Pelicans 32

Duncan Robinson 15 pts 5/6 threes

Goran Dragic 8 pts off the Heat bench

Zion Williamson 8 pts, 5 reb

Branon Ingram 8 pts

[Horatio33]

Dragic with moves at his age!

[Horatio33]

The lack of talent on this Miami team is GLARING. They are in desperate need of head coach Erik Spolestra creating looks through smoke-and-mirrors of complex play calls and sets run.

It's a shame a star-driven town like Miami has been dealt this team.

All offense for every team in nba history is smoke and mirrors. Heat are fine. Youre just downplaying them to take some shine off LeBron. Do something with your own life.

[Ghost1]

almost 35yo goran dragic is the x factor on this miami team

manu ginobili lite

[insidehoops]

Mid 2Q: Heat up 50-32

The Heat bench is serious: Dragic 3/4 FG, Iguodala 2/3, Avery Bradley 1/1, Precious Achiuwa 1/1, for total of 19 pts

Pelicans bench has 5 pts

[k0kakw0rld]

How did we lose to the Pelicans with Zion only scoring 15 points? :facepalm

This team won't make the playoffs at all. Zion = One trick pony?

[RRR3]

Zion’s defensive awareness is ass.

[FireDavidKahn]

Zion’s defensive awareness is ass.

Ya...Defense has been an embarrassingly terrible problem for Zion. Transcendent on offense but uff da...His defense is horrid right now.

But he's played in 2 dozen NBA games so I'll give him a pass...but it's very worrying.


Dare I even float it out there that he could end up a PF version of KAT?:confusedshrug:

[Ghost1]

"Zion reminds me of the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes"

:roll:

[NBAGOAT]

pelicans just dont have their defense down at all. zion's a walking layup however and ingram and ball's jumpers look so much better mechanically. pelicans record could in a large range

[RRR3]

Sick of refs sucking Ingrams ****

[insidehoops]

Mid 3Q: Heat 74, Pelicans 57

Duncan Robinson 18 pts, nobody else above 13, but total team effort from the Heat.

For Pels, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson each have 18, but most of the rest of the team is flat.

[RRR3]

Zion is nuts.

[RRR3]

Why does Spo play Leonard over Olynyk? Makes no sense

[HBK_Kliq_2]

How much times is the NBA going to recycle these midget Van Gundy dorks as coaches. Stan Van Fatass will never lead pelicans to anything. Highlight of his career is getting fired by pat riley and letting pat win the championship. He's the David Blatt hahaha I guess that makes Tye Lue the Pat Riley hell yeah

[insidehoops]

I guess Kelly Olynyk will remain as instant points off the bench, but in pretty limited minutes. And no mins so far today.

[insidehoops]

The Heat backcourt rotation are all guards who could be starters: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Goran Dragic and Avery Bradley.

[insidehoops]

Late 3Q: Heat up 11

Big difference remains the Heat bench contributing while the Pelicans bench is quiet.

For Pelicans:

Zion 24 pts, 10 reb now

Brandon Ingram 20 pts, but not a lot else. Lots of free throws: 9/10 FT

Eric Bledsoe just 1/8 FG.

[RRR3]

Late 3Q: Heat up 11

Big difference remains the Heat bench contributing while the Pelicans bench is quiet.

For Pelicans:

Zion 24 pts, 10 reb now

Brandon Ingram 20 pts, but not a lot else, and 9/10 FG

Eric Bledsoe just 1/8 FG.
You mean 9/10 FT for Ingram, Jeff? He’s definitely missed more than one shot

[insidehoops]

True, thanks

[Hoopexpert]

Pelicans got a nice young core with Ingram and Zion.

But they need better defenders and a defensive mentality.

I also don't think Ball is the right guy for them. Got to have shooters surrounding Zion.

[Lil-Shrimp]

Duncan Robinson is a great white role player.

He's going to get PAID. He's Klay Thompson without the defense

[insidehoops]

LAST SEASON, Heat were 7th best offense in NBA, 12th best defense

LAST SEASON, Pelicans were 15th best offense in NBA, 21st best defense

[insidehoops]

Pelicans got a nice young core with Ingram and Zion.

But they need better defenders and a defensive mentality.

I also don't think Ball is the right guy for them. Got to have shooters surrounding Zion.

Pelicans starting backcourt Lonzo Ball + Eric Bledose threes so far today: 2 of 10.

[LoneyROY7]

I like this Heat team. I'd like them A LOT if they traded for a certain bearded player.

:pimp:

[LoneyROY7]

JJ buckets. Duke legend.

[RRR3]

I like this Heat team. I'd like them A LOT if they traded for a certain bearded player.

:pimp:
I’d like that too as long as we keep Bam.
Bro you catch my 3ball thread? I exposed his so called “D1 career”

[Hoopexpert]

Lavar ball never taught his boys how to shoot. Damn...brick laying.

[LoneyROY7]

I’d like that too as long as we keep Bam.
Bro you catch my 3ball thread? I exposed his so called “D1 career”

:oldlol:

I bet his speciality was shooting contested long 2s at suboptimal efficiency.

[RRR3]

:oldlol:

I bet his speciality was shooting contested long 2s at suboptimal efficiency.
No he never even played. Check the thread :roll:

[GreatHILL]

mini lebron is a true superstar

[Hoopexpert]

van gundy has no clue.

Get Zion in the damn game.

Take Ball OUT.

[LoneyROY7]

Herro ball.

[highwhey]

LAST SEASON, Heat were 7th best offense in NBA, 12th best defense

LAST SEASON, Pelicans were 15th best offense in NBA, 21st best defense

and it shows in this game lol. pelicans offense looks like pick up basketball

[dbugz]

Ingraham and ball :roll::roll:

[LoneyROY7]

Heat looking GOOD.

[madmax]

Zion is basically Barkley without the shooting touch imo...in other words, not a franchise player to build around if you want to seriously contend for the titles

[Hoopexpert]

Ball is really just a liability on the offensive end.

Then Van Gundy has managed to take Zion out of his rythem completely.

No shooters surrounding Zion, the whole heat team just camping in the paint.

[Hoopexpert]

Zion is basically Barkley without the shooting touch imo...in other words, not a franchise player to build around if you want to seriously contend for the titles

More Shaq than Barkley.

He will be dominant soon enough.

[Hoopexpert]

They need to get Zion in the post and isolate.

Sadly this team doesn't have the scorers/shooters to do it.

[insidehoops]

Now switching to ABC. Warriors-Bucks pregame is on.

[dbugz]

That pesky defense by the heat :roll: young pelicans can't handle it :roll:

[Hoopexpert]

I can't believe ball is still in this game.

He has literally done nothing but thrown the ball away.

[Hoopexpert]

If New Orleans can't get a star to come, then I think Zion should leave after his Rookie contract.

He is wasted in this terrible franchise.

[dbugz]

Dragic trolling these youngster :roll:

Ball and Bledsoe together on the court doesn't make any sense :oldlol:

[insidehoops]

The Pelicans starting backourt today:

Lonzo Ball: 2/8 FG, 2/8 threes, 6 pts, 6 ast

Eric Bledsoe: 2/10 FG, 1/6 threes, 5 pts, 6 ast, 5 turnovers

[Ghost1]

pelicans starting lineup is such a bad fit

4/5 can't shoot

[insidehoops]

Final score: Heat 111, Pelicans 98

HEAT:

Duncan Robinson 23 pts, 5 reb

Goran Dragic 18 pts, 9 ast, 4 stl off the bench

Bam Adebayo 17 pts

Heat 50.7% FG, 43.2% threes

PELICANS:

Zion Williamson 32 pts, 14 rebs

Branon Ingram 28 pts

Josh Hart 12 pts, 9 rebs off the bench.

Little else.

Pelicans 39.7% FG, 28.6% threes

Both Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe struggled.

[ZionDunks]

Pelicans have a poor roster
Not enough shooters
Ball sucks. Bledsoe sucks
Average coach in Van gundy.

~30 to 32 win team. Frustrating hollow 32/14 from
Zion

[ZionDunks]

Ball is really just a liability on the offensive end.

Then Van Gundy has managed to take Zion out of his rythem completely.

No shooters surrounding Zion, the whole heat team just camping in the paint.

Good post. As a Pels fan, SVG is really just an average nothing burger as a coach. Hire made no sense
, roster construction is not good

[DoctorP]

I like this Heat team. I'd like them A LOT if they traded for a certain bearded player.

:pimp:

The more I think about it the more I fear super ISO dudes like Harden would disrupt Miami's offense the same way Kyrie failed in Boston.

[DoctorP]

Zion is basically Barkley without the shooting touch imo...in other words, not a franchise player to build around if you want to seriously contend for the titles

I have similar views at this point

[Nike D'Antoni]

Erik Spoelstra has won all seven of his Christmas Day games as an NBA head coach

[Marchesk]

Erik Spoelstra has won all seven of his Christmas Day games as an NBA head coach

The Jerry West of Christmas coaches.