(Re-upload to fix blending issue)

I have basically been a lifelong Pelicans fan since I was 7 in 2012. This was because my family was big UK fans, and my introduction to basketball was Anthony Davis. The Pelicans are how I fell in love with basketball, I still have found memories of the Davis and Holiday Pelicans. Jrue gave me my favorite archetype to this day.

When we traded them to Milwake and LA and built a new team, I was really hopeful. The furthest we made it since then was a first round sweep. Zion is a bust. The team can't finish a game. Our defense, even though noticeably better, is still bad, but it's still super early in the season, so I have hope.

That all being said, I have made up my mind, I don't think I will ever stop being a Pelicans fan. I have no ties to the city, but my fondest basketball memories are tied to this team. They may be ass but they're our ass.

Strange things happen in the NBA. There are countless funky plays and weird inexplicable decisions. It’s early, but the Pelicans are responsible for one that I can’t stop thinking about. It happened during the first quarter of New Orleans’s loss at Utah on Friday night, when Jordan Poole, Zion Williamson, Derik Queen, Saddiq Bey, and Bennedict Mathurin all shared the floor. You read that right. These five players were purposefully instructed to work together, as in, be on the court at the same time. It was remarkable. It was bewildering. It was a basketball lineup that could not possibly be less complementary on offense or ineffective on defense. I like to rewatch horror movies that still disturb me on every viewing; similarly, I am desperate to see this again. 

My wife's a real housewives fan and I normally zone out but I look up, see this, made her pause it.

I'm back with another dose of that sweet, sweet copium.

It has been done; we're still in contention

Zion is making big shots, DJM has been balling, Trey finally had a good game, SADDIQ BEY, Mathurin playing good. We have the pieces. We are so close.

We are 0-3, BUT, there are some positives in the doom and gloom.

First of all, despite being three games down already, our point differential is -3.3, which is better than every other team with a losing record so far, except for the Spurs.

Second, those three close losses include the Nuggets and Pacers, both somewhat recent finals teams, two road games, and an OT loss on the second half of a back-to-back.

Third, despite two road games and a tough b2b, we have a top ten offence (currently 7th in the league).

Am I approaching LD50 copium? Yes, absolutely. But it's real to me, dammit!

Go Pels

Pelicans thru 3 games are getting outscored in the 4th by a total of 34 points. Zion and the rest of the team are the biggest choke and most unclutch players I’ve ever seen.

Anyone remember a team that can chokes away games like the pels?

They’re somehow out doing themselves from the past 2 games with how bad this 4th quarter has been.

Dumars, you are a genius when it comes destroying fans spirit.

What the hell happens to the offense at the end of games?

How can we play 3 quarters of great, free flowing offense, with so many assists and then just turn into straight iso ball in the clutch? It doesn’t matter who is bringing the ball up the floor, they just don’t pass it. There were 3 straight possessions in the 4th between dejounte and fears where the ball did not touch another pair of hands! And if someone does figure out they should pass the ball it’s not until there’s 10 seconds on the shot clock!

WHY ARE YOU PLAYING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BRAND OF OFFENSE THAN THE LAST 40 MINUTES???

And how does it happen every single game? And that’s ignoring the fact that they turn it over half the time anyway! The biggest problem is that the team genuinely just forgets how they played for literally the entire game and completely stops playing as a team. I just don’t understand.

Every game, I sleep early so that I can wake up and watch the pelicans. Every game, I'm filled with hope with how we play, AND EVERY FUCKING GAME, OUR TEAM BLOWS IT IN THE 4TH

The second this team makes me think they'll do something they just remind me again why I don't have much faith in them

I know it’s only three games, but Jesus, what the fuck? Up 23 and somehow we still find a way to lose.
I get it’s the second game of a back-to-back, but you have to finish. Especially against good teams. You don’t get credit for playing well for stretches if you can’t put together four quarters and close the damn game.
The most frustrating part is that no lead ever feels safe. It feels like other teams know that no matter how far down they are, we’ll give them a chance to get back in it. And once it gets to crunch time, I have zero confidence we’re coming out with the win.
These dudes cannot close a game to save their lives. I can handle losing, but watching a 23-point lead turn into another “how the hell did we lose that?” is exhausting.
Anybody else already tired of this shit?

I genuinely cannot believe these first 3 games....

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Poole +22.8

Herb +13.5

Karlo +12.9

Bey +12.3

Queen +12.0

Zion +11.4

Deandre -2.1

DJM -4.7

Trey -5.7

Fears -14.4

Mathurin -15.1

Missi -15.2

Starting 0-3 is obviously not ideal, but I still definitely have hope for this squad. I think we are one of the deepest teams in the whole league. We just need to be able to play a whole game.

Glad to hear Yves didn’t end up with a worse injury, one of the better outcomes we could’ve expected.