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Why Nuggets and Wolves should thank the 2017-18 Pelicans
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:20 pm
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:20 pm
Watching these two teams success this season and in the playoffs, it made me think about the 2017-18 pelicans. Heres a reminder of what that team was prime AD, prime Boogie Cousins (MVP candidate before he got hurt) defensive guard Jrue and vet playmaker Rondo. AD in a recent podcast- talks about how dangerous that team could have been and that they could have dethroned the warriors if healthy. Dell Demps got a lot of hate but he deserves a lot of credit for assembling a team like that.
Now lets look at Nuggets and Wolves. Nuggets have 2 mobile bigs as well in Gordon and Jokic, dynamic playmaker in Murray and a defensive guard in KCP. The Wolves have 2 mobile bigs in Gobert and KAT, dynamic playmaker in ANT and defensive vet guard in Conley. Obviously there are some ancillary pieces that are different and important like MPJ, and Jaden Mcdaniels. Also the greatness of players like ANT and Jokic. But the formula is very similar to what Demps wanted to do in nola. Now the architects for both these Denver and Minn teams is Tim Connely(assistant gm in nola under Demps) and both those coaches (Malone and Finch)- were also assistant coaches in nola. To top it off the guy who pushed Connely for the Gobert trade was you guessed it former pelicans gm Demps who is now with Connely in Minn.
So when watching these two great teams just remember it was the 2018 pelicans that started it all and then get depressed knowing if Boogie’s achilles doesnt snap what greatness that team could have achieved.
Now lets look at Nuggets and Wolves. Nuggets have 2 mobile bigs as well in Gordon and Jokic, dynamic playmaker in Murray and a defensive guard in KCP. The Wolves have 2 mobile bigs in Gobert and KAT, dynamic playmaker in ANT and defensive vet guard in Conley. Obviously there are some ancillary pieces that are different and important like MPJ, and Jaden Mcdaniels. Also the greatness of players like ANT and Jokic. But the formula is very similar to what Demps wanted to do in nola. Now the architects for both these Denver and Minn teams is Tim Connely(assistant gm in nola under Demps) and both those coaches (Malone and Finch)- were also assistant coaches in nola. To top it off the guy who pushed Connely for the Gobert trade was you guessed it former pelicans gm Demps who is now with Connely in Minn.
So when watching these two great teams just remember it was the 2018 pelicans that started it all and then get depressed knowing if Boogie’s achilles doesnt snap what greatness that team could have achieved.
This post was edited on 5/6/24 at 12:21 pm
5
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:40 pm to Pels_Yaz
quote:
if healthy
Yeah that wasn’t happening even if Cousins hadn’t blown his Achilles.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:42 pm to Pels_Yaz
The Nuggets do not have two bigs like AD and Cousins, or like KAT and Gobert.
Aaron Gordon guards the perimeter guys more than he does bigs. He's 6'8" 230. He's more of a SF than he is a C.
MPJ is more of their other big, you know, the other guy they are giving a max contract to that is 6'10" 225.
Gordon and MPJ are both capable of guarding oppsing perimeter players as well as bigs. That's what makes the Nuggets so good. Neither one of them are anythign like AD/Cousins/KAT/Gobert. Those guys are clear cut 5's in the league, and they are literally "doing it big".
ZBO and Gasol were way before AD/Cousins, and a better example of "doing it big" and actually being good. They made it to a WCF.
Aaron Gordon guards the perimeter guys more than he does bigs. He's 6'8" 230. He's more of a SF than he is a C.
MPJ is more of their other big, you know, the other guy they are giving a max contract to that is 6'10" 225.
Gordon and MPJ are both capable of guarding oppsing perimeter players as well as bigs. That's what makes the Nuggets so good. Neither one of them are anythign like AD/Cousins/KAT/Gobert. Those guys are clear cut 5's in the league, and they are literally "doing it big".
ZBO and Gasol were way before AD/Cousins, and a better example of "doing it big" and actually being good. They made it to a WCF.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:43 pm to teke184
quote:
Yeah that wasn’t happening even if Cousins hadn’t blown his Achilles.
What wasn’t happening? You don’t think we wouldn’t have gone to the playoffs mutliple years? I’m not saying we would have won it all but we would be legit contenders. I think thats a good possibility. That team had talent and great basketball IQ as well.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:51 pm to TeddyPadillac
quote:
Aaron Gordon guards the perimeter guys more than he does bigs. He's 6'8" 230. He's more of a SF than he is a C.
Aaron Gordon is basically the backup center for Jokic in the playoffs. Against the wolves that will change but thats how it was all of last year.
quote:
MPJ is more of their other big, you know, the other guy they are giving a max contract to that is 6'10" 225.
MPJ is a good player but just cause hes a max player doesn’t mean hes a superstar. Hes a great shooter- thats about it.
quote:
Gordon and MPJ are both capable of guarding oppsing perimeter players as well as bigs. That's what makes the Nuggets so good. Neither one of them are anythign like AD/Cousins/KAT/Gobert. Those guys are clear cut 5's in the league, and they are literally "doing it big".
MPJ is not a good defender- Im not sure where you’re getting that from? Gobert and AD arents AG but they have shown this year to be able to move on the perimeter and guard when needed.
quote:
ZBO and Gasol were way before AD/Cousins, and a better example of "doing it big" and actually being good. They made it to a WCF.
Yes I agree but the nola connections on both wolves and nuggets is not something to dismiss. Both were constructed by a former assist gm from nola and have former assistants as head coach. Our former GM now works for Minn. Now demps may have used the grizz as an example to construct what he wanted in nola but connely took it to another level in Denver and Minn.
This post was edited on 5/6/24 at 12:56 pm
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:52 pm to Pels_Yaz
Downvoted for no respect for Mirotic
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:54 pm to spaghettioeauxs
quote:
Downvoted for no respect for Mirotic
My bad dude. I forgot how Nikola filled a huge hole as well. Good catch.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:57 pm to Pels_Yaz
AD being Mr Glass and our training staff being the Great Value brand trainers meant we were eventually going to have injury issues eventually.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 1:04 pm to teke184
quote:
AD being Mr Glass and our training staff being the Great Value brand trainers meant we were eventually going to have injury issues eventually.
AD was more healthy here than he has been in LA- other than this past year.
By the way is just the default to everything in regards to pelicans? We suck now in the past, present and future because our trainers suck and we always get injured?
Posted on 5/6/24 at 1:07 pm to Honest Man
quote:
Embarrassing thread
Embarrassing life. Aren’t you busy conjuring trash trades for BI on twitter and thinking you’re an actual NBA journalist when you’re just a random no name small business owner in Utah that is a known sexist?
Posted on 5/6/24 at 1:38 pm to Pels_Yaz
quote:
Aaron Gordon is basically the backup center for Jokic in the playoffs. Against the wolves that will change but thats how it was all of last year.
That's b/c they have no bench, which if they don't win it all this year, will be the main reason why.
I could see them thinking about moving MPJ this offseason to help bulster their bench. It actually makes sense for them to trade a dollar for quarters in this instance.
quote:
Yes I agree but the nola connections on both wolves and nuggets is not something to dismiss.
i did not realize all the connections to nola, so yes that's interesting.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 3:52 pm to Pels_Yaz
quote:
To top it off the guy who pushed Connely for the Gobert trade was you guessed it former pelicans gm Demps who is now with Connely in Minn.
Of course Demps wanted Gobert. He was obsessed with old school centers
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