New Orleans has one of the worst defenses in the NBA, their rim protection at the center position is lackluster, and their backcourt defense is lacking as well. Whether it is Derik Queen or DeAndre Jordan starting at the center spot, it is a huge weak point in their defense, along with Zion Williamson who is not the best mover on that end.
I watched Jose Alvarado as a high school star in Queens nearly a decade ago. His team at Christ the King Regional High School took on Bishop Loughlin, another local powerhouse, in the Brooklyn-Queens Catholic High School Athletic Association semifinal back in February 2017. I paid $5 to get into a very loud gym, and distinctly recall thinking to myself that it was the best basketball game I'd ever attended in New York City, at any level.
NEW YORK - Michael Porter Jr. tied his season high with 35 points, Nic Claxton had his second triple-double and the Brooklyn Nets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 119-101 on Saturday. Porter matched his career best by reaching 30 for a third straight game, having also done it last Feb. 3-6 during his final season with Denver. He made five 3-pointers and had nine rebounds after sitting out Thursday to rest his back in the second night of a back-to-back.
The New Orleans Pelicans have fired coach Willie Green after a 2-10 start to the season, sources told ESPN. Green was doomed by a miserable 0-6 start and injuries to his best players. Zion Williamson has played just five games due to a hamstring injury, an ailment he has suffered in four straight seasons. The Pelicans were the first team in NBA history to lose three of their first six games by at least 30 points.
If you want to be confused about how good an NBA player is, send them to New Orleans. One of the most poorly-run franchises in the league has built rosters year after year that do not fit together. When you add in that the team has also dealt with a shocking number of injuries, you get an environment that obscures player evaluations like a full solar eclipse.
