Pelicans head coach Willie Green loves the fit of New Orleans’ star forward tandem, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
“Best freaking duo in the NBA,” Clark said. “They don’t talk about you enough. Best freaking duo in the NBA. You guys have to show up every night and be dominant.”
The fearsome twosome has been an interesting on-court fit, as Williamson thrives as a post threat, while Ingram’s more diverse scoring arsenal includes deft mid-range and three-point shooting.
“It’s what I believe about those two guys,” Green said. “Who they are as people. Who they are as basketball players. But we still have a lot of work to do. We will continue putting it together.”
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas is focused on the present in the final season of his current deal, Clark writes in another NOLA.com story. “I’m not thinking about that at all,” Valanciunas said of his contract situation. “Where the future is going to take me, it’s a mystery. But it’s funny that way. You don’t know what can happen tomorrow. You have to enjoy today. You have to enjoy this year. You have to enjoy every game you play. You just try to be the best version of you. That’s what my approach is.” Clark notes that the veteran seven-footer could be an awkward fit alongside Williamson long-term, as both players love to occupy the low post. Injuries have limited their on-court overlap, however, to just 29 games across two seasons.
- After the Mavericks’ 125-120 win over the Nets on Friday, All-NBA Dallas guard Luka Doncic revealed in a postgame ESPN interview (YouTube video link) that he still wants to play alongside former teammate Dorian Finney-Smith. “That’s my guy,” Doncic said. “I miss him so much and I know at some point we’re going to play [together] again for sure.” Finney-Smith was traded from the Mavericks to Brooklyn as part of the Kyrie Irving deal last season.
- With a growing list of absences, the Grizzlies’ current goal seems to be merely grinding their way to a respectable amount of wins until the club’s roster gets more whole, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. That has yet to happen, as the club is 0-3 to start the year. With Ja Morant suspended for 25 games to start the year, and big men Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke out with long-term injuries, Memphis has had to adjust quickly. Increased time has been allocated to newly-signed reserve guard Derrick Rose, while the Grizzlies are reportedly adding backup big man Bismack Biyombo to shore up their frontcourt.
You’re telling me Marcus smart is not carrying Memphis? I for one am shocked.
Shocked! Shocked!…
Well maybe not that shocked…
Trade Luka to Brooklyn. Everyone on last year’s team needs to go since all of them gave up and lost on purpose. Get rid of Cuban too .
Are the Mavs getting the entire Nets franchise in return? Because otherwise that’s a sh*t deal, and even then it’s not enough.
Nah. It’ll be the Knicks, they’ve got the assets.
Funny
Luka isn’t going anywhere. He was basically telling Cuban to get DFS back at the deadline.
#FreeLuka
Mar from Cuba is going to ruin his career unless he leaves…
Could it be they don’t talk about them as the best duo…because they have only played 95 out of like 330 games together? Only 12-14 the last 2 seasons, just a hunch.
It’s a case if a couple of games here and a couple of games there…
With enough time off inbetween for everyone to forget they even play on the same team…