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Game On: Spurs @ Hornets

Matchup: Spurs (37-6) @ Hornets(28-16)

Off Efficiency: Spurs 109.4 (1st), Hornets 102.9 (18th)
Def Efficiency: Spurs 101.1 (7th), Hornets 98.8 (3rd)

Pace: Spurs 95.4 (13th), Hornets 91.2 (30th)

After the Hornets took the opening game in this division rivalry, the series has gone downhill for New Orleans. In the last two games, the recaps used the words “demolish” and “crushed” to refer to the how the Spurs attained their victories. To be fair, that’s how most Spurs games have gone this year. They have both the best record in the league and the largest margin of victory.

One way they’ve done it is with superior bench play. As I noted last week, the Spurs had 13 players with a PER over 12.0 on the year compared to only three Hornets who were at the time playing at that level. Things have changed in that regard, as the Hornets now have Marcus Thornton sitting at a PER of exactly 13. He’s really come alive recently, and is the potential spark to a second unit that is going to need all the help they can get.

If the Hornets are going to take this one down, they are going to need someone on the bench to have a strong night, and Marcus seems to be the ideal candidate.

Pause

Let’s take a quick look at the home-road split for Marcus Thornton:

Want to know why? It’s people like Thornton’s Thunder, Loud Mike, Hornets Hype, and the rest of you awesome fans who give Marcus a round of applause when he comes in and checks out. Players standing out there on the floor can hear you, and even though they might not acknowledge it while they’re on the court, it obviously has an impact on their mentality, which then affects their performance.

Resume

Monty Williams needs to be especially mindful about his substitutions so not to allow one of those 10-0 runs that seem to pop up every so often when the bench takes the floor. Something like that can turn a close game into a stinker in a hurry, and there’s nobody better at executing right now than San Antonio.

The Hornets run the pick and roll as their primary offense, and even though the opposition knows it’s coming, there really isn’t much they can do about it other than try to limit inside scoring and instead just let guys take jumpers. It’s not a bad strategy, as the Hornets are merely average when their possessions end in a spot up jumper. It’s when the possessions end in layups or dunks that the pick and roll is working most effectively. If the Spurs can limit those easy points, the Hornets are going to be in for a long night on offense. I’m sure Popovic will apply extra defensive focus on cutters, and some throw some traps, zones and switches at Paul in an effort to control him. As usual, the game’s outcome will rest on how CP3 handles it.

The Spurs should and will use Tony Parker to attack Chris Paul on the pick and roll. It’s physically grueling to fight through and around screens all night, and one of the most effective ways to limit Paul is by making him focus on defense. The problem? As you know he’s one of the best defenders in the league in most aspects, but against the pick and roll he’s really taken a step forward this year.

In the past he’s been below league average at defending it, but not anymore. He’s allowing the pick and roll ball handler to score only .83 points per possession this year, good for 82nd in the league. For reference, on offense he’s averaging .98 points per possession this year as the pick and roll ball handler, 8th in the league (Thanks Synergy Sports).

The Hornets should use one of their other guards to chase around Tony, and instead let Paul play free safety to some extent, allowing him to focus on getting steals and causing havoc for the league leading Spurs offense. Jarrett Jack and Marco Belinelli are both adequate defending the ball handler on the pick and roll, and should be utilized early and often.

I’ll take the Hornets in this one, but it’s going to be a nail biter. Not every game can end like the butt-whooping laid down on Atlanta last night. Also, I’ll be on ESPN’s Daily Dime Chat during the game so come on by and say hello.

Check out JNR’s post about Monty channeling his inner Rex Ryan.

Injuries

Spurs: George Hill – sprained right thumb (day-to-day), Matt Bonner – sore right knee (day-to-day)

Hornets: Trevor Ariza – ankle tendinitis (day-to-day), Aaron Gray – sprained ankle (day-to-day)

Notes from the Arena

  • Trevor Ariza is dressed and is expected to start

Joe Gerrity

169 responses to “Game On: Spurs @ Hornets”

  2. I’ve heard George Hill is OUT for tonight. If so that’s huge because the Parker – Hill – Ginobili lineup has killed us in the past.

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  4. i agree hornet. also i think we either need to post up west or emeka. whoever duncan isnt guarding. im not sure Ariza will even be that useful tho…i mean we killed it without him

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  5. @Joe – Jack is above 12 in PER now too.

    If I’m the Spurs, I give Willie a couple freebies early so I don’t see Marcus tonight.

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    • I just want to say, we aren’t the only ones who get shafted by the media. If it were Boston, LA, Miami, or Orlando, they would have a “Race to 70” countdown all over the place.

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    • Spurs have a really impressive record. Odds are, though, that everything is about to change.

      It’s . . . .RODEO time! That’s right. Every year the rodeo chases the Spurs out of town for a couple of weeks, which forces them to play on the road(e-o). Get along, little doggies, indeed.

      So if you’re mesmerized by their gaudy record, just consider that 4 of their 6 losses have come on the road, even though they’ve played 9 more games at home.

      So this is where the road/ home game disparity begins to return to equilibrium. Tonight, they begin to come back to the pack.

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    • I think they moreso factored our pace, which is due to our offense. Still, we know our team’s D is better than a B-.

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    • I saw this. The bias against us is insane. Apparently it’s a knock on our defense that Ariza and Paul are good at anticipating passes.

      New York got a B overall for putting up 22-20 and we got a B- for putting up 28 – 16 with the by far tougher schedule. Monty only getting a B is absolutely insane as well. The dude deserves an A. A rookie head coach getting basically everyone to buy into a system, and getting a brand new team with all this hoopla playing as well as they are, and only getting a B? Fuck that.

      Reply

      • New York got a B overall for putting up 22-20 and we got a B- for putting up 28 – 16 with the by far tougher schedule.

        Thank God I’m not the only one who’s more than enraged by this coastal bias and stupidity.

    • It doesn’t matter about or pace though. Our defensive efficiency has been top 5 all year and is now top 3 after the Atlanta game.

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    • I’m starting to get tired of hearing national media talk about the attendance stuff. We’re clearly going to make the benchmark. I always make it a point to look at the attendance number for our road games, and I don’t see a lot of other mid-small market places blowing us out.

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      • Atlanta had less than 15000 people last night and CP3 was in town. That didn’t make news even though their fan-base is about 5-6x the size of ours.

      • There’s no way that 15k actually showed up. That was like 12k with about 100 people that actually cared. I could hear CP and Monty calling plays at times because it was so quiet.

    • Just watched the NBA-TV Mid-Season Report Card. Same nonsense. Handing out rewards for coaching, MVP, Most Improved. . . . not a single mention of the Hornets in any category. You could make a really good conspiracy theory out of this, when you combine it with the virtual media shutout of any but bad news about the team. But I think the media is actually too lazy to actively plot and execute a vendetta. Too stupid. Also.

      Let’s face it. A lot of us have been recently very down on the team’s prospects and have been hoping for changes, additions, better production. But the Bulls are given way too much credit for surviving injuries, the Thunder for having the most Lottery Picks that actually pan out, the Celtics for having the most high-mileage one-year-rentals, the Lakers for their “length,” and the Nuggets for enduring MeloDrama. Meanwhile, the Hornets have over achieved their talent-level, have two of the longest winning streaks of the season, are about to jump into second place in the toughest division in the tougher conference, and all the media wants to know is how many people were in the seats. And who paid for the seats.

      Here’s hoping the Hornets are watching too, and take it out on the Spurs.

      Reply

  8. Two trains on one track. . . .

    I think this will be a statement game for the Hornets. The crowd is going to be crazy tonight.

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  11. Can’t wait to lose my voice tonight. My friend and I have a special brand of hatred reserved for Spurs games. We started booing the moment Bruce Bowen kicked Chris Paul down and we haven’t stopped yet.

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  14. Bonner and Hill both out will make things easier for the Hornets, No Bonner spreading the floor, and no 3 Guards lineup that killed us..
    Hornets gonna win tonight!

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  15. i watched the entire award giving on nba tv and i was sooo pissed i could strangle a cat plus i had to go on nba.com and seen that they completely screwed us in most categories, and to top it off the media wouldnt like anything more than to see us NOT accomplish out attendence mark well guess what NBA.com fuck you and NBAtv fuck you too……….CEE LO Greene

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  17. First game live for me for quite some time now. Hope the Hornets make it worth it. 😉 does anybody know anything about Ariza?

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  19. Refs better not screw us in order to keep the Spurs’ streak alive. I’m not in the mood for being screwed.

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  24. GOOD BLOCKS MEK! Sn: how come someone submitted a commercial where the Chris Paul and Drew Brees swap sports? I mean if Lebron can have a Cleveland Browns Commercial im sure A Saints/Hornets commercial could generate something…..

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  39. What a low scoring 1st qtr.

    Hornets 13
    Spurs 12

    Wowwwwwwwww. LOL!! I’m just happy the Hornets have the lead after 1.

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  52. If the Hornets aren’t going to stay on Neal, this will get ugly really, really fast. Don’t act like you haven’t seen Neal before Hornets.

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    • LOL Forever504! You crack me up. But yeah, I don’t know who’s supposed to be on him but they’d better stick to his a**.

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    • Is Ari Jeremy Piven? If so, last time they asked him he said he’s really a Lakers fan but he likes basketball in general. I know CP3 is an Entourage fan though and they took pictures last time Piven visited about a week ago.

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  89. Why does Ariza always miss the 2nd free throw? That is so dumb. LOL!!

    Manu was trying to get Marco with that hand in the cookie jar trick.

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  92. I know I shouldnt say this, but…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… CARMELO, I HOPE YOU WATCHIN! YOU COULD BE PART OF THIS!

    Reply

  120. this is so awesome!!! however its only one win, i hope the hornets keep the streak going against OKC on monday

    Reply

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