Two games left until the All-Star Break. Say it with me “Just two games left!” The Hornets are limping into the break, having lost 7 of their last 9, due in large part to injuries to Ariza and Okafor and in small part to some noticeable fatigue being shown by CP3. They head into this game 10 games over .500, and the hope is that they can win at least 1 of these 2 games before getting a week of rest.
The Warriors gave the Hornets all sorts of trouble in their first matchup this season, staying with them for the first three quarters before getting read-hot in the 4th and pulling away. The second matchup was more one-sided as the Hornets led by as many as 25 before Golden State made a run against the Hornets bench to make the score look closer than it really was.
There were a couple of common denominators in both games:
1) CP3 was fantastic in both games
2.) West could get any shot he wanted
3.) M. Ellis scored 25+ in both games
4.) The Hornets outscored GS in the paint in both games and won the rebounding battle by an average of 9
5.) The Warriors lived at the free throw line, averaging nearly 30 per contest
6.) The Warriors turned the Hornets over far more than they usually do, as the Hornets averaged 20 turnovers per game
This game is going to be uptempo, and the Hornets will really miss Emeka in this contest, but having Trevor back is huge against a team with so much perimeter scoring. Willie Green is going to problems no matter who Monty puts him on, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Marco and Marcus get more time in this matchup or if Monty plays Willie Green at the 3 for several minutes tonight.
Other News and Notes:
– Over his last three games, Chris Paul is averaging 13 and 8, shooting just 30 percent fro the field. Say it with me, “Just two more games until the All-Star break!”
– Hornets are giving up nearly 100 PPG since Emeka has been out of the lineup. In addition, the Hornets have lost their edge on the boards, as they have been outrebounded in each of their last 4 losses- including an embarressing -21 on Saturday night against the Bulls.
– In the last matchup, Hornets shot 62% from the field, scored 60 points in the paint, and had 35 fast-break points. All were season highs.
– Ekpe Udoh is a combined +25 in the 30 minutes he has played against the Hornets this season. The next highest number comes from Dorell Wright, who is a +7.
– Vegas Zone: The Hornets are a 2 point underdog and the over/under is 201. I say bet heavy on the over and I have a sneaky feeling the Hornets show up big for this one after being knocked down a peg by the Bulls at home. Hornets 112 Warriors 105.
99 responses to “Game On: Hornets @ Warriors”
I hope we win…
ill say it Just two more games to all star break. Im worried about curry and wright getting hot outside because we have shown in the past three pointers can kill us. And Monta has been playing outside himself recently old school AI type stuff. Keep speed on Monta maybe marcus, or maybe willie greens savy veteranness can do something to contain him. Thank god we have trevor to close out on the perimeter. The clippers and the warriors arent the worst teams we could be playing to close out this injury stretch we got this
i meant blazers =)
I think we got this game. I expect a big one from CP and DWest.
Nothing better in my opinion than CP being angry at himself, and hes shown some serious frustration and blamed losses on himself (some deservedly so) im thinkin hes coming out angry and looking to take it out on the warriors. And diddles always brings the pain ….this year at least
Well, I wish Paul would take a long hot whirlpool the entire break instead of participating in the game.
I second that. It would be nice for Chris to sit out the skills competition and the actual all star game. He obviously needs the rest. We need this game tonight. Weak second half schedule will be big for Hornets. Hopefully they hold on to the fifth spot.
I would even have Paul sit out an extra week after the All Star break.
We all know he’s to competitive to do that though….
After losing 7 of the last 9, I think it’s time for the Hornets to flog any Warrior they see.
Per Stern, some owners are in favor of contracting the hornets. Im guessing those teams are Orlando, New Jersey, and New York. The teams that want CP3 the most.
lol i was thinking the exact same thing. Ofcourse teams want us to contract cuz they want our players, stupid thing to say. I want the lakers heat magic and celtics to contract too 😉
actually ive read several articles where the lakers front off ice has ok’d the contraction of the hornets and phil’s arrogant ass comenting on the cp3 situation along with the ownership situation
it will be great to get MEK back after the all star break as well. DWest could also use a breather!!!
I’m also think tonight will be a good one for us…I particularly like it when Paul has that ‘chip’ on his shoulder. It really brings out that competitive spirit even more!! C’mon Hornets, we’ve got this! P.S. We’re keeping our eyes on you, Marcus!
Pumped for this game, a rare televised Hornets game in Australia, let make it a good one!
Stephen Curry is a very good point guard, but if Chris Paul hounds him, he can make him turn the ball over a lot tonight.
And this game should have been selected for Fan Night on NBA TV, this Heat-Pacers game is brutal.
The backcourt matchup has me a bit worried for this game and in the previous two games the turnovers have been absurd. If they can clean up the turnovers some and keep the various whozits (Wright, Udoh, Biedrins, etc.) from getting rolling this could end in the Hornets favor.
Nice start.
Yeah CP3 is fine.
nice move cp
CP’s drive @ 4:30 looked like the man who used to be
Yeah…CP…that was an all-star move for certain!! Whewwwww!!!
What a shocker. Belinelli is our 6th man the game after MT5 has his best game of the season.
Chill. Belli already has 5 pts and now your godly player is in as well.
Wait…. is the brace off??? Those look like sleeves not braces. He’s also got one on the other knee which he hasn’t done all year. He’s looking amazing out there.
TAKE THAT RYAN! HE CAN BE THE 07-09 CP3 AGAIN!
Just wait til playoff time. He looks like a completely different player. I wonder if he took it off to help him get out of his slump.
to me he seems the same CP3 of this season but warriors D sucks
No, it’s the quick bursts that have been missing. That’s what we’re seeing tonight. When he’s dominant, he uses those bursts for separation whether it’s to score or create.
no pressure on paul = 11 points 4 assists 100% from the field 😀
As fun as this is, put that brace back on after tonight CP3. Pretty please. We don’t need to let anyone else know that you can be 95% if you want to. Keep that knee safe to boot.
Nice start to the game just gotta keep it up and not let everything go to hell when the bench comes in…
the bench is playing sloppy
is ariza playing center right now
i disagree montydoghouse by keeping the brace on the knee he doesnt allow the knee joints and muscles to strengthen themselves because i will get used to the support of the brace
I’m sorry. You’re just trying to pick a fight with me. That’s so silly. If the brace wasn’t beneficial to his knee’s long term health, why has he worn it for 50+ games this season?
I agree with Doghouse. CP should keep the brace on for this season. He can strengthen it in the off season. We can’t afford him blowing out his knee again.
come on Marcus, you can do better than this. this is your chance.
I always hold my breath when Dick Bavetta is officiating. (think thats bavetta csts pictures pretty shitty on dish lol)
Marcus is playing like complete garbage tonight. I can’t excuse him for not playing hard. That’s his damn fault. Haven’t seen him look this apathetic in quite awhile.
he was only in the game for like 6 1/2 minutes. chilllll.
@MM – Who’s got the highest +/- on the Warriors tonight? lol
the warriors are really shooting over there heads rite now there just making everything they put up
Dumbasses. Green is TOOO SLOW to defend Ellis. Same with Jack.
And sloppy ballhandling.
put ariza on him his length should help
i sure wish this team would miss just 1 shot.
Did anyone see ESPN where they said Marco is one of the worst defenders in the NBA according to Synergy reports???
Nooo, don’t bring this up. I wanted to surprise Ziko with it on the forums!
oh and supposedly hes better than affalo =)
You mean the same one that has Nicolas Batum on it? A guy who’s a “defensive specialist” and who Kobe Bryant called one of the best young defenders in the league?
Those reports are based off of opinion, nothing more. Again, there are TWO type of defenses. I’ll give examples:
PERIMETER PLAYER:
-Aaron Afflalo plays “Ben Howlin” type of defense. His goal is to try to limit the possessions of the INDIVIDUAL. By doing this, he will scratch and claw and wrap himself all over a defender to keep them from GETTING the ball. The less they get the ball, the less they score is the concept. This works best in one on one situations.
-Marco Belinelli is a TEAM defender. He allows the opposition to catch the ball, but the goal for his TEAM defense is that NO ONE gets an open shot. EVERY shot attempt comes with a hand in the face of the shooter. Ironically, the Hornets best defensive lineup is Okafor, West, Ariza, BELINELLI, and Paul.
INTERIOR PLAYER:
-Dwight Howard is ALWAYS one the league leaders in blocks. The reason for this is because of the way his team plays defense. Howard consistently ROAMS the paint and LOOKING to deny anything that is funneled to the basket. Howard focuses on timing slashers going to the basket and setting them up for a blocked shot.
-Andrew Bynum only averages 1.3 blocks a game. Yet, without him, the Lakers struggle DRAMATICALLY at protecting the paint. Andrew Bynum is NOT a shot blocker. He is a position defender. He focuses on ALTERING shots, and forcing the opposition to shoot OVER him to score.
Howard IS a better defender than Bynum, but both are VERY good defenders who excel at what they do. Bynums “altered shots” don’t show up on the stat sheet, but if they did, I would guarantee he’d lead the league in them (I watch every Laker game, so I know this pretty well now, and understand how important the kid is to the team).
Marco Belinelli is a very good TEAM defender and fits well in our SYSTEM. I have never said he is a good one on one defender. But to say he is the first is just ignorant. I read the report. And I can HONESTLY think of 5 WORSE defenders easily.
For example. Steve Nash has NEVER played defense in his life. He usually lets his man go by him because he knows the sooner the opposition scores/misses/turns the ball over, he can push the ball himself.
Or Derek Fisher, who has gotten torched by EVERY single PG in the league on EVERY SINGLE NIGHT HE PLAYS.
How bout Kevin Martin, who pretty much believes in Nash’s theory?
Just because a player doesn’t rack up steals, blocks, or rebounds, doesn’t mean he’s a bad defender. Again. Bynum only averages 1.3 blocks a game. But look at the difference of teams scoring vs him being in the line up and when he’s NOT in the lineup.
to say he is the worst*
Firstly could someone murder the warriors commentators, and why has cp become so content, he was balling early on
green scares me everytime he shoots that ball from the top of the key
We just don’t guard the 3 ball. We basically say.. if you fellas wanna try to beat us by throwing up 3’s, go ahead. So they do. And make them. Every time.
horrible defense
Would anyone want Monte Ellis instead of Bellynelly and Thorton?
I’m sure the Warriors would say, “Sure, why not.”.
Smith gets thrown down every game
This is ugly
There are few things more frustrating than seeing the Hornets lose to an inferior team. I watched the results of the Chicago game while I was in Massachusetts and it didn’t bother me as much when they started losing.
But now? This is infuriating.
Agreed. We started the game off hot. Took a double digit lead. Then all of a sudden we turned off the intensity, and quickly lost our lead.
the only thing thats saving the hornets are other teams around them in the playoff race in that there losing as well
CP3 0-8 sigh
well this is a message to dell demps that the hornets need something they need s scoring spark somewhere in the starting lineup or consistently off the bench we need a third person to compliment paul and west
I’m hoping for a 4th quarter like the one GS pulled on us back in NO.
Mbengas hands are embarassing
We are heading towards obscurity in the worst way. Obscure as in non-existent. Not only are we playing mediocre basketball, but we are playing our way into NBA purgatory. It is a distinct possibility that in two years we will not even have a team to cheer for. And as much as that stings (no pun intended) the NO fans, please trust that it hurts those of us who have followed the team since 1988 A WHOLE LOT MORE — A WHOLE. LOT. MORE. I hope I am just being a dramatic doomsdayist but we should be prepared for the worst.
Yea, he makes Kwame Brown look legit.
Minnesota, New Jersey, and now Golden State…. nuff said. Sad thing is I sorta expected a loss.
Hornets can’t get anything going inside and all those jump shots stopped falling…. Too many shots being chucked at the end of the clock. This is ugly.
15 deficit CP is out and we are missing free throws….why god
Why is Mbenga on our roster?
I love mbenga because of his story, hes goofy and huge and hes just an all around likeable guy. But he is terrible, hes constantly shaking his head and slapping his hands after a horrendous defensive rotation. On rebounds and passes hes got ky on his palms shit slides right out
we need to shake up everyone outside of cp mek west and trevor because everyone isnt playing with any heart fight and bottom line they just dont have “it”
What the FUCK are they doing
they CAN’T EVEN HOLD ONTO THE BALL
Oh my god, I’m so surprised that happened. Open 3 pointer? Nah he’s not gonna make it. Oh shit, he made it.
why havent i turned this shit off?
greatest question of the night… I have school I’m done watching this garbage
Unless this gets down to 10 by the 6 minute mark I say don’t bother putting the starters back in. Save them for the game tomorrow and maybe pull off something against the blazers
Embarrassing
not that it matters but jack just had a wide open belly for the 3 and he takes that shit WTF!
Yeah he doesnt really pass the ball
Wait, what? You want him to pass to MARCO BELINELLI? LoL.
I dont hate belinelli, i just think hes not any good. But if hes wide open for the three hit the man, especially if the other option is shoot a contested fade away jumper a foot within the three point line.
Are u serious?! this was so expected. I don’t understand why we have no pride? Are we all just luck? Marco gets way to much playing time, he can’t create plays he can only run them, and jack can only create for himself, he never passes, and why does monty put thornton in for garbage minutes, he should have come in the second quarter! He definitely got out coached wtf!!!!!!!!!!
Wasn’t MT5 playing in the 2nd quarter, I thought he was? And I’m with you, Hornets seem to have no pride recently…argh.
He had garbage minutes, they literally played him for the last few seconds of the second!! Smh
and on that alley oop i bid yall adieu
Pathetic. They must really like losing.
these games seem to get more and more depressing with each loss. I can’t how a Cavs fan feels.
Coaching on this game was horrific, monty for the loss
only positive was CP3’s first quarter..
http://www.nba.com/video/games/warriors/2011/02/15/0021000823_noh_gsw_play1.nba/index.html
well we just got outplayed and coached completely
You just had to be there to appreciate how awesome Marcus Thornton was tonight. Keep him on the banner. Next to CP3 he’s our main man.
Disappointing loss. Nothing from our bench bigs. Andersen semmed realy off. If he has an average offensive night, with the looks he had, this is a close game. We can’t rely on CP3 to hold this team up night in and night our. The team needs to respond. Marcus may have been 1-for-6 but he was attacking the rim (his defense was way sub par tonight however). Willie socres 12 on ten shots (most of that before the 4th qrt.) It was good to see Beli have a good game..15 pts 2-4 from 3’s. I say the pollenators right themselves tomorrow night in RIP city with a victory over the blazers.
Coach,
You never run any O plays for Omeka and now that he is out you have no plays for his backup…Jason Smith. You have Jason grinding down low – barely keeping his head above water on the D-end of the court.
Give the guy a break and run a play for him. Let him shoot when there is more than 3 seconds on the shot clock. He may make one or two. Give him the confidence that you gave Fragile Andersen or Big Sloppy Gray when they were playing well.
lol im so sick of this shit! the “NBA” where cheating happens. Wow im surprised didnt play worse than they did in the second half after all the calls went the way of the warriors. haha its so funny, dont hit me with that “the hornets didnt adjust to the way the refs were calling the game” thing, thats garbage and u all know it. i saw stuff being called for the warriors that wasnt being called for the hornets…. the same plays! u wud stop playing to if it seems as if all the shit was goin the other teams playing. dont tell me i dont know wat im talking about either because im a laker fan and i kno they get most of the calls. i dont even care if the refs call the game tight, but call it the same way for both teams. i just wish everybody wud stop givin the nba the satisfaction of watching it and make them start calling games fair. this sucks, im tired of not getting any respect at all FUCK wat do we have to do!?!? and yeah of course the team stopped playin with pride in the second half but fuck it wat are u gonna do. the most garbage team’s most garbage player is gonna make lots of shots on us every game. so yeah… expect it. if they dont make a shot they will get the foul even tho they suck and our marcus thornton cudnt get a foul call to save his life. but watever. like this if u think the nba hand picks the finals!!! lol j/p im not tho.. i shudnt be taking this so seriously but ive been drinking hahaha