Game On: Hornets @ Bucks

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Published: November 17, 2012

After getting stomped last night, the Hornets try to bounce back against the Bucks

The Bucks play at the fastest pace in the league and possess the second best defensive rating in the NBA. Talk about a potential nightmare matchup for these Hornets. The Hornets are dead last in the NBA yet again in pace and their offense has fallen to 23rd after flirting with the top ten earlier in the season. Which team gets the other to play at their pace will have a huge part in determining the winner. Here are some other things to watch for:

Milwaukee’s on-ball pressure

Jennings leads the league in steals, and when you add in Monta Ellis, their backcourt duo is responsible for nearly five steals per game. Milwaukee’s defense is 7th in the NBA in creating turnovers and Vasquez has shown that he is extremely turnover prone when teams pressure him full court. Even if Milwaukee isn’t creating turnovers with their pressure, they could disrupt the Hornets offense by making them take ten to fifteen seconds just to get into their sets.

Force anybody but Dunleavy to shoot from the perimeter

If you take away Mike Dunleavy’s numbers from behind the arc out of the equation, Milwaukee is only averaging 4 made three’s per game and shooting a tad under 30% from deep. Ellis and Illysova have been terrible, going just 12 for 47 in the first seven games. On the flip side, Dunleavy has been better than ever, as he is shooting 54% from deep on the season. The Hornets have to be conscious of these numbers when they rotate.

Battle on the Boards

Ryan Anderson and Anthony Davis have been beasts on the offensive glass all year, but tonight they match up with the best defensive rebounding team in the NBA. The Bucks only surrender one offensive rebound for every five misses, as Larry Sanders and Samuel Dalembert do a great job of controlling the glass. The Hornets are going to have to make the most of every offensive possession, because it doesn’t look like they’ll be getting extra possessions against this team.

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  1. Pingback: Game On: Bucks @ Hornets | New Orleans Hornets | Hornets247.com

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