Gerry V joins Michael and I to give incisive analysis on this team. He touches on Aminu, Lopez, Vasquez, Rivers, Roberts and Anderson, as well as addressesing the team weaknesses, why the Hornets struggle to rebound the ball, and gives advice as to what to watch for as this team tries to learn and grow.
Then, Michael and I talk the Jazz and Thunder games, preview the Bucks and Lakers, and I Stats Ambush Michael with a set of advanced stats – who is the the least impactful player this season? Most impactful? Who impacts the Hornets shooting the most? The answers will surprise you.
Enjoy the Podcast! Want it on Itunes?
15 responses to “In the NO Podcast Episode 101: Gerry V and a Stats Ambush”
Gerry V knows 10x more than I ever will about basketball, but I’m not sure who he wants us to use in the post [“Are we allergic to that?”]. Lopez is a turnover machine in the post, unless he’s got very deep position. I wince every time he puts the ball on the floor. He’s so slow and deliberate in his moves, and doesn’t pass out of double-teams well (though teams are often content to let him go 1 v 1). Not saying Lopez is a bad player, but I just don’t see a lot of potential in that aspect of his game. You could say that it helps draw fouls on opposing bigs, but he isn’t getting to the line that much. Let him carve out space on the offensive glass and run pick and rolls. Who do we post up? I’d like to see Anderson get a couple a game, but that’d take him away from the perimeter. Teams can confidently switch their 2 onto Vasquez if he goes to the post, because they don’t have to worry about Roger Mason exploiting that switch.
The cupboard is bare without Gordon/Davis, to say the least. We can’t penetrate, can’t post, and can barely even bring the ball up the floor. Rivers is the only guy I feel can consistently get into the paint, and he’s been horrible finishing. But at least he’s getting there, minus his effort against Hayward, which I will never be able to explain. Rivers was blowing by Matt Barnes of the Clippers, but he made Hayward look like the DPOY. Was weird to see.
You guys mentioned how atrocious Gerald Green was on defense, and I thought this was funny.. 82games.com admits that their simple rating is certainly not an exact tool.
Top 3 defenders by PER against:
1)Ginobili
2)Green
3)Jason Terry
A team must be able to at least toss it in the post and play off of that…I’m not saying a constant over feeding a player ( u mention Lopez) but you cannot go several trips w/o a pek in the post to at least make the defense look at different things……you become a team thats too easy to defend…you can post up wing players as well….the last thing you want to do is become predictable…..
Gerry, I’d like to preface my comments/questions by saying that I do not mean to question your method, just the personnel we have to execute it. Also, please know that I mean no disrespect, because I have already learned a lot from your visits to the Podcast. I would love to see someone on our team capable of posting up to shake up our offense. Are any of our players capable of generating semi-efficient offense in the post? If not, are you saying that doesn’t matter?
You hit on the idea of redundancy in offensive strategy.. There are times in the game where our offense is alarmingly stagnant. Is that a direct result of this redundancy, or is it just general ineffectiveness due to poor guard penetration?
Disrespect? Don’t even worry about that,you have opinions and observations…nothing wrong with that at all my friend….GUARD PLAY is lacking….we have backup type talent at those spots that can still help ,but the first unit needs improved guard play..its effects all the other areas.
reading Calderon’s stats and watching him at end of games are very different things.
who doesn’t like Courtney Lee and a pick over Lopez, Courtney Lee has struggled offensive with a Celtics team in which everyone is struggling offensively so I wouldn’t put a whole lot of emphasis on that and he’s a great perimeter defender not to mention he keeps us from having to start Mason and River’s every time Eric Gordon pumps his knee on the coffee table
Got to HornetsReport and check out their thoughts on the Lee/1st for Lopez idea. ABout 40 comments, 38 of them saying that they wouldn’t do it. I was quite shocked by it too.
http://www.hornetsreport.com/showthread.php?74173-ESPN-Insider-Trade-Idea-Lopez-to-Boston
As for Calderon, I should have been clear. I don’t want to bring him here to lead us to a playoff spot, I want him here to get us an extra 3-4 possessions a game, to get our young guys looks that will build their confidence, etc.
I accidentally down voted shay while trying to hit the reply button. I don’t know if the proposed trade is merely fan speculation, out is reported to be a possibility… But I would hope the Hornets would grab it immediately. Lopez is a fine player for 15 minutes a night, and is at least a big body. But Lee is a useful wing, something we don’t have any of. Jason Smith could pick up some of Lopez’s minutes, he is barely playing right now. Besides we seem to have come to the understanding that Anderson will never be able to log minutes at the three. That doesn’t even condsider the pick.
I don’t understand how you guys can criticize fans who are thinking of going back to support Charlotte if the Hornets brand goes back there after you were the same ones who followed the brand to New Orleans, is that not the same thing?
I’m fine with Charlotte getting the Hornets name back…..new name for New Orleans is needed….i wish the Jazz would give us their name back and let them get a new one…
All that would change now would be the name, when the Hornets moved here from Charlotte the team just relocated keeping the same players. Now fans who would support Charlotte because of the name change would just be a fan of the name… Not the team or players.
I hear what your saying but there’s more consistency in the name than there is between players, if you supported the players you would be supporting multiple teams as those players change team. We have what 4 players from last years team.
I really hope you do not follow a team because of its name… The situation of people following a team just because of a name is just idiotic and completely different than following a team you like that changes cities. But from what you are saying it seems as if you care more about the team name rather than anything else regarding the team. Good logic.
I think it’s time to start Rivers at PG and move Vasquez to 2. Let Rivers be main ballhandler, that’s what they brpught him there for. Vasquez has nice size a bit slow but most 2 gurads aren’t as fast as PG.
Seems to me they already switch it up in the games regularly between 1-2 spot
[…] Mike and Ryan were joined by Gerry V on Monday’s podcast, and they discussed the rebrand and the week’s game on […]