New Orleans Hornets Beat Philadelphia 76ers 111-89


The New Orleans Hornets are now 12-5 with Eric Gordon playing over the past two seasons. In tonight’s game against Philadelphia New Orleans came out cookin’ scoring 35 in the first quarter. For a few games this season they haven’t even done that in an entire half!

The Hornets received contributions from just about everyone not named Austin Rivers tonight as both starters and bench played well. It was odd seeing fast break points as well with New Orleans have 22 of them.

After starting off well things cooled off in the second quarter and beginning of the third. However, things reverted back to earlier in the game with the bench play of Xavier Henry providing a much needed boost.

The fourth quarter was a tale of Nick Young almost single handedly bringing the ‘6ers back into the game. He hit just about every single shot before bricking a 30-foot three then trying to pass to a team-mate underneath the basket then promptly turning it over.

I said on Twitter that a mark of a good team is how you deal with a comeback like Philadelphia was putting together. New Orleans held their stuff together and closed out the game as Greivis Vasquez bombed in a long three off a Jason Smith kick-out to all but seal the game.

The Good

  • Greivis Vasquez once again was a dynamo on offense scoring 23 points on 18 shots (didn’t get to the FT line), had 9 assists but most importantly closed the game out. His defense on Jrue Holiday wasn’t all bad, though Holiday did score 29 points.
  • A welcome surprise tonight, Xavier Henry showed some of his value tonight scoring 11 points off the bench. He had an excellent steal that led to an easy fast-break as well as consistently crashing the boards. Stringing together some solid nights will be necessary before considering him an effective rotation player, but it is a start.
  • It’s very strange that Monty Williams has reduced Anthony Davis‘ role of late, but the talk is that it’s because his conditioning isn’t up to par. No surprises there as most rookies have been having these issues even Rookie of the Year leader Damian Lillard. In tonight’s game Davis received 21 minutes but played spectacularly in those. He scored 10 points on 6 shots, had 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and numerous plays that almost led to second opportunities for the team.
  • Roger Mason is lighting it up recently so you go with the hot hand. Not only that but it has been surprising to witness Mason give the team some defensive intensity as well. Tonight he had 7 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and a blocked shot.

The Bad

  • Giving up a 20 point lead heading into the 4th quarter would have been awful. It was due in large part to Nick Young and his ridiculousness but it still isn’t pleasing to go through that knowing that the Hornets have played for the majority of the game as the better team.

The Ugly

  • I can’t fathom how much psychological stress Austin Rivers is going through right now. He’s not playing well and hasn’t the entire season. To say he’s going through a slump is laughable because he is yet to string together 3 consecutive games of solid play. Watching film it becomes clear that teams are giving him opportunities to attack, he just doesn’t take them. The left-hand dribble drive is always there for him, but he doesn’t take it either because he is just that bad or that he isn’t confident.

Out of college Rivers was a guard who played with no conscience, now he’s a guard who plays with his conscience right next to him on the floor. The only way he breaks out of this slump is if he’s smart and if he’s aggressive.

Next Up: Boston Celtics, Tomorrow 7pm CST — Fox Sports New Orleans

Final Word: Unconscious


30 responses to “New Orleans Hornets Beat Philadelphia 76ers 111-89”

      • Thou shalt not ask questions that shed a negative light on the chosen one– H247 Commandment #4

      • Michael’s comment was really funny, but I think it is more one bad game does not a trend make. And, Ron, it looks like you are jumping on Vasquez for just a few extra TOs and a one extra fould. Everyone is given that leeway, not just the Chosen One.

      • it looks like you are jumping on Vasquez

        Humph.

        Jumping on Vasquez would be, “Looks like that Communist rat b@st@rd Venezuelan is back to is standard incompetence.” But I didn’t say that, because I wasn’t jumping on him.

        Progress requires asking hard questions.

      • Ron, Parsing someone’s comment until the piece you took is totally out of context, and then refuting it seems artificial, like spearing fish in a barrel with no water.

  1. If EG10 isn’t number 1 in the power rankings this week ya’ll are nuts.

    W/ EG10 : 12-5
    W/out EG10 : 21-66…

    • Power Rankings are cummulative for this season. EG has played less than 1/4th of the games this season. If I showed up for three games in one week and each night scored 30 with a triple double and shut my man down, I wouldn’t shoot to the top of those Power Rankings, I might make Western Conference Player of the Week (like Vasquez), but that wouldn’t put me at the top of the Power Rankings (nor is Vasquez).

      And not that this is the only stat that counts, but EG only has a PER of 15.75 (slightly above average). What EG does is move Rivers to the bench, and that alone makes us a much better team given Rivers current play. (Rivers PER is over 10 points lower than EG’s!)

      I love EG as a player. I expect his PER to get better and I expect him play a lot of games this season and end up very at the top of the Power Rankings, but not after a handful of games.

      • Sorry.

        Why should the power rankings not be for the season-to-date?

        It just seems like a choice to me, and I don’t see anyone else here posting alternatives. Feel free to do so.

      • Why should the power rankings not be for the season-to-date?

        So, are the power rankings week-to-week, or cumulative?

      • Uhh does it matter if they are cumulative for the season or not anyways? We’ve won 6 games and lost 2 since he’s come back. That’s as many games as we won PRE-EG10 in 1/12 the amount of losses.

  2. Can someome tell me why Austin Rivers don’t get as much playing time. And when he does Monty makes him stand in the corner or set up isolation plays. Mason has beautiful plays ran for him but Rivers doesn’t….
    Rivers is making some serious mistakes but the team isn’t teaching him anything on the court. As a NCO in the Army we give our soldiers opportunities, why can’t this team do the same?

    • I think Rivers has played way more minutes than his performance has warranted. His current contributions are nil, but the skill set he has shown in the past makes him worth giving him minutes as long as he doesn’t lose us the game…..

  3. I also couldn’t understand why Monty would reduce Davis’s minutes, especially when he is playing so well, as he did tonight. Davis may actually be one of the best defense players in the league now! He will probably be defensive player of the year at some point in his career. His offensive game needs a little more work but of course he needs to play to develop his offense game. I hope that you are right that the reduction in minutes is only a result of conditioning and nothing else is going on.

    • I agree with the ad reduction. We are in a back to back. Smart. I also have the sneaking suspicion Gordon will play tomorrow with limited minutes and rivers will get more minutes since it’s the celts. Monty will give him that, AR is a hard worker. Anyone agree?

    • AD is skinny and thus gets pushed around. Thus, the opposition can take advantage of him.

      Also, his motor appears… sporadic.

  4. While Rivers may not have contributed much tonight, it was great to see him display some more confidence out there. He attacked the basket and found guys who were open. Plus, I don’t think we can overlook how much better we get into the offense with him ruining the point rather than with Roberts. Roberts makes up for it with great midrange shooting, but Rivers gets his teammates involved.

    I think Monty’s personnel decision-making was huge to tonight’s victory. Xavier has a good skill set for more physical teams and Monty didn’t hesitate to capitalize on it.

  5. Congrats to the Hornets! Solid road win tonight. 5 out of our last 6! really glad to avenge that pathetic home loss to Philly from earlier this year.

  6. Is it possible we can put Rivers in the D League for example one game a week? Is there a limit on how many call ups/downs you can do? I think having him (when he gains a little confidence back) play a couple games in the d league will help him get his rythym back.

    Great win for the Hornets tonight! Overall we did pretty good!

  7. Again we are all missing the point of our victories its Greivis!!! The boy is playing outstanding, EG10 is doing well too I think the hornets got some good days ahead…

    • Agreed.

      I wonder what it was that sparked his transformation (since IIRC he started is double-doubles in mid-December).

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