This might be one of the only times I am glad the Hornets are on the road. The New Orleans Saints play their biggest game of the season tonight, and with Minnesota as the opposing team for the Hornets, there is little doubt that plenty of seats would be open if the game were at home. With only a few games left before the attendance benchmark is either reached or not reached, we need every break that we can get to ensure the Hornets are in New Orleans for years to come.
As for the game itself, Minnesota is not exactly the pushover that they have been in years past. While it is true that they are only 7-24 overall and 2-17 on the road after their last second win at Cleveland last night, the fact is that Minnesota has been in a lot of their losses late in the game and they possess plenty of young talent, especially on the front line.
The Hornets, meanwhile, come into this game off of two straight wins and have won 4 of their last six. They also have been fantastic on the glass as of late, outrebounding their opponents by over 11 per game over the last seven games. That is going to be hard to do tonight, as Minnesota comes into this game as the number one rebounding team in the league. They average over 45 a game, and nearly 14 of them come on the offensive glass. Since Minnesota shoots under 44% from the field and turn the ball over more than 17 times per game, they need each and every possession in order to keep up with teams. I say “keep up” because that is exactly what Minnesota needs to do because they give up a league high 109.6 PPG.
Matchups
Point Guard: Chris Paul vs. Luke Ridnour
Advantage: Hornets
Jonny Flynn is back and the Knicks (among other teams) are said to be interested in Ridnour, but for now he is holding down the starting point guard spot and doing a fairly good job doing it. He is shooting over 46% from the field and 45% from three-point land, not to mention the guy almost never misses a free throw. He possesses a 2.5 to 1 turnover to assist ratio which is below average for starting NBA point guards and his defense leaves a lot to be desired in man to man situations, although he isn’t horrible as a team defender.
Ridnour is 175 pounds soaking wet, so he tends to get lost on screens. The Hornets run more pick and rolls and/or pick and pops than almost anybody in the league, so expect this to be a huge advantage when Ridnour is on the court.
Shooting Guard: Marco Belinelli vs. Wesley Johnson
Advantage: Hornets
You know the drill with Marco by now- poor against good teams, good against poor teams. The T’Wolves are the worst defensive team in the league and Wesley Johnson is a rookie who is playing out of position. If Marco can’t get it going tonight, I don’t know when he will.
Wesley Johnson has shown flashes so far this season, but they have been few and far between. As I mentioned, he is playing out of position because Minnesota wants to be able to court all three of their building blocks in the starting lineup. Defensively, Johnson can stay with most two guards, but offensively he just lacks the consistency to make teams respect his outside stroke.
He only takes about 8 shots per game, and nearly half of them are from three, where he is shooting 37%. That is not Johnson’s game, though. He should be attacking the rim more and getting out in transition where he can use his athleticism, but unfortunately they have Ridnour manning the point, not Ricky Rubio, so he is stuck in a role that does not quite fit. And people wonder why Minnesota has all that talent and a 7-24 record.
Small Forward: Trevor Ariza vs. Michael Beasley
Advantage: T’Wolves
Michael Beasley cost the Timberwolves a 2nd round pick, Trevor Ariza cost the Hornets Darren Collison. Kinda stings, doesn’t it? To be fair, however, Beasley is putting up numbers for a bad team and it is likely his personality would have clashed with more professional veterans like CP3, West, and Okafor.
In Minnesota, Beasley is racking up numbers that will get him paid in his next contract but probably will never translate to wins. He leads the team in scoring at 21.6 PPG, but he doesn’t do much else. 6 rebounds, less than 2 assists, less than a block, and less than one steal per game, while turning the ball over nearly 3 times per game means that Beasley can only really hurt you one way.
Ariza should be able to use his length to bother Beasley’s outside shot, but I don’t know if he can lock him down in the post. On the offensive end, Ariza should use his quickness to get by Beasley, but the question is whether or not he will be able to finish at the rim. He also has had problems driving and kicking to open teammates this season, as most of those plays lead to turnovers. When Ariza puts the ball on the floor, you just cover your eyes and hope for the best. Expect a lot of that tonight.
Power Forward: David West vs. Kevin Love
Advantage: Hornets
I know Kevin Love is the hot new flavor of the month, and most would say this is even at best, but I disagree. I know Love is a beast on the boards and he might have more range on his shot than West, but David is by far the more efficient player and he just makes winning plays. Ask the Lakers, the Celtics, the Magic, the Heat, etc. which player they would want if they could want for the playoffs and they would all say West.
Love has gorgeous stats, but like Charles Barkley says, “Stats are like bikinis- they look nice, but they don’t tell the whole story.” Kevin’s stat line reads as follows: 20.8 PPG, 15.7 RPG, 45% from the field and 44% from three. Those are once in a generation type stats; 20 and 15 hasn’t been done in decades- yet this team has only won 7 games. If he was really that good of a player, this team wouldn’t be so horrible.
Center: Emeka Okafor vs. Darko Milicic
Advantage: Hornets
Two guys who were drafted No.2 overall in their respective drafts and have been much maligned because of it. It is neither guys fault that they were taken so high, and it is not Darko’s fault that Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh were all taken after him and became superstars. It is not Emeka’s fault that the Bobcats panicked and game him a monster contract either.
These two guys are who they are and that means Darko is a legit 7 footer who can be a defensive presence in games that he doesn’t get into foul trouble and Emeka is a guy who will go out there every night and get you a double-double or something close to it.
Emeka has been playing wonderful as of late and this is another matchup that he could potentially dominate, although Milicic’s length could give Okafor trouble when he tries to post him up. The Hornets would be wise to use Emeka in the pick and roll game more tonight rather than just feeding him the ball in the post against Darko.
Bench: Jarrett Jack, Marcus Thornton, Quincy Pondexter, Jason Smith, DJ Mbenga vs. Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Corey Brewer, Martell Webster, Kosta Koufos
Advantage: Even
So much talent on that Minnesota bench, but it is so inconsistent and so poor defensively. Webster has just returned recently and is putting up over 14 PPG off the bench, while Brewer, Ellington, and Flynn have all had their struggles this year but can go off at any time if give a chance.For the Hornets, both Jack and Thornton have been much better as of late and Jason Smith tends to do well against teams that don’t read their scouting reports, and looking at their defensive metrics, it doesn’t look like they do read them that often.
97 responses to “Game On: Hornets @ T’Wolves”
We Got Em
I think you underrestimate that team. The Wolves match up pretty well with the Hornets and have been know to cause an upset or two. Darko’s coming in leading the league in blocks and Love coming in leading the league in boards. You calim that Love’s stats are not that great because the Wolves are a 7 win team, but look at the margin of victory for those games. they were pretty slim. I can certainly see the Wolves takibng tis one on their home floor
jtshoopsblog is a undercover hornets STAN
I don’t mind differing opinion, except I think I say everything he just said in the second paragraph of the preview.
Wait, let me check…..
Yep, I do. I will cut and paste the second paragraph below and you tell me if it says a lot of the same things jts said:
“As for the game itself, Minnesota is not exactly the pushover that they have been in years past. While it is true that they are only 7-24 overall and 2-17 on the road after their last second win at Cleveland last night, the fact is that Minnesota has been in a lot of their losses late in the game and they possess plenty of young talent, especially on the front line.”
Weird.
Mr. McNamara,
You and I have sat together, had drinks, and had a good chat. That will be the last such time we spend together if you continue to pick on the illiterate.
LMAO!!!!!!!
that was not right sir…. albeit it funny, still not right!
Darko Milicic is the most overrated 7 footer in the game. Even Greg Oden looks down on upon that chum…p.
LoL 42.
I actually think it’s going to be a really fun game to watch. 2 really interesting Matchups are West vs. Love, and Ariza vs. Beasley. I think West and Love are REALLY going to go at it tonight. And I think Beasley is going to really give us a hard time. He’s tough to match up with at the 3 or 4. And if Trevor gets in foul trouble… yikes. We’re in trouble. I don’t see us having anyone else to match up with him.
He’s very similar to Carmelo, in the way he plays. Powerful body. Great mid range jump shooter. Great in the post. Hopefully Trevor doesn’t pick up any bad fouls.
Don’t expect this to be a blowout. But man, the Hornets really need a road win. They haven’t won on the road since Nov. 26, against the Blazers. That’s a long time. We need a shot of confidence away from the Arena, this is our chance to get one.
Loving the banner.
Also, it’s a pet theory of mine that Minnesota would be a good and willing trade partner. So look at the player effort there to see what you like.
Minnesota’s $44.7m payroll is about $1m from being the lowest in the league (Sacramento). Interestingly, their largest salary this year is Mr. Beasley’s, and it’s under $5m. Simultaneously, their only expiring over $1m they have is Telfair’s $2.7m, so they have the same roster next year, and while they’ll have some flexibility net year, they are at the roster limit, which means they can only add 1 person next year if things go unchanged. Therefore, it’s in their best interest, so say I, to trade a couple players for one to make roster spots to complement their cap room.
This could happen in the CBA summer, or by the trade deadline, or never. Regardless, it’s my pet theory, and I think we could add a couple players for, say, Ariza, without giving up much.
Anyone else could do something similar of course.
Anyway, I just thought it was a good time to mention it. Darko and Tolliver, anyone? Maybe get another forward and toss them Banks?
Also, they aren’t going to part with Love. I won’t allow him to come to town, regardless, for obvious reasons . . . beyond that, I don’t think I can take a monthly headline of `Lovefest’ or some variation . . . I’d quit my job as news scavenger . . .
yow dudes and dudettes! im back from my christmas vacation with the family. I want to say, good job to the Hornets!
as for the matchup, i think West will dominate this game. I know Love’s numbers are sexy, like Megan-fox sexy but his defense is atrocious from what i can see. I don’t know if the numbers support that, but he just can’t defend most scoring PF. but know this, i still would want him on our team. :))
I hope Okafor continues on his hot streak. I’ve always believed Okafor was an adequate center, someone who can man the paint. and i think he has been doing that lately.
i shall be watching the game so my in game comments will be few and far between. so GEAUX HORNETS!
This Should be Easy Work if D West is hitting his 18 footers..And he usually is..Let’s Go Hornets
Monty goin with the turtleneck/suit jacket combo…a look straight outta the Cosby Show! haha
I wish our uniforms were a bit darker, they just look pale
I thought the same thing, they look odd on league pass almost a baby blue…
Me3. I thought something was wrong with my screen.
Maybe it’s the ugly-ness of the actual court thats giving our jerseys that effect
That’s just how the Hornets played in the 2nd half… pale. Hahaha!
We’re playing so well but there still only just behind us
lol. Monty rocking the power balance wristband
The foul was on the dribble not the shot!
Looks like CP3 is driving Rambis crazy.
Yeah, I also thought the uniforms looked a bit paler than normal on my feed.
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/9c/fullj.103fca9f56bf6250bc92625ed6f6dd05/ap-3f554090fa9640da8d34aed1fc365d4c.jpg
Not so much in this pic though.
HE’S BAAAAAAACKKKK!!!
Thats the CP we all know and LOVE. You can see the little pep in his step, and swag comin back.
Do the dance CP!
The Hornets had better get on that d*mn rookie.
Thats not fair! There making all theres and we’re missing all ours
jesus the hornets D has been pathetic this second half, get a hand in a shooters face for crying out loud
Oh come on!!
wow will the refs call a damn foul? this is just terrible officiating, the hornets have been get pumped and pushed in the paint all night yet they’ve gotten like 8 FTs yet the wolves are getting everything
Tighten up that D Hornets. Tighten it up I say! And for heavens sakes, stop missing easy arse lay ups. Get with it Marcus!
ya i think i’ve counted 4 or 5 missed layups by the hornets, the one by ariza was egregious though…smh
i mean luke ridinour has 5 FT and cp3 has 4, 2 of those coming from technical fouls
jesus guard wes johnson
jesus is busy right now. maybe marco will guard him.
Well, at least the T-Wolves always collapse. So…
Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy Hornets play. Sad ass road team.
if the hornets make the playoffs, they will be done in 5 games unless they learn to win on the road oh and yea they need a real small forward. i mean ariza you’re shooting 26% from 3 so stop shooting them
Im actually happy his shooting them, his far less efficient trying to do a little fade away over a defender after 5 seconds of random dribbles
i’d rather have quincy start at this point, his D isn’t that much worse than ariza’s and he actually knows what he is capable of on offense
agreed
you seem to underestimate Ariza’s D.. he is stellar defensively. if he can ever become average offensively, he will be adequate for our starting 5.
You can’t win a game if you just allow the opposing team to shoot 3’s at will. Wolves are hitting all of their 3’s it seems. Hornets came out hot and have since cooled off.
ya, i think the hornets are the worst team i’ve seen at giving up open 3s, their rotations are awful. i just can’t understand how they’re getting outplayed by such a bad team. and another 3 f this
And everytime I look up it seems the Wolves are getting an And 1.
Hornets thought this game was over when they were up 21-9. SMH.
Hopefully the Saints can come out of halftime and put the Pigeons away then.
this game is brutal
i don’t think the hornets could beat the washington generals on the road…
Saints better save the night.
They’d better. Because I’m getting ready to go tune back in to that game.
Down 13.
Giving up career highs in 3 pointers by Wesley Johnson is what hurt them. Effin dummies.
How can we lose to the worst teams? And how can our offense be so stagnant?
They lose to teams like this because they take them lightly as if they are soooo superior to them. The Hornets play sub .500 teams’ records. They don’t play the team, they play their records. And it bites em in the arse every single time.
With the Lakers coming in on Wednesday, one would think the Hornets would try to get this win but……. no.
Love fouled West just now. Damn these officials.
They should be mad. Wesley Johnson is laughing at them after hitting yet another 3. SMH.
i hated seeing that. I wanted to punch Wesley Johnson in the face.
When they bring their arses to the N.O., the Hornets better shut his arse down.
Take the starters out Monty.
Marco doesn’t even shoot the ball like he’s trying to make it.
And look at weed boy pounding his chest. SMH.
well beasely will probably never play on a good team and will most likely be broke 3 years after he’s done playing ball, so at least there’s that.
LOL!!
Wes has found his sweet spot 6 times now and now Beasly. SMH.
T’Wolves apparently don’t miss 3’s.
i think a lot of us hornets fans just need to come to the realization that the hornets aren’t a very good team. they’re supposed to be a good defensive team but i think that the defensive numbers are just a product of the slow pace they play. only dwest and cp3 are the only consistent players on this team everyone else for the most part is pretty mediocre or sucks. also i don’t think monty is a very good coach either, he is more or less byron scott.
we are a great defensive team. the defensive numbers are pace adjusted, so our defense is great. Off course it didn’t show up today, but its still good. Our offense on the other hand, is another story. We are atrocious offensively. as Ryan said, if we just approach league average in offensive efficiency, we will be 19 – 9. thats almost a 3 game difference. thats how bad our O has been. don’t overreact to one loss. its just one of those nights where they hit everything they got. My God, Beasley was hitting “in your face” 3 pts. Beasley abused West on the dribble, got to admit that. but his 3 pts were well contested. same goes for Wes Jon. i can count 3~4 threes he took which were contested and still made them. don’t overreact guys. I know this is bad, but we will get better. I’m sorry just an optimist.
The realization part us right. We are better than last year, in the process of getting even better, but are not good.
The rest of what you are saying has some merit, but I don’t think this is peculiar to our team. Rather, that is the way it is for most teams in the NBA.
Time will tell about Monty, but he is markedly different from Byron.
we need a shooting guard that can give us anything. We need a scoring option at the 2. I have nothing personal against belinelli (like the guy, like his story etc) but its obvious y he was traded for nothing he gives us nothing and takes away a starting roster spot. I mean hes not even giving us the last few years of peja production. God we just need to be able to score
“we need a shooting guard that can give us anything. We need a scoring option at the 2.”
We need that desperately. See, this is what I’m talking about when I say sure, CP3 can give you double doubles all day long but it ain’t gonna mean ish if no one else is doing anything outside of David West. The bench sucked all of be damned tonight too.
He’s a plus on out team over Wright. It was a good move.
He is a paver on the path.
oh dont get me wrong 42 hes much better than wright. im just saying hes not a starter
Agreed.
See any Timverwolves you think we can get?
I’d prefer to lose to the d*mn Hawks yesterday.
losing by 17 to one of the worst teams in the NBA is definitely a low point in the season add to that i’m sure we will lose to LA and boston in the next two. i hope this team is still around .500 by the all star break
Look how dumb and discombobulated. 2 Hornets going for the alley-oop. LMAO.
Giving up 110+ to the Timberwolves. SMH.
Wolves average 102 per game.
Can not believe I recorded this game instead of watching the Saints game……….
Now you know better than that. LOL! I have Saints on tv and following this ugly arse Hornets game on stream.
Let’s geaux Saints!! Do this for us please.
What upsets me the most is that Monty has so much faith in bellinelli and ariza, but the are so inconsistent and have no confindence, does anyone notice that 75% of their shots are a dribble after they have received a wide open shot?! Please tell me I’m not crazy
You are not crazy! And I agree. He has so much faith in them and they are the 2 most inconsistant in the starting lineup.
Lakers haven’t been championship caliber, so there is hope there. Also Lakers always have a hard time defending PGs. Well we have the best.
Boston i predict, will be a loss. so we’ve had 3 recent games that just didn’t go our way. We are not a great team. Great teams always find ways to win when the ball is not bouncing there way. But we are good. On the cusp of top 10 in the NBA IMO. we are top 15 i will boldly say that, but not yet top 10.
I shall now play nba 2k11. Will get revenge for our Hornets. GEAUX HORNETS!
Thing with that is, the Lakers are p*ssed about their play on Christmas day so they’ll probably take it to us. Or at least try to. I guess we’ll see though. Now today we have to read on ESPN how the Lakers had a ‘feisty’ practice. I just hope they aren’t that feisty on Wednesday. Hahaha!
Lesson learned: stay away from Jason Smith banners.
Someone other than Cp3 needs to learn how to shoot a 3. They be WIDE open and miss, give me a break. Besides CP3, Dwest and Mek (and maybe J Smith) tonight the rest of them should be made to walk all the way back to New Orleans
LOL! I’m ready to call Marco (Marco Brickanelli).
Marco, shooting guard my arse. One thing I hate is a shooting guard that can’t shoot.
Nothing better than a spot up shooter who cant create and often misses when he spots up…….. oy vey
3 point shooting
Wolves 11-23
Hornets 3-11
SMH. They made 11 and we took 11. SMH.
Thornton didn’t get to play long enough stretches tonight, he made a shot just at the top of the key and then Monty takes him out? Wtf someone answer that riddle?
He was not good tonight.
Post some numbers if you dispute, because mine said he was terribly inefficient scoring.
GROW SOME BALLS and win on the road.
We scored 98 points against the leagues WORST defense and then also lost by 15. Pathetic road team.
Pathetic is right.
When was the last time the Hornets won a road game?
http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=301126022
An entire month ago. SMH!!