Dex
10-29-2009, 10:45 AM
Hornets' preseason mistakes carry over in 113-96 season-opening loss
By John Reid, The Times Picayune
October 28, 2009, 11:36PM
http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2009/10/hornets_preseason_mistakes_car.html
SAN ANTONIO - On a grease board in the middle of the New Orleans Hornets' locker room, Coach Byron Scott had written everything he expected to see in Wednesday's opener against the San Antonio Spurs.
He wanted his guards to push the tempo, demanded that a wall of defenders crowd Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, and urged his bench to be productive.
Instead, Scott mostly saw a carryover of mistakes from the preseason, as the Spurs routed the Hornets 113-96 and spoiled the successful debut of center Emeka Okafor.
Despite missing the entire preseason and a month of practice before returning to work Sunday, Okafor scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. Until Tuesday, because of his slow-healing sprained second toe on his right foot, it was questionable whether Okafor would play.
Even with him, it was apparent the Hornets' remain a work in progress, with the newcomers trying to work in sync with the veterans. Despite a game-high 26 points by All-Star point guard Chris Paul, New Orleans trailed by 25 in the third quarter.
"We know we still have a long way to go, and we have some work to do, " Scott said. "With Emeka and a couple of other new faces on the team, it's going to take some time. Lack of communication really hurt us, and if we really want to be a good team in this league, we're going to have to learn to talk to each other, help and trust each other."
In the offseason, Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower made a concerted effort to improve the Hornets' bench, and he acquired six newcomers. But the bench was the Hornets' most ineffective area against the Spurs. They were outscored 30-0 in the first half. The Hornets did not get their first bench points until 3:11 remained in the third quarter, when Bobby Brown made a 21-foot jump shot.
"We can take a lot from this, " Paul said. "We had some good signs, but we also had some bad signs. Those guys (Spurs) came in and looked like they had been playing with each other for years."
The Hornets missed 20 consecutive shots at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second, and fell behind 29-13. The Spurs quickly extended that to a 57-39 halftime advantage.
Along the way, the Hornets had many defensive breakdowns that enabled the Spurs to shoot 52.3 percent and go 9-of-24 from behind the 3-point arc. Six San Antonio players scored in double figures, with Parker leading with 17 points and Ginobili with 16.
"We got to play a lot of guys, and a lot of guys played pretty well, " Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich said.
As promised, Scott used a rotation that included Brown in the backcourt with Paul, but Brown missed his first five shots. Starting two guard Morris Peterson missed six of his first eight shots and finished with seven points.
Getting his first start in place of Peja Stojakovic at small forward, Julian Wright showed athleticism, but several times he was caught behind screens, making him late to challenge shooters on the wings.
"Early on, we tried to limit them in the paint, and in return we allowed them to get some 3-point shots, " Peterson said. "They're very smart at adjusting, and tonight we just did not do a good job of that."
The Spurs disrupted the Hornets by spreading the floor to get open shots. They struck often with Ginobili splitting defenders, Antonio McDyess scoring in the post and Matt Bonner hitting 3-pointers.
"You look at this team with the depth that we have, " McDyess said. "We know we have what it takes to be a good ballclub."
After Parker and Tim Duncan each made a free throw, Bonner's 3-pointer extended San Antonio's lead to 76-51. As the Spurs' lead grew, Paul's frustration appeared to mount. As he walked toward the bench during a timeout, he bounced the ball so hard that it sailed a few feet in the air behind him. In the third quarter, Paul and Richard Jefferson were assessed a double technical fouls.
Despite the lopsided defeat, Okafor showed how vital he can be. He was active throughout the game, putting up shots near the basket and grabbing rebounds.
"I really haven't gotten a feel for Chris yet, or my teammates, and they haven't gotten a feel for me, yet, " Okafor said. "All of us are trying to get on the same page."
By John Reid, The Times Picayune
October 28, 2009, 11:36PM
http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2009/10/hornets_preseason_mistakes_car.html
SAN ANTONIO - On a grease board in the middle of the New Orleans Hornets' locker room, Coach Byron Scott had written everything he expected to see in Wednesday's opener against the San Antonio Spurs.
He wanted his guards to push the tempo, demanded that a wall of defenders crowd Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, and urged his bench to be productive.
Instead, Scott mostly saw a carryover of mistakes from the preseason, as the Spurs routed the Hornets 113-96 and spoiled the successful debut of center Emeka Okafor.
Despite missing the entire preseason and a month of practice before returning to work Sunday, Okafor scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. Until Tuesday, because of his slow-healing sprained second toe on his right foot, it was questionable whether Okafor would play.
Even with him, it was apparent the Hornets' remain a work in progress, with the newcomers trying to work in sync with the veterans. Despite a game-high 26 points by All-Star point guard Chris Paul, New Orleans trailed by 25 in the third quarter.
"We know we still have a long way to go, and we have some work to do, " Scott said. "With Emeka and a couple of other new faces on the team, it's going to take some time. Lack of communication really hurt us, and if we really want to be a good team in this league, we're going to have to learn to talk to each other, help and trust each other."
In the offseason, Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower made a concerted effort to improve the Hornets' bench, and he acquired six newcomers. But the bench was the Hornets' most ineffective area against the Spurs. They were outscored 30-0 in the first half. The Hornets did not get their first bench points until 3:11 remained in the third quarter, when Bobby Brown made a 21-foot jump shot.
"We can take a lot from this, " Paul said. "We had some good signs, but we also had some bad signs. Those guys (Spurs) came in and looked like they had been playing with each other for years."
The Hornets missed 20 consecutive shots at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second, and fell behind 29-13. The Spurs quickly extended that to a 57-39 halftime advantage.
Along the way, the Hornets had many defensive breakdowns that enabled the Spurs to shoot 52.3 percent and go 9-of-24 from behind the 3-point arc. Six San Antonio players scored in double figures, with Parker leading with 17 points and Ginobili with 16.
"We got to play a lot of guys, and a lot of guys played pretty well, " Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich said.
As promised, Scott used a rotation that included Brown in the backcourt with Paul, but Brown missed his first five shots. Starting two guard Morris Peterson missed six of his first eight shots and finished with seven points.
Getting his first start in place of Peja Stojakovic at small forward, Julian Wright showed athleticism, but several times he was caught behind screens, making him late to challenge shooters on the wings.
"Early on, we tried to limit them in the paint, and in return we allowed them to get some 3-point shots, " Peterson said. "They're very smart at adjusting, and tonight we just did not do a good job of that."
The Spurs disrupted the Hornets by spreading the floor to get open shots. They struck often with Ginobili splitting defenders, Antonio McDyess scoring in the post and Matt Bonner hitting 3-pointers.
"You look at this team with the depth that we have, " McDyess said. "We know we have what it takes to be a good ballclub."
After Parker and Tim Duncan each made a free throw, Bonner's 3-pointer extended San Antonio's lead to 76-51. As the Spurs' lead grew, Paul's frustration appeared to mount. As he walked toward the bench during a timeout, he bounced the ball so hard that it sailed a few feet in the air behind him. In the third quarter, Paul and Richard Jefferson were assessed a double technical fouls.
Despite the lopsided defeat, Okafor showed how vital he can be. He was active throughout the game, putting up shots near the basket and grabbing rebounds.
"I really haven't gotten a feel for Chris yet, or my teammates, and they haven't gotten a feel for me, yet, " Okafor said. "All of us are trying to get on the same page."