Props to the Hornets

[timvp]

Holding the Hawks to 59 points yesterday obviously wasn't a fluke. Literally each of their defenders are playing at a high level. Their playing with an extreme amount of energy on that end and are executing their schemes to perfection. They're blowing up pick-and-rolls, flooding the strong side, chasing shooters off their spots, being physical in the lane and challenging all shots at the rim. Monty Williams has 'em playing D better than any team in the NBA right now.

The Spurs started the game playing pretty good defense but the Hornets began rotating the ball perfectly and knocking down all their open shots. Again, their offensive execution points to good coaching and a team that knows what they are doing.

It'll be interesting to see if the Hornets continue playing this well or if New Orleans will instead remain streaky. They definitely have an opportunity to grab a top 3 seed in the West.

As for the Spurs, can't be too unhappy. Ran into a buzzsaw. Tip cap. Prepare to handle business against Golden State.

[Glenn Holland]

NOLA is hot right now.
SA210 had to lose sometime.
sometimes youre the dog, sometimes youre the hydrant.
<3210puro.

[ducks]

spurs o should get back on track on no d golden state

if spurs o is this bad then time to panic!

[Mugen]

didn't hurt that TP and Manu didn't try to attack the paint with much effort. And when they did, Emeka was swatting it away.

Manu needs a break. and we need a break from ducks.

[Sean Cagney]

I agree, if their O is this bad this season is really over already damnit. I don't think they are that bad and I think this was just one of those games where it's a back to back and it is not your freakin night :( This is just one loss although it feels like 5 right now.

[Whisky Dog]

2nd night of back to back and have been shorthanded will Hill and Bonner out yesterday, ran into a team playing great. 37-7 still nice

[DMC]

I called it before the game. A team doesn't come off a 40pt win and give up. They were stoked, and they should be. This team was a terror when the season started, now they seem to be regaining momentum. It couldn't happen to a better squad (except ours but we are incredibly lucky).

[Mugen]

welcome back by the way luva.

[spurs1990]

As for the Spurs, can't be too unhappy. Ran into a buzzsaw.

Stole my thoughts.

Hey Spurs fans: would ya'll rather have your ass handed to you by these Hornets or the Lakers/Mavericks instead? Yeah, same here.

Oh and 'Splitter is garbage' should be trending on twitter right now.

[DesignatedT]

That team is scary defensively. I would like to avoid them come playoff time tbh.

[ducks]

5 out of 7 losses back to back

manu usually sucks on back to back

one out of the big sucking majory on a back to back usually results in a loss

[justinandimcool]

Offense is otherworldly bad. I don't want to see NOLA in the playoffs, they just flat out look like the better team on both ends no matter how good we look on paper

[ducks]

That team is scary defensively. I would like to avoid them come playoff time tbh.

yeah west kills the spurs

I would rather face any team other then them

[timvp]

Celtics lose to the Wizards?

Meh. No games lost. No games found.

[Spurs Brazil]

Very impressive with the Hornets D. The best D I saw all season by any team

[Kori Ellis]

5 out of 7 losses back to back

manu usually sucks on back to back

one out of the big sucking majory on a back to back usually results in a loss

Manu has averaged 17/5/5 on the second night of back to backs this year. Not exactly sucking.

[DPG21920]

Burn the tape!

[Mugen]

That team is scary defensively. I would like to avoid them come playoff time tbh.

meh, i wouldnt mind seein them in the playoffs.

theyre a good defensive team but we'd have too much firepower to lose a 7 game series to them.

Timmy and Manu wont be playin this shitty come playoff time (knock on wood).

[ploto]

2nd night of back to back...

NO played last night, too.

[ducks]

they also did not play starters much in 3 and 4

[spurtech09]

blah fluke win lol everybody should know spurs suck on b2b games.....new whore leans don't have nothing

[DesignatedT]

meh, i wouldnt mind seein them in the playoffs.

theyre a good defensive team but we'd have too much firepower to lose a 7 game series to them.

Timmy and Manu wont be playin this shitty come playoff time (knock on wood).

Not really worried about losing but would like to avoid a physical defensive type battle in the first round. Portland, Phoenix, Memphis or a melo-less Denver would be better.

[Pelicans78]

Spurs have the best offense in the league. One game doesn't take away from that.

[dbestpro]

Holding the Hawks to 59 points yesterday obviously wasn't a fluke. Literally each of their defenders are playing at a high level. Their playing with an extreme amount of energy on that end and are executing their schemes to perfection. They're blowing up pick-and-rolls, flooding the strong side, chasing shooters off their spots, being physical in the lane and challenging all shots at the rim. Monty Williams has 'em playing D better than any team in the NBA right now.
.

That would have been great about 5-6 years ago, but in today's NBA good defense will not get you anywhere come playoff time. It hurts the ratings.

[dbestpro]

NO played last night, too.

Weak reply of the night award.

Again, Knicks effort and Atlanta effort are not quite the same.

[ohmwrecker]

Did all those locked threads get deleted? I didn't get to see them. Lemme guess . . . "Spurs suck, RJ sucks, Tiago is soft" . . . what else?

[Spurs Brazil]

Did all those locked threads get deleted? I didn't get to see them. Lemme guess . . . "Spurs suck, RJ sucks, Tiago is soft" . . . what else?

here: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170924

[Darth_Pelican]

Just got home from the game. Thanks for the props. We are playing well right now and it looked like the Spurs mailed it in once the Hornets took about a 7 point lead in the 3rd quarter.

I just quickly scrolled through the game thread and I saw lots of complaints about our home tv announcers :lol. Trust me, I know how aggrevating they are. And I'm sure they were extra obnoxious tonight with the way the game played out against the best team in the NBA.

If we can keep playing with the type of defensive intensity that we have played with in this 8 game winning streak, we might have a chance to make some noise in the postseason.

[ohmwrecker]

here: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170924

I saw that one. I was talking about the other ones.

[duncan228]

I saw that one. I was talking about the other ones.

They're all merged into that one.

[ohmwrecker]

They're all merged into that one.

Great. Thanks.

[Budkin]

Props Hornets. You guys waxed our asses two times over. We were due for an ass kicking and you obliged.

[crc21209]

Shit happens...that's all I gotta say. Gotta give props to the Hornets D but I know for damn sure if the Spurs bring their A game tonight they could beat the Hornets. We all saw what happened in San Antonio earlier in the season when the Spurs moved the ball well....they won easily. Tonight the ball just stuck on one side of the floor with 1 or 2 people most of the time...not good. :td

[quentin_compson]

Very impressive defensive effort by the Hornets. But some of the offensive struggles the Spurs had were clearly due to playing on a back-to-back as there were quite a lot of shots that were well short.
The Spurs' perimeter D was pretty bad, well more like nonexistent at times. Still, going 12 for 15 from downtown is unreal. As for Splitter, I had been hoping for a quality outing, but he was having his usual problems on the offensive end. Defensively, he was decent, but it was nothing to write home about either.

[21_Blessings]

If the Spurs had went after Ariza instead of craving Dick, they might be have been a contending team right about now.

[PublicOption]

Holding the Hawks to 59 points yesterday obviously wasn't a fluke. Literally each of their defenders are playing at a high level. Their playing with an extreme amount of energy on that end and are executing their schemes to perfection. They're blowing up pick-and-rolls, flooding the strong side, chasing shooters off their spots, being physical in the lane and challenging all shots at the rim. Monty Williams has 'em playing D better than any team in the NBA right now.

The Spurs started the game playing pretty good defense but the Hornets began rotating the ball perfectly and knocking down all their open shots. Again, their offensive execution points to good coaching and a team that knows what they are doing.

It'll be interesting to see if the Hornets continue playing this well or if New Orleans will instead remain streaky. They definitely have an opportunity to grab a top 3 seed in the West.

As for the Spurs, can't be too unhappy. Ran into a buzzsaw. Tip cap. Prepare to handle business against Golden State.


getting hacked on one end is not a fluke. and why are the hornets playing so great after the nba buys them??????????

[cjjr72984]

Classy thread by the Spurs fans on here. I still have mad respect for the Spurs and your coach though. You guys just had "one of those night." It happens.

[TD 21]

Just got home from the game. Thanks for the props. We are playing well right now and it looked like the Spurs mailed it in once the Hornets took about a 7 point lead in the 3rd quarter.

I just quickly scrolled through the game thread and I saw lots of complaints about our home tv announcers :lol. Trust me, I know how aggrevating they are. And I'm sure they were extra obnoxious tonight with the way the game played out against the best team in the NBA.

If we can keep playing with the type of defensive intensity that we have played with in this 8 game winning streak, we might have a chance to make some noise in the postseason.

Depends on what you consider "some noise". If you're talking, take the Spurs or Lakers to six games in the second round, fine. If you're talking anything more than that, then no, they have no chance to make some noise in the postseason.

This team is too limited. They lack size, athleticism, firepower and depth. Very good defense, good rebounding and one great player (even though he's not playing particularly great right now) can only take you so far. Balance is what wins championships and this team is not balanced.

Out of all the potential second round opponents, I'd prefer the Hornets to any of them (Thunder, Mavs, Jazz).

1) They present no serious match-up problems for the Spurs. People will say "what about West?". West is not a match-up problem. He plays well against the Spurs and is All-Star caliber, so he's a threat, but it's not like they don't have someone who can match his size, athleticism, strength, etc. McDyess in particular matches up well with him.

2) They're not athletic. When you think of their top eight guys, only one (Ariza) is an above average athlete.

3) They lack firepower. With Paul clearly not all the way back from his knee surgery, they don't have a single explosive scorer. Their best wing scorer is an undersized guard (Thornton), who's on the fringe of their rotation.

4) They lack quality size. Okafor plays big, but is undersized. West doesn't play big and is undersized. Smith is tall, but plays small.