Can the Hornets win the Western Conference in 2008-2009?

[iamworthy]

Hornets needs a back to the basket player. Chandler is a center that plays like a PF. West has the mid range game on lock and Peja is shooting the three. Until they get someone who can score with there back to the basket they dont scare me. Bynum is a true back to the basket center. Its a dying breed in the nba. Yao Ming and D.Howard arent back to the basket players. Yao is pulling 15-18 fadeaways and D.Howard has no post moves but a dunk.

[HarlemHeat37]

LOL @ that comment..

you're talking about how the Hornets "need" a back to the basket player, but it's a "dying breed" in the NBA..that contradicts itself..and you say Yao and Howard don't use it..so I guess that means the Lakers are the only team that is going to win a title in the next few years, since they have a "true" back to the basket C?..

[iamworthy]

LOL @ that comment..

you're talking about how the Hornets "need" a back to the basket player, but it's a "dying breed" in the NBA..that contradicts itself..and you say Yao and Howard don't use it..so I guess that means the Lakers are the only team that is going to win a title in the next few years, since they have a "true" back to the basket C?..

In the past decade Shaq has 4 rings and Duncan has 4 also. What do they have in common? Very few teams have won a championship from shooting Jump shots all day. Ask the suns about that. This is not rocket science. Of course there are exceptions to this rule but Im willing to put my money on the back to the basket center. Unless your name is MJ, but lets not state the obvious. But my bad, I didnt mean to say back to the basket center, I meant back to the basket player.

[HarlemHeat37]

I agree..but my point is that there aren't many teams that qualify for this..since you don't consider Yao or Howard to be back to the basket players, who do you consider to be an elite back to the basket player?(other than Bynum)..

[Ballings7]

Like some others and I have said (and suprisingly not more), the Hornets need to get more versatile offensively...

Got Paul and everything he does, which is awesome

West is above-average offensively, can create his own shot to an extent, but is containable, as ultimately shown in the Spurs series. Also absolutely has to improve his mental toughness (over emotion).

*significant gap of offensive creation source(s)*

Peja, Posey, possibly Pargo, Wright (and while more skilled than others, maybe still not enough later on), Mo-Pete, etc.; everybody else is relatively limited offensively and can't be relied on as that extra creator (self and for others). Nor is the remainder of players enough as a "3rd option committee". Like the Heat had in 06 after Wade and Shaq, with Walker/Williams/Haslem/Posey/Payton.

Wright I think could become that 3rd offensive guy, but how good of a scorer and shooter will he be? He needs to be all-star caliber as a shot-maker in able to be that legit 3rd offensive guy. To go along with his set-up ability and off-ball scores.

Regardless of the additional offensive guy, I have my doubts about West being enough up at PF/C as your sole, consistent offensive option. He's a good player, though.

Right now, and may just continue to be, the Hornets are a limited offensive team.

[magicfan4life05]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/s ... tes-080719

• In New Orleans, though, it's hard to top Byron Scott's ambition. The NBA's reigning Coach of the Year shared that he hopes to eventually develop young (and long) swingman Julian Wright into a backup for Paul at the point. Pretty interesting if it actually happens someday.

whoaaa

[Ballings7]

Wright is definitely nown for his set-up game, but wow, maybe he could become that good there. He's going to be a nice versatile player, regardless.

[bballcool34]

Hornets needs a back to the basket player. Chandler is a center that plays like a PF. West has the mid range game on lock and Peja is shooting the three. Until they get someone who can score with there back to the basket they dont scare me. Bynum is a true back to the basket center. Its a dying breed in the nba. Yao Ming and D.Howard arent back to the basket players. Yao is pulling 15-18 fadeaways and D.Howard has no post moves but a dunk.

Haven't seen Dwight player since his rookie year?

Sure, he's not polished at all but to say he has no post moves is absurd.

I've seen Howard make bank shots, hook shots from the center of the paint and both baselines (with either hand), and he has a nice spin move.

And yes, Dwight does use a face up game, but he definitely utilizes back to basket moves as well.