Are We Good?

[GlenRiceARoni]

Was specifically talking about pnr where hes in the 17th percentile in points per possession. He has a high turnover rate and hes not getting to the basket.

Our offense has slipped to 20th overall. We are relying WAY too heavily on kemba and his play has dropped off since his early start.

I dont know how much is due to mkg cramping spacing or if it's mostly just batum's personal slippage

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[yosemiteben]

Our offense has slipped to 20th overall.

Based on what? Our ORTG for the season is 14th, and in our last 15 games it's 12th (in other words, it's improving relative to the rest of the league).

[euphorbus]

Even though the Hornets are fifth in the league in rebounds per game, the more telling statistic is that they are 15th in rebounding differential, barely on the positive side at +.60.

https://www.sportingcharts.com/nba/stats/team-rebound-differential-per-game/2016/

Last season, they ranked about the same, but with a -.76 differential.

[fatlever]

I think we all know how the rest of this season will play out. We've seen this movie too many times. We'll continue to slide in January until we get to the point that us the fans are talking about tanking, lottery picks, posting in the draft thread more than any other thread. Then come middle of February this team will start to win some games again, climb back to .500 and we'll spend the rest of the year scratching at clawing our way to either the 7th, 8th or 9th seed. We will either get swept in the playoffs by Cavs, lose in 5 to the Raptors or Celtics or we'll land the 12th-14th pick where we hit a solid single, not a bust, but certainly not a great pick. Rinse and repeat for 3 or 4 more years.

[Travers]

Average to above average. When a team have Batum as max and their 2nd option scorer, the team is not going to be good.

[catch20two]

Average to above average. When a team have Batum as max and their 2nd option scorer, the team is not going to be good.

Facts only.

[fatlever]

http://queencityhoops.com/blog/hornets-enter-crucial-5-game-home-stand-clifford-rotation-conundrum/

Some good stuff in this article from QCH about rotations.

[yosemiteben]

http://queencityhoops.com/blog/hornets-enter-crucial-5-game-home-stand-clifford-rotation-conundrum/

Some good stuff in this article from QCH about rotations.

I like that piece, though I'm not sure I completely agree with it. I know several folks want to see Frank at C, but I'm pretty nervous about that. I feel better about Frank playing up this season than I do about him playing down, and I'm nervous about his ability to stop easy buckets in the paint against bigs because he struggles with physicality in the paint. I mean he's no Draymond. Maybe we sacrifice some of that for better offensive efficiency and we count on MKG / Marv to bail him out on weak side help, but I worry that we'll take too big of a hit defensively and on the boards.

I do think Marv and Frank together is something we should do more. I like Cody a lot so I'm not sure how to manage that part of the rotation, but having floor spacers and solid ball movement at the 4 and 5 is something we can build on.

As far as the HOU game, I think we analyze the rotation decisions we made there less if Frank didn't put on that unbelievable shooting display. If Frank gave his normal game, it's still a blowout and we don't talk about the lineup changes positively.

[fatlever]

A small unit with Marvin and Frank might feature Marvin guarding the most physical post presence, not Frank. Frank can stay at PF (on defense) in small ball. We've already seen Marvin guard guys like KAT and AD this season.

[euphorbus]

A small unit with Marvin and Frank might feature Marvin guarding the most physical post presence, not Frank. Frank can stay at PF (on defense) in small ball. We've already seen Marvin guard guys like KAT and AD this season.

I doubt that would work. Marvin is not strong enough. Hansbrough could do it, but it looks like the end of road for him the way things are going. Physicality, rebounding, mobility. Yes, we need that. I warned before the season started that the lineup of bigs, with three lumbering guys at 7' each, was going to have problems in the current NBA. It was poor thinking on the part of the front office and Coach Clifford.

Cody Zeller has all three attributes, despite his relative lack of strength, plus he is tall and he can score. That is why he is so valuable to the team.

[yosemiteben]

Hansbrough is no longer an NBA calibre player, which is why he is out of the league at age 31, and is certainly not a better option than Marv at center.

[predators]

I think we all know how the rest of this season will play out. We've seen this movie too many times. We'll continue to slide in January until we get to the point that us the fans are talking about tanking, lottery picks, posting in the draft thread more than any other thread. Then come middle of February this team will start to win some games again, climb back to .500 and we'll spend the rest of the year scratching at clawing our way to either the 7th, 8th or 9th seed. We will either get swept in the playoffs by Cavs, lose in 5 to the Raptors or Celtics or we'll land the 12th-14th pick where we hit a solid single, not a bust, but certainly not a great pick. Rinse and repeat for 3 or 4 more years.

I think this is our fate for the foreseeable future unless we make some homerun mid teen draft picks, pull off a good trade or two and make some shrewd signings then we can maybe get to the Toronto tier. Batum and Kemba are both great players to have as your third guy, but not as your go to. Our chances of being elite went out the window when we lost the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, and decided to end the tank after getting two high picks in overall bad drafts. (I don't think we would be in significantly better shape with Drummond\ Noel on the roster over MKG\Zeller. ) At this point I just want entertaining basketball and at times this team provides it.

[JDR720]

. We have had an easy schedule this season despite our troubles vs top teams. 21st ranked strength of schedule and playing around .500.

[bravor]

Average to above average. When a team have Batum as max and their 2nd option scorer, the team is not going to be good.

Facts only.

Technically, he is not max. Once Kemba will get his extension, numbers will be much higher most likely.

That's still like 20M too much as i said several times. But its pretty biased to consider things like this since both kemba & MKG are on team friendly contracts for now.

As for Batum being the 2nd option, that was the case last year. And it was not that bad (much better shooting though). This year, absolutely everyone fair enough to acknowledge it was expecting MKG to be up there with Kemba.
Anyway, the starters are not the main problem, wether it is Batum or MKG. Hornets have issues because they need the starters to provide almost perfect & clutch bball to counter the lack of consistency and efficiency from the bench.

[fatlever]

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[catch20two]

Ouch. I knew he was struggling but I didn't know his percentages were that bad. I didn't think he could shoot much worse than he started the season.

[fatlever]

Not bad from the starters. Nothing new. We've been talking about this 5-man unit for weeks.

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[Snidely FC]

our point differential should see us in a tie for 3rd with BOS in the Eastern Conference. too many games lost in the last minutes. Can't finish. Batum too finesse to impose his will on the game. Leaves only Kemba. Need at least one other player who can get buckets at the end

[yosemiteben]

our point differential should see us in a tie for 3rd with BOS in the Eastern Conference. too many games lost in the last minutes. Can't finish. Batum too finesse to impose his will on the game. Leaves only Kemba. Need at least one other player who can get buckets at the end

Yep. Tweak the rotation and make a minor move and I think we'll get on a roll.

I really like Cliff's comments post-game:

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