GT: Game #13 - Charlotte @ Toronto (Jan 14th)

[DY_nasty]

i don't even think PJ is soft he just can't win these these 1 v everybody fights in the paint AND jump out on shooters. that's a tall task for anyone in the NBA

miles had a big 4th (which is nice that he's comfortable late in games) but dude was largely MIA the entire night prior.

[Braggins]

PJ has been much better recently. I think he just came into camp in terrible shape and it was compounded by rust.

Hes hitting 3s. His face up game looks decent again. His defense has been pretty good considering some of the situations he gets put in, and he makes a very encouraging amount of good short roll passes.

He needs to get more consistent with his decision making and just continue to improve all around, but i like where hes at right now compared to how awful he looked a month ago.

[amcoolio]

PJ is an average starter and decent 3rd/4th option. I was hoping he would take a leap this season but he's not ready yet. Maybe next year.

Our problem tonight was we didn't hit enough wide open 3's and the Raptors made a ton of them.

Oh, and that Graham/Rozier/Monk/CodyMartin/Biz lineup that decimated our chances at winning the game in just 4 minutes

[JDR720]

We have a stunning lack of quality bigs.

Put Vernon or Richards and McDaniels in the rotation and see how they do.

[euphorbus]

We have a stunning lack of quality bigs.

Put Vernon or Richards and McDaniels in the rotation and see how they do.

That is all on Mitch Kupchak. He assembles the roster. How did he expect to win with a 6' 7" center who has trouble jumping? We all expected Zeller to miss a number of games this season, as he has done in the past.

[oldshoolballer]

Great comeback. Lamelo changes everything because he pushes pace and doesn't give time for defenses to get set. If anybody can get a rebound the Hornets win that game.

[vtime]

i don't even think PJ is soft he just can't win these these 1 v everybody fights in the paint AND jump out on shooters. that's a tall task for anyone in the NBA

miles had a big 4th (which is nice that he's comfortable late in games) but dude was largely MIA the entire night prior.

No he rushes and blows easy inside shots out of fear and softness. Definitely soft. Talented but soft

[JMAC3]

Unfortunately, last night was first game of the season I was not able to catch. Might watch at some point this weekend, but reading through the thread sounds like we didn't play awful.

I know the game isn't played on paper, but looking at box score hard to see where we lost this one.

We shot better from field, better from three, we had more offensive rebounds, more defensive rebounds, pretty much even at the free throw line, and we only turned it over 1 more time then they did.

I guess it really just came down to them hitting 5 more threes than we did... feels like if we had Gordon we win this one.

[Liver_Pooty]

Unfortunately, last night was first game of the season I was not able to catch. Might watch at some point this weekend, but reading through the thread sounds like we didn't play awful.

I know the game isn't played on paper, but looking at box score hard to see where we lost this one.

We shot better from field, better from three, we had more offensive rebounds, more defensive rebounds, pretty much even at the free throw line, and we only turned it over 1 more time then they did.

I guess it really just came down to them hitting 5 more threes than we did... feels like if we had Gordon we win this one.

We left Toronto wide open on 45 of their 50 3 point attempts. Exaggerating, but thats what it seemed like.

[JMAC3]

Ended up watching the game and here are some of my thoughts.

2 first half buzzer beaters? and a Stanley Johnson three as shoot clock is expiring? Guess I should be glad he was even on the court, he was one of our better players last night.

Monk still can't play defense and overall I came away pretty unimpressed by his game outside hitting some wide open threes and a nice full court find to Terry.

LaMelo can really move his feet on defense and stay in front. He made some really big plays in the final three minutes of this game, couple huge passes for open looks, a steal that lead to layup by Terry, offensive rebound dunk, and overall just thought it was his best finishing game of the year.

Thought our rebounding was fine until the last 4 minutes of the game and then it fell apart. Including one possession where they got 5 offensive rebounds. (9 out of 13 OR came in the 4th quarter). Could be that we were exhausted off a back to back.

Unfortunately we weren't able to knock down a couple of shots late, including a fast break three by Rozier, a wide open look by Miles off LaMelo kick out, and another really solid look from PJ to tie the game all in the final 2 minutes.

[Hornet Mania]

Ended up watching the game and here are some of my thoughts.

2 first half buzzer beaters? and a Stanley Johnson three as shoot clock is expiring? Guess I should be glad he was even on the court, he was one of our better players last night.

Monk still can't play defense and overall I came away pretty unimpressed by his game outside hitting some wide open threes and a nice full court find to Terry.

LaMelo can really move his feet on defense and stay in front. He made some really big plays in the final three minutes of this game, couple huge passes for open looks, a steal that lead to layup by Terry, offensive rebound dunk, and overall just thought it was his best finishing game of the year.

Thought our rebounding was fine until the last 4 minutes of the game and then it fell apart. Including one possession where they got 5 offensive rebounds. (9 out of 13 OR came in the 4th quarter). Could be that we were exhausted off a back to back.

Unfortunately we weren't able to knock down a couple of shots late, including a fast break three by Rozier, a wide open look by Miles off LaMelo kick out, and another really solid look from PJ to tie the game all in the final 2 minutes.

I agree with most of this (and that we probably win if Hayward plays) except for the part about rebounding. Even during the stretches of game where we weren't getting killed on the boards it was a visible struggle to get the job done, Rozier skying for the ball, Melo fighting off bigger guys, PJ racing back from contesting a 3, etc.

We badly need a designated rebounding big other than Biz (and honestly better than Biz if possible).