New Orleans Hornets Breakdown: Hornets Have Lost Their Stingers

Only scoring 87 points against Golden State? Only out rebounding the undersized Warriors by one? Falling 91-87 to the 15-32 Warriors at home?

Something is very wrong with New Orleans, but what?

Let’s take a look.

Hilton Armstrong

Armstrong started in place of the injured Tyson Chandler and was absolutely useless. His screens (Chandler’s strong suit) were flimsy and failed to gain any advantage, preventing Chris Paul from slicing into the paint  at will. And since Armstrong doesn’t cut or jump as well as Chandler, New Orleans’ lob game was non-existent.

Armstrong had no presence in the post, missed a layup, and only registered his points on a wide open 18 foot jumper, and a basket cut after David West was double teamed and Golden State’s weak side failed to rotate.

Defensively, Armstrong was a non-factor, repeatedly torched by Golden State’s smaller, quicker players, and ineffective against Andris Biedrins’ left hooks around the rim. And in 13 minutes, he only registered a solitary rebound.

Armstrong is a D-League player forced to play major minutes as Chandler’s backup, and a liability when he has to start a game. Chandler’s injuries, and New Orleans’ failure to have to a legitimate backup center on the roster are two reasons for New Orleans’ stagnant play.

David West

West played his first game back from back spasms and was noticeably rusty—tallying only 12 points on 5-16 shooting. West failed to get any explosion or lift when posting or attacking the basket, and his physical moves were met strongly by Andris Biedrins and Stephen Jackson.

When West was defended by a smaller player without a double, he usually got right to the rim, but missed a number of relatively easy layups.

To West’s credit, his on-ball defense was solid, and he was the only Hornets’ big man who executed alert baseline roations. If he didn’t register a blocked shot, he altered a handful of attempts at the basket.

And if his shots weren’t falling, he never stopped fighting for position, attacking off the dribble, or posting up. He recognized double teams and made appropriate passes to cutters and spot up shooters (4 AST, 1 TO), and he was the only Hornets player who bothered boxing out, coming up with 15 rebounds.

Considering that there have been too many games this year where West hasn’t played with absolute aggression, his mindset against Golden State was noteworthy, even if his point production wasn’t.

However, West’s post moves usually culminate in him trying to get balance by fully squaring his shoulders and fee to the basket and shooting over defenders. Rarely, does West complete a move with a long, running hook or scoop, a surprise since his broad shoulders will usually place him in very good position.

Perhaps he’s worried about his lack of wingspan? Perhaps, his footwork can still be improved? Either way, West still his a slight ways to go to become a truly dominant post player, but he’s certainly good enough.

Peja Stojakovic

Whoever Stojakovic was assigned to defensively had their eyes light up as if they were starving dogs and he was a piece of steak. Corey Maggette and Jamal Crawford repeatedly torched Stojakovic’ defense in the waning minutes to pull away late, and Peja was so overwhelmed defensively, that he actually fouled out of the game.

Not only couldn’t Stojaokovic match Maggette’s strength on the ball, but he completely lost position on Maggette under the basket, turning his back on the ball, and not being between the ball and Maggette. The resulting catch, layup, and foul sealed New Orleans’ fate.

Fine, everyone knows Stojakovic is a defensive wimp. But offensively, he fired blanks from the outside (1-6 3FG), was ineffective posting up the diminutive Monta Ellis (3-11 FG), and was flustered into turnovers if Golden state two-timed him (1 AST, 2 TO).

In effect, Stojakovic was an absolute non-entity and failed to provide the secondary offense New Orleans needs when Paul and West are forced to work too hard for their shots.

If Peja isn’t hitting his threes, he’s completely useless, as he’s been on too many occasions this year.

Rasual Butler

Butler wasn’t particularly effective defensively, and wasn’t particularly involved offensively. He simply drifted through the game like an apparition in an empty house—2-6 FG, 1-4 3FG, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 7 PTS.

Chris Paul

Paul was unusually tentative at the game’s onset. Walking the ball up the court. Pounding the ball into the ground. Not looking to explosively make plays at the basket. Foolishly turning the ball over.

Paul made almost as many passes to Golden State—carelessly driving and throwing a pass right off Biedrins’ leg, driving into four defenders and losing the ball, throwing passes to Stephen Jackson, and generally having trouble going left around screens—as he did to his own teammates, with eight assists to six turnovers.

And if Paul did register three steals, twice he was beaten backdoor for layups, and once a gamble near halfcourt led to a wide open three for Stpephen Jackson which rimmed out.

Paul did hit a pair of standstill threes from the top of the key out of David West double teams, but can’t create his own three-point shot.

Only for parts of the third and fourth quarters did Paul really look aggressive and try to create offense, attacking screen/rolls aggressively, punishing switches, looking to score at the rim rather than dish, but it was too little, too late.

Paul needs to play with more fire more times to offset his team’s lack of versatility. When Paul didn’t assert himself and West was struggling, New Orleans had absolutely zero ball-movement, player movement, and chances of scoring.

James Posey

Posey was the only player who could outmuscle Corey Maggette’s slice cuts and render them ineffective. He also was a powerhouse on the boards with six strong rebounds. But since New Orleans’ offensive was completely stagnated, Posey’s opportunities to score never materialized. A good indicator of whether or not New Orleans’ offense is working or not is Posey’s production level.

Against Golden State, Posey went 0-2, a clear indicator of how ineffective the Hornets really were.

Sean Marks

If Marks didn’t play with any toughness, he was always active, hustling, rebounding, screening, and even soaring up high for a couple of dunks. Strictly a back of the rotation guy, Marks still brings more to the table than Armstrong does and might be worthy of taking Armstong’s spot in the rotation.

Julian Wright

Aside from Paul, Wright may be the most athletic player on the Hornets, but he doesn’t have an ounce of toughness in his body. Every time he drives he’s trying to go away from the defense. Every time an opponent attacks him, he’s trying to avoid contact rather than offer resistance. And every time he did something to open eyes, he did something else that made you realize why exactly he always ends up in Byron Scott’s doghouse.

Antonio Daniels

If the Hornets’ offense was stuck in the mud with Paul running the show, they were too loose and frenetic with Daniels, playing right into the Warriors’ hands.

Devin Brown

Brown was strong and tough, but he lacks the creativity to consistently create his own shots against good defenses.

So what then do the Hornets need?

• A slew of backup big men.
• A touch more athleticism for West, and the same aggression to be displayed in every game.
• More racing in transition and probing in early offense from Paul.
• Another creative wing who can shoot, defend, and create his own shot some of the time. What happened to Morris Peterson?
• More ferocity from Wright and Butler.
• A better left hand, and constantly aggressive mindset from Paul.
• A more reliable wing than Stojakovic

As presently constructed, the Hornets are about five players short of being a championship level team, and are doomed to fall in the second round—if they get that far.