This topic contains 17 replies, has 14 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar Hitster 11 years, 2 months ago.

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  • #45376
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    TallmanNYC
    Participant

    So I have to believe the Hornets are tanking already. That is the only conclusion you can come to when you look at them consistently giving Rivers huge minutes (probably second worst player getting regular minutes in the NBA after Bargnani) while bringing Ryan Anderson (a 20 and 10 guy on great floor spacing shooting) off the bench for less minutes.

    But I bet this works out for them. Next year a starting lineup of Vasquez, Gordon, some top draft choice at SF, Ryan Anderson and Anthony Davis is going to be a legit NBA team. And if their draft choice is a big man, they could go big with Anderson and Davis at forward spots. Anderson gives you enough shooting to space the floor and Davis gives you enough flexibility on defense to guard a SF. Not every SF, but he could certainly guard Gerald Wallace, AK47, MWPeace, and many other starting SFs on good teams. It probably won’t be enough to make the playoffs in the West. But maybe they can petition NBA to allow them to go to the East. You know considering New Orleans is in the East.

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  • #735907
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    Wejustwin504
    Participant

    Monty Williams does not tank. Eric Gordon has played 9 games.

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    • #735914
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      B Free
      Participant

      Eric Gordon has played zero games this year.

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  • #735911
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    TallmanNYC
    Participant

    Umm, those nine games were last season. Eric Gordon hasn’t played yet this season.
    The season is toast for the Hornets. It will take 45 wins to make the playoffs in the West minimum. It might even take 50 wins if Lakers, Wolves and Nuggets get it together while the other top West teams continue playing the way they are playing.

    Watching Drummond dominate while getting limited minutes and Rivers fail while playing nearly the entire game, it makes me think that teams are using minutes to tank. Maybe they are using minutes to teach and the two coaches just have different strategies. But I would think you would normally bring a rookie who is clearly out of his depth along more slowly than the Hornets are doing with Rivers. That is unless you don’t want to win games.

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  • #735916
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    RUDEBOY_
    Participant

    They arent Tanking,the fact is they arent that good…Everyone expected them to struggle this year…

    Eric Gordon their best player has yet to play…Vasquez is overachieving at point guard…Davis has missed some time,while dealing with an injury…They’re giving Brain Roberts, a guy that wasnt even in the league last year ,16 minutes a night…Rivers is getting on the job training,but shouldnt be starting…..They’re 29th in scoring,24th in defense…….So if you look at their roster,i wouldnt consider them to be tanking…..

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  • #735927
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    Jordo
    Participant

    Not understanding how they’re tanking when there in year 1 of a rebuild

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  • #735930
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    TallmanNYC
    Participant

    I’m kind of joking but kind of not. Playing Rivers right now is kind of like tanking. And Ryan Anderson is now in his third year of being a 20 and 10 guy and somehow they can’t get him on the court for full starter minutes. The two things together makes me go hmmm.

    Rudeboy, Eric Gordon is not their best player. Anthony Davis is. Not only is Anthony Davis their best player, he is more valuable than the rest of the team combined. He’s 19!!! And he’s already a top 10 PF. Sky is the limit.

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  • #735937
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    ItsVictorOladipo
    Participant

    And Ryan Anderson is now in his third year of being a 20 and 10 guy and somehow they can’t get him on the court for full starter minutes.
    ———————————————————————————————————————————————-

    What? Anderson has never been a 20 and 10 guy and probably never will because he doesn’t rebound enough. The only way he’ll ever average 20 PPG is on a godawful team that goes nowhere. He’s a good player but is NOT a 20-10 kinda guy.

    And about not getting him on the court for full “starter minutes”, he is averaging 32.9 MPG, CP3 averages 32.8 MPG, Griffin 32.3 MPG, Bosh 33.2, Greg Monroe the best player on a terrible rebuilding team 32.2, Tony Parker 32.7, Al Jefferson 32.8. He’s second on the team in minutes, he isn’t exactly riding the pine…

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    • #735984
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      TallmanNYC
      Participant

      Yeah, I guess his minutes are pretty good. But on a team that loses so much you would still think he would get closer to 36 or even 40, since he is a good player.

      His per 36 minutes rebound rate for his career is 8.5, 8.0, 9.0, 8.6, and 7.7. If he played 40 minutes a game (which many starters do) it would be safe to project him at 10 rebounds per game.

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  • #735954
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    Mr. 19134
    Participant

    I understand what you’re saying but I think it’s more trial by fire then anything considering they don’t have much talent on that roster. If they had more vets and still played Rivers then I would agree more. But you could see this coming into the season by the very fact that they didn’t bring in more vets. Therefore I don’t think it’s Monty Williams but more or less their front office for assembling such a young and inexperienced roster.

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  • #735985
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    LazarusMunoz
    Participant

    Gordon will play tonight for the first time this year…limited minutes and it will take him a week or so to get into game shape,but it will be fun to see him AD run the pick n roll!

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  • #735986
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    220
    Participant

    I wouldn’t say the Hornets are tanking. The Hornets aren’t that good of a team at full strength, but without Eric Gordon and with Anthony Davis missing a bunch of games it’s understandable why their record is what it is. Austin Rivers right now has been playing very poorly too yet getting big minutes.

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  • #735987
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    Scotty5000
    Participant

    With the 2013 draft going to be hella weak(cody zeller number 1,hello!) tanking isnt a very good move.

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  • #735990
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    Pistol Pete. The Pelican
    Participant

    Season ticket holder for the Hornets here.

    1. We’re not tanking.
    2. We have had injuries horribly
    3. Eric Gordon still hasn’t played(he may be playing against the Bobcats tonight)
    4. Austin Rivers is playing 28 minutes a game, lately he has been playing better, he had such a horrible start though. For the 10th pick in the draft, that’s not bad minutes, could be more, could be less.
    5. Ryan Anderson at 33 minutes a game, which at this moment is the highest of his career. Still needs to improve his shot selection, and not just shoot 3 points, he’s only shooting 44% for a guy that mainly plays power forward, and he provides little to no defense
    6. Grevis Vasquez is playing well, yet he needs to work on his decison making, 3.5 turnovers a game and only shooting 42%.
    7. We have no depth whatsoever
    8. This year we’ve played best with the lineup of Davis, Anderson, Vazquez, Rivers and Roberts, we’re at a +14 with that lineup.
    9. Also we’ve been competitive every game except, 2 blowout losses to OKC, 1 to Mia, 1 to the Lakers, 1 to Den, and 1 to Philadelphia, it’s not like any of those teams are pushovers.
    10. We’re a young team, you have growing pains. No tanking, just building.

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  • #736000
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    Siggy
    Participant

    I hope Austin enjoyed his developmental minutes. EJ is back and as long as he can play, Austin shouldn’t play any more than 20 minutes a game.

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  • #736014
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    TallmanNYC
    Participant

    Okay. No tanking.

    PP: I do like that +14 lineup if you take Rivers out and put in Eric Gordon. There is some potential. But I fear that Rivers will never be good and your franchise is going to take two or three years to give up on him. Everyone has been focused on the awful FG%. And sure that is a problem. And in December he looked like he might someday be able to hit 40%. The problem is that if he is shooting 40% and still can’t give you rebounds, assists, steals or blocks, then you really still have a major problem having him on the court.

    I don’t want to digress this to Rivers bashing. I just think Ryan Anderson is one of the best stretch fours in the league. I think stretch fours are hella useful. Not the only way to play PF. Maybe not even the best way to play PF. But still very useful. And I’m surprised he just isn’t in the game and being ridden all night. I watch a lot of Knicks games and Novak has a huge impact on our games. Ryan Anderson is like Novak’s shooting, plus superior rebounding.

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  • #736095
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    Sewok15
    Participant

    It isn’t exactly like there is a Lebron James like prospect or even an Anthony Davis level guy that would be worth tanking for. They are bad and they know it but I think they are still at least trying.

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  • #736102
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    Hitster
    Participant

    The Hornets only got Eric Gordon back last night and they already have Anthony Davis in place as their cornerstone to build around throw in Austin Rivers and Aminu and they have a nice young core to build around. Ryan Anderson gives them the 3 point big man option and with Robin Lopez it gives them nice big men options around Davis.

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