Takeaways: Hawks

[bLACKpANTHER]

Positives:

Dwight - even though he led the team with 6 turnovers, Dwight balled. He gobbled up 4 OREBs and when he's that low in the post- all you can do is foul and hope it don't go in. 20pts/15reb - no Hornet did that all year last year, btw.

Kemba - the mistro.. There were a few Kyrie looking finishes in the 2nd half. He kept the team together in the beginning when everyone was continuing the same kinda play from Detroit. 26pts/9ast - OH , and the first bucket he makes in the next game will make him pass Larry Johnson in FGs made in a Hornets jersey. Nuthin to scoff at.

Frank- I'd like to think my bashing of him the other night kicked him into gear but i won't take any credit (am i not merciful). He def made things a lot easier becus our 1st unit was hanging on Only becus of Kemba's heroics at first. Then the bench came in and no one was able to do anything except Frank. He still looks goofy as all hell and im like "NO DON'T DO THAT!" but everything was goin down for him. 21pts/6reb = Keep it up, sir..

Bacon - I can't tell you how impressed i am with him. When Batum and MKG get back and we slide Bacon and Lamb to the 2nd unit - look the F out.. Bacon has the goods if he just keeps growing and learning. He doesn't have the Swag that Monk has but I think he can play the SF if he grows and fills out. 6pts/11rebs and I never felt like the moment was too big for him.

Negatives:

Turnovers - 21 total, 10 unforced.. I reiterate that our 2 purest facilitators are injured = Turnovers Galore!! But it is still unacceptable. Once we stopped giving them points and made them work for it - our talent out shined theirs.

Marvin - he is prolly missing Batum more than anyone. When i think of Marv - i think of hustle on D, put back baskets and wide open knockdown 3's. He doesn't create his shot or shoot over a contesting defender - he is there when the defense collapses on Kemba or Batum kicks it out to him. 0-6 and 3 boards in 16mins from your starting PF is pretty awful. When Frank started going off - he took Marvins minutes away (as he shud have). 

3pt shooting - Marvin was 0-4, Lamb was 0-5.. Rest of team was 11-27. Not terrible if you take away Marv and Lamb's goose eggs.

Bench - Graham, O'Bryant and Stone are not NBA players. It will be evident again next game and the game after that. MKG returning will slide Lamb to the bench and hopefully he Frank and Zeller can make up for their presence.

Overall:

This team is Emotional. When things are good - they are kissing the refs heads and encouraging the crowd. I love it! But when things are going bad - like if we hit a 4-5 game loosing streak, we cud unravel emotionally. I doubt we will with cool headed vets like MKG, Batum and Marvin. It's just sumthin I noticed when I was on the highest of highs last night. "This might have been the most 'Fun' I have ever seen Kemba have."

Zeller injury - please don't let this linger.. His D is needed off the bench. After Dwight and Zeller, we really are a bare cupboard as far as big men defenders.

Buckle up Horncats fans.. We gotta wait out the storm til reinforcements arrive but it shud be a beautiful season with a playoff run in the end... Cheers

[bLACKpANTHER]

Peaks and Valleys, lol...

 

We Killed em on the boards. TOVs gave them that huge lead. They also killed themselves with a poor shooting night - especially from 3pt range.

[yasuhara2241]

My thoughts: 

1. Kemba/Nic/MKG are the the perfect players to put next to Dwight. You already see it with Kemba. I think we will see it even more when Nic/MKG return. 

2. 3rd quarter we showed the defensive intensity we were lacking in the first half and when we are on point defensively we are going to be a hard team to beat. 

3. Bacon is Luol Deng. Throw him in the corner and let him shoot midrange and corner threes all day long. Like what I've seen from him. 

4. Give Monk time. He has been moved  from SG to PG to SG to PG and that has been through 4 preseason games and just 2 reg season games. We need to pick a position and develop him. 

5. Hey Hornets no more stupid TOs 

6. Lamb looks really good

7. I wish Frank were consistent. 

8. What happened o Marvs jumper?

9. I can't wait to see what we look like when we are 100% healthy

10. Put Stephanie Ready back in the booth. 

[Carl Spackler]

Monk will be a tremendous player for us once he gets his groove. 

Bacon will eventually replace MKG in the starting lineup, not that starting means all that much anymore. But he's far exceeded expectations early