First I want to address a pet peeve of mine. During Game 2 Reggie Miller said that the Hornets "can't win a slow down game" and the Spurs "can't win a speed up game". Now normally, I'd let that slide because Reggie Miller comes straight out of the "Latter Day John Madden Church of Spouting Obvious, Stupid, or Inaccurate Observations". However, I've read about a dozen articles now after games 1 and 2 against the Spurs that have claimed the Hornets are too fast and are running the Spurs, who have been unable to get the Hornets to settle into a half-court game.
Let's get it straight right now. The Hornets are a slow team, and they are absolutely deadly in the half-court. Right now the Hornets are averaging a Pace of 88.4 posessions per game in the post-season, the slowest pace of any team left in the playoffs. Slower than deliberate Detroit, slower than ancient San Antonio, slower than plodding Cleveland.
Obviously, the Hornets aren't bad at a half-court game - they have gone 6-1 so far playing at that speed, but once again I'm going to point out just how great the Hornets have been in this post-season. The Hornets defense, despite being tested by Dallas's top 10 offense and San Antonio's 13th ranked one, hasn't changed at all. All season they allowed 102.9 points per 100 posessions. In the playoffs, against superior teams, they are allowing 102.8 per 100 posessions. That's great, but what they are doing offensively is simply amazing. Facing the 8th best defense in the league with Dallas, and the 3rd best Defense in the league in San Antonio, the Hornets are producing 115.7 points per 100 posessions. That's 6.7 points better than the regular season. That 5 points better than the best offense during the regular season. What's more, only two teams in the playoffs have actually improved their offense - all the rest are having a harder time of it and have declined.
Those two teams? The Hornets . . . and the Lakers.(improved by 2.5 points per 100) MVP battle indeed.
As Ron said earlier, it appears the Hornets are getting hot at just the right time.
17 life-affirming comments post your own
Daniel Prampin
05/07/08 04:58 AM
I think a lotobservers confuse a team that has the capability to run and run effectively with being a "fast" team. The Hornets are not a "fast" team. That said, the younger legs of N.O. are on display in this series, and the Spurs can't seem to keep up. Thanks for pointing that out, Ryan.
www.ballout.biz #1
Mark
05/07/08 05:42 AM
Well, I think our low possessions are due to killing time because we've blown out a few games towards the end. Our team offense <em>is </em>based off reads and sets, so I'm totally with you when you say the media is pretty confused on what our team really does. Spurs generally have an edge in the lost post. But not necessarily half-court sets.
#2
YoungFella
05/07/08 06:05 AM
Mark, that's a good point and I was going to bring up the same thing. We've been milking the shot clock towards the end of 4th quarters in about 5 of our 6 victories. That probably alters our "pace" a lot - at least on paper. Still some really great points by Schwan though because we aren't a run and gun team like the talking heads seem to think we are. I love the way the Hornets play basketball - they're a pleasure to watch. There's just nothing like seeing CP3 get the ball in transition and have the crowd at NO Arena rise and cheer with anticipation as the opposing team backpedals, ready to meet their demise!
#3
Mikey
05/07/08 06:47 AM
Actually, I'd say that our reserves run more during garbage time than our starters do during the course of a game. We are killing shot clock before the reserves come in though. We're opportunistic. We run when we have a chance to, otherwise we simply run our offense. 88 possessions a game, wow, I didn't think we were that slow though, good observation.
#4
kwilkerson
05/07/08 08:05 AM
You have a top rate blog. GOOO HORNETS!!!
basketballhostages.blogspot.com #5
pollackj
05/07/08 08:11 AM
While I can't quite match the enthusiasm of the previous poster . . . . I noticed the same thing when Reggie said that. It is a perpetuation of stereotypes about both the Spurs (they can't run) and the Hornets (they have to run) that simply aren't true. It's good you brought it up because it is not only Miller that has said stuff like that during this series. The conventional wisdom is simply wrong on this case and it annoys the hell out of me to hear people repeat it over and over again.
#6
JAH
05/07/08 08:46 AM
You guys also have a low pace because you're hitting all your shots! That means fewer misses, fewer offensive rebounds, and thus fewer possessions. The Hornets have been real fun to watch this postseason.
#7
Pradamaster
05/07/08 08:52 AM
JAH, based on the formula Ryan is using, offensive rebounds don't add any possessions. If someone misses a shot, a player grabs an offensive rebound, which leads to a score, it's still one possession.
www.bulletsforever.com #8
Mark F
05/07/08 12:47 PM
I think you hit it on the head in this post: we run off turnovers and long rebounds, and that happens pretty often. If you watch a typical possesion though, it takes about 15 seconds of CP at the top of the key directing traffic before they begin their set, which typically involves a post pass in to West, who may pass it back out for better position, or across the court if he's doubled. CP himself said that they push the ball up the court in order so they can run their super long half court sets within 24 seconds. (I think I read it yesterday, but don't remember where.) I think that the fast break plays are disproportionately shown in game highlights, which is the only way a lot of sportswriters and tv analysts ever see the team.
#9
usetobeamillerfan
05/07/08 12:48 PM
Echo the Reggie sentiments, as a former huge fan of his ball play he needs to just shut up with the ridicilous comments. The problem is he played against every one of the Spurs players(because they are old) and he doesn't know any of the talent on the Hornets. A biased non-objective talking heads sucks! Go Hornets!
#10
Paul
05/07/08 04:38 PM
I dont believe that the Hornets are getting Hot right now. Any one who has watched the Hornets know that theyve been hot. They were a game behind the Lakers at the end of the season. They swept the suns series this season, were trailing by 30 against the lakers in regular season, and only lost by 3. Beat Boston too in the regular season. To put it simple the Hornets are the #1 underRATED team in the league. Right now we are 6-1 in the playoffs. Boston who had the best record this year is 5-3.
#11
Michael
05/07/08 05:14 PM
YOUR SO RIGHT PAUL. THE HORNETS ARE VERY UNDERRATED. CP3 SHOULD HAVE BEEN MVP.
#12
mW
05/07/08 05:42 PM
For all the talk of the Spurs being slow, they've also been a deadly fastbreak team when Parker and Ginobli are on their game. I've always thought that one of the best things about the Spurs (pre-this year) was that they beat everyone no matter how the game was played: slow or fast. I've said several times this year that I believe the Hornets play like the Spurs (pre-this year) when they play their best. Only with their younger legs, they represent that pre-this year type of Spur team: one that can win any which way. They can both score and defend in the half-court sets and in transition. So I think that it's unfair to say that the Spurs could never ran with teams, but just that this year they're not as good at it. And I'm totally in agreement with Ryan that the Hornets can kill you quick or slow.
www.hornetshype.com #13
Jacob
05/07/08 06:21 PM
Mark F, I also read that yesterday I believe, so if someone is looking for it, it's either on NBA.com or ESPN.com Paul, I think you are right and wrong at the same time. I think rather than getting hot in the postseason, the Hornets cooled down at the end of the regular season and are simply resuming midseason form.
#14
Ryan Schwan
05/08/08 03:30 AM
Depends on how you look at it, Jacob. The Hornets numbers in the playoffs are similar to what they had during their hot January/February streak when they won 17 of 20. Of course, that streak was against both good and bad teams, so the fact the Hornets are throwing up similar numbers makes me consider them to be particularly hot right now. Plus - a lot of our efficient offense can be tracked to two factors: Almost no turnovers, Hot shooting by Peja, Hot shooting by Peterson. Peja's firing at such an insane clip from deep(60+%), it makes me a bit nervous. It can't continue, can it?
www.hornets247.com #15
BEN
05/08/08 03:42 AM
GO HORNETS! THE UNDERDOG WORLD'S REIGNING CHAMPION!
#16
Sean
05/08/08 05:26 AM
Just an observation Does anyone notice that when CP3 runsthe pick and roll, once he clears the screen he slide to the left(on the right side) or to the right(on the left side) to cut off the help D(and/or trailers)? That alienates Tim(or the remaining defender) against CP3 and Tyson...From there Tim has to pick his poison(Lay-up or Crescent City Connection)...How can you stop that?
#17