Game 4: Hornets @ Knicks

Another trademark defensive meltdown.

at least if he’s the one shooting the halfcourt heaves he can keep Paul, Peja, and co.’s three point percentage higher. He is a true team player.

They’re going to be okay, I think… it’s a matter of a lot of pieces trying to figure things out right now. They’re trying to make Oden play like Przybilla, which is just ridiculous. He’s drawing a double team 75% of the time he posts up and has done a very nice job passing the ball out of the double. His TOV% is related almost entirely to three in the key and pick violations, not posting up… It’s frustrating. Good things happen when we go inside to him.

The other problem is that Steve Blake is trying to be Andre Miller and Andre Miller is trying to be Steve Blake.

Nate is trying to use 09-10 players to play like we played in 08-09… With Andre at the point and Oden working well in the post, that just doesn’t work.

Also, losing Nic Batum was a big blow. While Webster has been very good defensively in his comeback from the foot injury, Batum’s loss means more minutes for Travis Outlaw… who is a higher paid and taller Bobby Brown at this point.

I think it will work itself out. The defense started slow last year, but was top ten post all-star break. Just a lot of talent and an apparent lack of understanding in how to use the talent by Nate. He has had consistent problems coaching the pick and roll on both sides of the ball. It’s what the defensive problems stem from… the offense doesn’t run the pick and roll well in practice so the defense never learns how to stop it.

If he can’t figure it out they will need to bring someone else in. I’m trying not to overreact. They are shooting 42% from the field and lost two games to playoff teams. It’s not bad at this point, just really sloppy.

It’s going to take time.

And we still havent had Diogu in there. And of course Byron is being stupid as usual.

That said, a 1-3 start sucks.