Charlotte Bobcats at New Orleans Hornets preview -- Game 18

by David A. Arnott on Dec 1, 2010 11:15 AM EST

The Big Picture: In sum, Stephen Jackson is a solid player who helps the Bobcats a lot, mainly by playing good defense, and then also by serving as the primary offensive option. While he's not a particularly great offensive player when evaluated separately from everyone else on the team, it might actually be optimal for him to assume that role, given the other options around him, and how few of them really ought to be taking more shots.

They'll be without Jackson tonight against the New Orleans Hornets. That'll probably drop the Cats' odds of winning, but not as much as you might think, since Jackson's production might be reasonably replaced with the talent on hand.

For one game, it could work to start Shaun Livingston alongside D.J. Augustin. While that would have the unfortunate consequence of starting out with Augustin attempting to guard Chris Paul (and have Paul guarding Augustin), Livingston might not be much of a drop off from Jax defending a wing, and Augustin would then be free to revert to the style of his rookie year, spotting up for threes and occasionally up-faking into a drive.

Musical Interlude: Patrick Stump -- Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)

Key to Victory: Let's see how the Hornets react to Jackson's absence. It's possible we simply sub McGuire in to Jackson's minutes, and New Orleans changes nothing. But if we use Livingston and Augustin together, that might provide some motivation for New Orleans to use Paul and Jerryd Bayless together in the back court, which works to our favor, because that would allow Livingston to guard Paul while Augustin's in the game, unlike just about any other guard configuration the Hornets use.

In other words, would the Hornets bench one of Marco Belinelli, Marcus Thornton, Willie Green, or Trevor Ariza in favor of extended Jerryd Bayless minutes? I don't know, but that would probably be best for us.

UPDATE, 1:48pm -- Silly me was still thinking of Bayless's solid minutes early in the season and forgot he was traded to Toronto, as noted in the comments.

McGuire is starting, but the point still stands that if the Hornets, for whatever reason, react by playing Jarrett Jack alongside Paul, that's ideal for us, rather than letting them run their usual lineup of Paul alongside Belinelli, Green, Ariza, or Thornton.

Detail That May Interest .08% of You: Paul averages more assists per game in the NBA, for his career, than he did during his senior year of high school, 10.0 to 9.5.

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Bayless playes for Toronto

"It's something I think about on a day to day basis: These Colors Don't Run. Love it or leave it USA #1!"-Ricky Stanzi Iowa QB and Patriot
Blindly Optimistic follower of The Iowa Hawkeyes, San Francisco 49ers, and the Charlotte Bobcats.

by HAWKEYESBABY on Dec 1, 2010 11:21 AM EST reply actions

* plays

by HAWKEYESBABY on Dec 1, 2010 11:22 AM EST up reply actions

Hornets are Baylessless

by L'O on Dec 1, 2010 11:41 AM EST via mobile reply actions

yes and Jarrett Jack plays for Nola and he loves to torch the Bobcats

by Bcat2.0 on Dec 1, 2010 11:41 AM EST reply actions

So, much like last year

The Bobcats are completely unpredictable in how they play who(except the Celtics and the Magic…we just straight lose to them). We have no idea who we’ll see tonight. We could see the flat team that had no interest in winning against a completely depleted and talentless(minus Jennings) Bucks team the other night. Or we could see the team firing on all cylinders team that crushed Phoenix(don’t care if it was minus Nash..they still shoot very well). Most games like this one depend on guys like Diaw, Tyrus, and Naz. These guys could come out tonight and LIGHT IT UP! Or, we’ll get destroyed by their big men in West and Okafor. Okafor will more than likely take Naz out of the game offensively, and Diaw won’t play inspired enough defense to stop West. X-factor…Tyrus. He stays out of foul trouble early and gets starters minutes he could eat West alive. He’ll keep the pace up for us as will DJ which I think gives us an advantage over the mountain of no move in Okafor. Cherry pickin our way to keepin us in the game haha.

Chris Paul is going to destroy anyone he plays. Don’t care if it’s Chauncey Billups or Dj. McGuire will more than likely not replicate his Bucks performance for the rest of this season. That blip of excellence we saw the other night was an anamoly. Jarrett Jack will torch us like normal(retarded…we give career nights to guys like him). Without a volume scorer like Jack we can’t expect to score if Dj doesn’t have a great night. He’s basically going to have to grow up real fast without Jack on the court. He made steps towards it against the Bucks, but we’re going to need more assists from him. That being said the rest of the team needs to help him out and SCORE haha.

I’ll probably be drunk working on my first noise complaint in my new apartment watching this game in complete rage like usual.

Blindly Optimistic follower of The Iowa Hawkeyes, San Francisco 49ers, and the Charlotte Bobcats.

by HAWKEYESBABY on Dec 1, 2010 12:08 PM EST reply actions

Trade

When are the Bobcats going to get a big man are someone that can throw up the three ball and score a lot? If this team is going to win they need someone that can play center.

by jayball on Dec 1, 2010 1:24 PM EST reply actions

when we get San Antonio's GM

and Oklahoma City’s draft scouts.

Blindly Optimistic follower of The Iowa Hawkeyes, San Francisco 49ers, and the Charlotte Bobcats.

by HAWKEYESBABY on Dec 1, 2010 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

oh and when LB is gone.

Blindly Optimistic follower of The Iowa Hawkeyes, San Francisco 49ers, and the Charlotte Bobcats.

by HAWKEYESBABY on Dec 1, 2010 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Decent game to lose Jax

NO’s weakness is at the 2. Bellinelli? But then, we’re awful at defending the 3 so he may have a huge night. Now we’re really going to see the progress of DJ. His assist:turnover ratio is outstanding, but how will it look with Chris Paul trying to steal the ball from him all night. I’m prepared for a very disappointing night (State vs. Wisconsin with no Tracy Smith? Yikes…) but I’ll watch like always.

by drapht00 on Dec 1, 2010 1:52 PM EST reply actions

I've been completely against some of Brown's moves in the past

only to see his master plan unfold while I watched in disbelief. For that reason alone, I’m intrigued by the decision to start McGuire. The jury is still out on this guy, as far as I’m concerned…

Thank you, San Francisco!

by Newsinz on Dec 1, 2010 2:47 PM EST reply actions

I think the verdict is in.

After watching the game once again devolve into a carbon copy of every other loss this season, I’m convinced that Larry Brown’s “master plan” is so secret that even he has no idea what it might be.

I did learn one thing as I watched – although it’s often foolish to base things on a single game – Stephen Jackson’s presence on the court is neither the solution, nor the cause of the current plight of the Charlotte Bobcats. He subtracted himself from the equation by once again letting his temper get the best of him and the net result was the exact same as it has been on the nights when he’s been on the floor. We spotted an early lead to the opponents, stayed in the game well enough that a victory was within our grasp, and lost for largely the same reasons we’ve lost so many other games. Home game or road game it doesn’t matter. Title contender or Gabby Jay loser as our opponent, it doesn’t matter. We’re the same every game. The Charlotte Bobcats are this year’s team that seems doomed to fall just short. I’m convinced that right now we could play an average high school team and still find away to lose by 3-5 points in the closing minutes.

My sources can beat up your sources

by Ourdaywillcome on Dec 2, 2010 3:54 AM EST up reply actions