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Game Thread | 2021-22 Season | Game #2 | Hornets @ Cavs | Oct. 22, 2021

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Out of town so just getting to watch the game this morning:

PG play:
Weird stretch for Rubio to start the 4th/end the 3rd for two straight games. Tonight specifically, he had 4 turnovers and got lost on rotation/out of sorts on D resulting in 2 wide open 3's for Charlotte to compound the 4 turnovers.

He didn't have a backup this game (Pangos is NOT a NBA player) and Garland was hampered last game so in both games I'll say Rubio was overused and that caused him to blow gaskets by the 4th.

Ideally, he should be the backup with a dedicated 20-25 mins max. Even though he's only 30, he's a 15 year pro vet so that 30 is actually closer to 35 yr old knees.

The irony to that is he frustrated and was in the head of Ball all night leading up to the gasket being blown. So what he was doing for 20-25 mins worked. The minute we crept above the 25 mins, he melted.

Wing play:
Watching Oubre and Bridges win this game for Charlotte was frustrating when you consider that both of them are average wings. Makes our lack of at least average wings even more glaring.

Big play:
Also, a night after watching Taylor Jenkins outcoach JBB rotationally and getting him to bring a small lineup out there playing into Memphis hands, Boreaga did the same thing taking Plumblee off the floor and playing PJ at the 5 with interchangeable wings.

Nate McMillan, like JBB, is historically known for being stubborn and old school in his approach to the game (he's forcing Dieng into lineups he shouldn't be in right now) though he showed growth both in his last season in Indy and last year once he took over for Pierce, in his willingness to adapt in-game with rotations.

To sum all this up:
Rotations lost both of these two winnable games. It's unfortunate that Garland tweaked his ankle on one of the first plays of the season, but we've got enough tools in the shed where a good in-game coach could use his rotations to win these first two games.

Basically fire JBB.
 
Scottie Barnes would have looked nice on this team instead of Mobley. Versatile SF continues to be the largest area of need.
Mobley will be good, but I also love Scottie Barnes & what he brings. He may be the best player to come out of this draft when it’s all said & done.
 
Out of town so just getting to watch the game this morning:

PG play:
Weird stretch for Rubio to start the 4th/end the 3rd for two straight games. Tonight specifically, he had 4 turnovers and got lost on rotation/out of sorts on D resulting in 2 wide open 3's for Charlotte to compound the 4 turnovers.

He didn't have a backup this game (Pangos is NOT a NBA player) and Garland was hampered last game so in both games I'll say Rubio was overused and that caused him to blow gaskets by the 4th.

Ideally, he should be the backup with a dedicated 20-25 mins max. Even though he's only 30, he's a 15 year pro vet so that 30 is actually closer to 35 yr old knees.

The irony to that is he frustrated and was in the head of Ball all night leading up to the gasket being blown. So what he was doing for 20-25 mins worked. The minute we crept above the 25 mins, he melted.

Wing play:
Watching Oubre and Bridges win this game for Charlotte was frustrating when you consider that both of them are average wings. Makes our lack of at least average wings even more glaring.

Big play:
Also, a night after watching Taylor Jenkins outcoach JBB rotationally and getting him to bring a small lineup out there playing into Memphis hands, Boreaga did the same thing taking Plumblee off the floor and playing PJ at the 5 with interchangeable wings.

Nate McMillan, like JBB, is historically known for being stubborn and old school in his approach to the game (he's forcing Dieng into lineups he shouldn't be in right now) though he showed growth both in his last season in Indy and last year once he took over for Pierce, in his willingness to adapt in-game with rotations.

To sum all this up:
Rotations lost both of these two winnable games. It's unfortunate that Garland tweaked his ankle on one of the first plays of the season, but we've got enough tools in the shed where a good in-game coach could use his rotations to win these first two games.
The Cavs are good for exactly one defensive rotation. If you can run a play that requires them to rotate more than once, you're getting an open look from 3. That's why average wings look good against us.
 
Mobley will be good, but I also love Scottie Barnes & what he brings. He may be the best player to come out of this draft when it’s all said & done.
I really wish we could have found a way to get the both of them. I think he will be as a pro what a number of us expected from Okoro.
 
I really wish we could have found a way to get the both of them. I think he will be as a pro what a number of us expected from Okoro.
Very different players. Scottie is 6’8” with a 7’3” wingspan and is very athletic. By comparison, Okoro is 4” shorter and has a much shorter wingspan. I believe Okoro is really a SG.
 
FWIW Rubio also played a TON of minutes over the summer and in the Olympics. I can imagine he might be a little more tired coming into the season.

Good call and should not be understated
 
I think Rubio played too many minutes in a row. He tried to pass behind himself multiple times and was surprised they figured it out.

Is he not as good as Garland at getting Allen and Mobley looks? I think so. Should have attached with Allen more
 

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