For every NBA team that is on a roll, there is a team that isn't. That's why we need the doctor -- Dr. Jack Ramsay. Each week in Dr. Jack's Prescription, the Hall of Fame coach will analyze a team in distress, and offer a cure to what ails them.
This week: Charlotte Hornets
|  | | Mashburn's shooting is down, but he's been a productive player. |
The Symptoms
The enigmatic Hornets have had a streaky season. They won three of their first four,
then lost five straight. Shortly after that, they won six in a row to raise their
record to 10-6. A bit later they reeled off seven straight wins to reach 20-9 and
first place in the Central Division -- only to drop four quick games on a West
Coast trip. They've been inconsistent since, winning only three of their last
12 games (two of their last 10 on the road) and have fallen to second place
in the division (23-18). While shaky on the road, they had the best home
court record (13-4) in the Eastern Conference until their last-second loss to
Dallas on Wednesday.
Comparative statistics shed some light on this puzzling picture. Charlotte
leads the league in field goal percentage defense (.416) and in total rebound
percentage. Those are strong stats, not usually related to a team that's
struggling to win games. To offset those positive figures, the Hornets are
low percentage shooters from the field (.426) -- ranking 23rd in the NBA.
Their 90 points per game ranks 24th. Four of the five starters (Jamal
Mashburn, Baron Davis, Elden Campbell and P.J. Brown) shoot below 44 percent from
the field. Only David Wesley is shooting with his usual effectiveness.
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| Wesley |
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| Davis |
The Diagnosis
Injuries have played a part in the erratic play of the Hornets. Mashburn
missed five games (bruised knee) and Campbell (inflamed bursa sac in his
shoulder) was out for three, so the team was without one or the other starter
for eight consecutive games. The Hornets won only three of those games. While
injuries are part of the NBA season, the Hornets' thin bench makes them
especially vulnerable when one of the starting five is out of action. Only
Wesley and Davis have played in every game.
The Hornets' tough team defense should enable them to win more consistently.
Better offensive execution will result in higher individual field percentages
-- and that would help Charlotte win more down-to-the-wire games. Mashburn is
shooting his lowest field goal percentage (.419) in the last four years;
Campbell (.439) and Brown (.412) are shooting the lowest of their careers;
and young Davis has the same marginal accuracy as last season (.424).
Low field goal percentages generally accompany too many perimeter shots, and
too few fast breaks and penetrations to the basket. Those conditions seem to
apply to the Hornets. Although they dominate their defensive board, they
don't push the ball consistently to get into the open court. What fastbreaks
they get aren't handled with high efficiency. Davis, for all of his
explosiveness and ability to penetrate the basket area, isn't a good decision
maker as yet. His assist/turnover ratio (2.4-1) ranks 27th in the NBA.
Low percentage shooting also effects player confidence in close games. In
their 91-90 loss to Dallas, the Hornets squandered a 16-point lead, had
difficulty getting a good shot in the crunch part of the game, missed crucial
free throws, and watched in disbelief as Howard Eisley drilled the
game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Charlotte has won only two of six games
decided by three points or less.
The Cure
Charlotte must continue its defensive focus -- it's the strongest possible
foundation for maximizing the team's potential. Allowing low field goal
percentage to opponents and controlling the defensive backboard will help
initiate fast break opportunities. They must take greater advantage of those
strengths. Fast breaks are high percentage ... the Hornets need more of them.
| |  | |
| Mashburn |
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| Campbell |
Davis has made nice progress from his rookie season and generates most
of his team's running efforts. He should continue his aggressive
penetrations, but needs to be more sure of his handle.
Although the Hornets don't have a dominant low-post player, they need to
focus more of their offense in the basket area rather than the perimeter
where their 3-pointer accuracy is only .324 -- 17th among NBA teams.
Mashburn, Campbell and Derrick Coleman have been capable scorers from the
post throughout their careers. Their combined contribution would give the
Hornets an improved presence at the offensive basket -- another source of
high percentage opportunities.
The Hornets, good enough to compile a 20-9 record earlier in the season,
should have enough confidence to put the brakes to their current slide.
Coach Paul Silas, who takes a low-key approach which his players respect and
respond to, needs to marshal his forces and get them galvanized for a
unified push in the second half of the season.
Continued stress on team defense and rebounding, plus improved execution of
offense will get the Hornets buzzing again.
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ALSO SEE
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Jazz
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Grizzlies
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Nuggets
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Nets
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Heat
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Sonics
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Bucks
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Raptors
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