| Summer League Analysis: Game 1, Vs. Golden State Authored by J.T. Magee - July 8, 2007 - 3:15 pm
New Orleans came away from the draft with a great prospect in Julian Wright. Uniting him with their picks from last year made for some interesting offensive sets. The Hornets were outmatched in the back court, but their strong front court play kept them in the game. This team has the front court to battle anyone in the LVSL, but are Wright and Anthony Roberson enough on the perimeter to win games? They weren’t against Golden State, but they should be against other teams.
Julian Wright
Wright has the tools and talent to be a force at small forward in the NBA. He has potential to be more than a role player, but he looked like a role player when he didn’t have the ball. He got ahead of himself a lot when he was isolated, traveling on his first touch in the first quarter. He moved well without the ball, but it wasn’t enough to draw Golden State’s defense towards him. I was appalled to see his rebounding total at three. I remember each rebound, but there were other instances where the ball bounced on the wrong side of the hoop. He has a pretty sick handle. He’s worked on that a lot between college and now. I want to see him be a little more aggressive on the boards and on offense. He looked great on defense, using his size and foot speed very well. A decent game from Wright, but more shots will equal more eye-opening play from him.
Hilton Armstrong
Armstrong led the way on the glass with five. That’s it. He set some good picks, made his outside shot and looked better than he did last year, but those rebounding stats are scary to look at. That goes to show how good Patrick O’Bryant boxed out Armstrong. He looked comfortable in the post and made some plays on the Warriors’ driving guards, either altering their shots or sending them to the free throw line to earn their points. O’Bryant was a good match-up for Armstrong, but he failed to take advantage of his perimeter game. He should bounce back with a better game on the glass and overall. He was great scoring the ball, but he is supposed to be the anchoring the defense. Perhaps the guard let Azubuike, Belinelli and Pierre Pierce in the lane too easily.
Anthony Roberson
At first, I thought Roberson wasn’t too shabby running the point. Then I remembered how long Milt Palacio was on the floor. Roberson took the most shots out of the Hornets, but only a few of them were forced. He seems to have that combo guard tag on the back of his neck and no one will tuck it in for him. Roberson has a variety of ways he can score, but his size prevents him from being able to match up with other combo guards. I want to see him only run the point for the Hornets. His scoring will always be there, but it overshadowed his rebounding and his defense on Pierce. It wasn’t anything to write home over, but he showed good footwork and seemed to know where everyone was at.
Adam Haluska
He’s not afraid to take a shot and that seems to be why New Orleans drafted him. He has an average shooting guard’s body, perhaps a little shorter than what is desired out of the 2 spot. He made a couple of shots, but his defense, or lack thereof, on the opposing guards is what stood out. He may make the roster, but I’m not sold on him as an NBA player. He’s tough, but will that be enough?
Anthony Richardson
Richardson surprised a lot of people with his play. He can cover a lot of ground quickly. He made most of his impact on the offensive end of the floor. His defense was almost as impressive, but his offense and feel for it was noticed. Throwing down a few dunks that got the crowd riled up, Richardson made a few more plays before becoming another role player. He has long legs and arms for a small forward. I expect to see him get some burn with the starting line-up in place of Vinicius de Souza. He will make some noise overseas next season, but for now, Richardson will continue to make plays on the offensive end.
Chris Hill
Hill was also impressive. A combo guard with his head always looking up, Hill has good touch from the 3-point line. He wasn’t forcing the issue and playing a controlled game. He looked like a good guard, but he didn’t have that one part of his game that he can rely on in the NBA. I’m intrigued by him and want to see more of him in action, perhaps running the team.
Milt Palacio
Palacio looked like an NBA veteran. He ran the offense, drove into the lane when the opportunity presented itself and being a good point guard. Because he’s a veteran, he lacks the quickness to keep up with the younger guards, but he took advantage of his deficiencies by playing the angles on his opponent’s takes. His team defense wasn’t too shabby. He’ll probably get an invite somewhere because he can help a young point guard develop his eye for getting the ball into the right spots and making good decisions.
Jackson Vroman
Vroman is a hustler. He gets to the spot and looks to get the ball at all times. His mid range j looks more polished compared to his last stint in the NBA, with these same Hornets. I still remember that fall when he broke his wrist. It was gruesome. Vroman provided the energy needed in the frontcourt, but didn’t show anything more than we’ve seen out of him from the past. I’d like to see what he can do in the post on both sides of the floor. His nose for the ball seems like it would translate well into an interior game.
Jerry Fields, Yemi Nicholson & Marcus Vinicius de Souza
Out of the three, Nicholson looked the best, but that’s not saying much. Vinicius de Souza looked out of place playing power forward and not being a focal point on offense. His game thrives when he has the ball, but when Wright has the ball, he becomes an after thought. Nicholson looks like he understands the game more, but his body and the way he moves is holding him back. I didn’t get to see much of Fields, so I can’t comment on him.
Overall View
New Orleans played decently as a team, holding everyone except Golden State’s guards in check. They played well as a team and Armstrong was the focal point on offense. Wright is bound to have a breakout game, but it should’ve been against Golden State because they didn’t have anyone who could really guard him. There’s more to come from this team, especially Wright. |
