Who Should Hornets Rookies Study?...

From David Thorpe, ESPN:

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Each season, we pair the top rookies with veterans they should study to help them grow their games. Often, this exercise is mistaken as an effort to suggest how the rookie compares to the veteran. But that is not the point.

The way to look at it is like this: Modeling behavior is typically considered one of the top ways to teach. So in each of these pairings, the rookie would be well-served by developing the specific skill or behavior demonstrated by the veteran.

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Anthony Davis: Joakim Noah


Austin Rivers: Tony Parker

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Despite being small (by NBA standards) and slight, few players over the past decade have made more paint shots than Parker. His strong hands and incredible burst at the point of attack make him unguardable in isolation. It is the opposite with Rivers, who just could not finish most of the paint shots he took this season.

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Thorpe is the one guy on ESPN who didn't write Rivers off after 10 games and has constantly said Rivers has a lot of positives and has shown improvement over the season. He also typically knows what he's talking about and to me, these explanations make a lot of sense. Good on ya, Thorpe.

{Mod edit-Please do not post ESPN Insider articles.}

I love how Thorne says that a concern about Davis is that he is passionless. I guess if you got no real gripe you have to make up something.

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Originally Posted by NOLa.

I love how Thorne says that a concern about Davis is that he is passionless. I guess if you got no real gripe you have to make up something.

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Passionless could equal tired. Davis would lose a lot of his "fire" after about 25 minutes of play until recently. There have been a couple times where Davis just looked to tired, but if that's the biggest gripe, I'll take it. :hihi:

I'd rather Davis study someone with post moves, but Davis will need to learn to pass. Davis has a lot of room for improvement. I hope they have a focused offseason where he comes in next season with 1 more dimension to his game. The following year add something else. It'll be difficult for a player to fix everything in one offseason, so we have to temper our expectations to seeing Davis, the player, until 2016, In my opinion. at that time we should clearly see what he will be.

If he could work on a post hook shot to add to his arsenal with those long arms he will be great.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

I'd rather Davis study someone with post moves, but Davis will need to learn to pass.

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Olajuwon

Love Tony Parker for Rivers. And I like Noah for Davis. But also Pau Gasol. I think Davis could be as good an interior passer as Gasol eventually. He understands spacing and movement well enough to do it.

Davis - Duncan
Austin - Parker/ rondo(attacking)
Miller- pierce.

Davis just isn't over the top with emotion. no one doubts his passion, he just lets his game speak

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Originally Posted by AD23nEG10

Davis just isn't over the top with emotion. no one doubts his passion, he just lets his game speak

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Thank God bc I can't stand guys like Westbrook. Although if he were on my team I may like it.

No need for primitive yells and chest thumping on a losing team, you know?

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Originally Posted by NOLa.

No need for primitive yells and chest thumping on a losing team, you know?

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Even at Kentucky though people talked about how his demeanor was always the same.

I think the most excited I saw him get this year was when he did the winning tip in against Boston.

Davis has passion. I agree that there wasn't a whole lot of reason for yells and chest thumping this season.

I like that about him. He's doesn't get too "high" or too "low" on the court. Players like Westbrook can have outlandish high moments, but once things go south, it's tough for him to get back on track and play with his mind instead of emotion. Westbrook is a freak, so he can get away with being out of control.

Either way. Davis is doing better than I expected this season.

I didn't watch many of his games in college, just a handful of what was on national T.V. I saw his competitiveness and he's extremely talented. You usually don't see a kid just come into the game and dominate the way he did, then to make the Olympic team (even though it was scrap minutes, it was something). I just don't see what merits the complaints when he has the results.

He's just a young pup. He'll get that bulldog mouth later.

Like Durant... so quite when he first started. Now he's yelling, cursing, doing the "slice your throat move."

Durant was unbelievably skinny and quiet when he was in college his one year. Amazing shooter (duh) with really long arms. He was so weak though he had to be kept on the perimeter because he just got tossed around when playing bigger guys.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

Like Durant... so quite when he first started. Now he's yelling, cursing, doing the "slice your throat move."

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National medias fault IMO.. Says he's not enough of a killer and that's why they lost in the finals. He really needs to do that motion to westbrook as he throws up shot after shot after shot whether he's hot or not.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

Like Durant... so quite when he first started. Now he's yelling, cursing, doing the "slice your throat move."

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Durant's forcing being a tough guy way too much. People meant that he wasn't being as assertive enough with taking shots and being a leader, not to be an as****e lol

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Originally Posted by BallSoHard

National medias fault IMO.. Says he's not enough of a killer and that's why they lost in the finals. He really needs to do that motion to weatbrook as he throws up shot after shot after shot whether he's hot or not.

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Originally Posted by wuggie

Durant's forcing being a tough guy way too much. People meant that he wasn't being as assertive enough with taking shots and being a leader, not to be an as****e lol

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Agree with both statements, was just pointing out how the media views "passionate" guys. I don't want Davis to be like that.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

Agree with both statements, was just pointing out how the media views "passionate" guys. I don't want Davis to be like that.

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Heck no, I don't want AD to be like that neither. Also with Durant he even has a Nike campaign speaking about him not being nice anymore. It comes off as phony. This whole BS "attitude" may hurt the Thunder in the end, in some shape or form.

The Thunder have Russel Westbrook in one corner dressing in some of the most ridiculous clothes I've ever seen someone pass as "stylish" and KD in the other corner saying "No more Mr. Nice Guy."

They still won't beat the heat.

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Originally Posted by NOLa.

The Thunder have Russel Westbrook in one corner dressing in some of the most ridiculous clothes I've ever seen someone pass as "stylish" and KD in the other corner saying "No more Mr. Nice Guy."

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It's slowly but gradually starting to get worse and worse with them. It seemed to started with letting go Harden. Westbrook should have left first, him and Durant's chemistry was always questioned to begin with.

You mean losing harden hurts their chances ? Not sure who would of called that.

For all the hate I have for Westbrook, I'd gladly take him on this team. He's a freak on both ends of the floor. And would easily be our best scorer even if he shot a lot. His misses could be gobbled up by AD.


I realize this is impossible and never going to happen. Just saying I only hate turtle faces on other teams.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

For all the hate I have for Westbrook, I'd gladly take him on this team. He's a freak on both ends of the floor. And would easily be our best scorer even if he shot a lot. His misses could be gobbled up by AD.

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I said they should have made the call to OKC in the Chris Paul trade. They may have, but it is a nice wet dream. The reality is we probably don't get Davis if we had Westbrook.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

For all the hate I have for Westbrook, I'd gladly take him on this team.

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I'd take him in a heartbeat.

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Originally Posted by BallSoHard

I said they should have made the call to OKC in the Chris Paul trade. They may have, but it is a nice wet dream. The reality is we probably don't get Davis if we had Westbrook.

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We don't get Davis if we had Scola and Odom. lol

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Originally Posted by NOLa.

I'd take him in a heartbeat.

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Easily, his passion reminds me of Oladipo's, that's why I want to draft him so much. Now that I think about it, they're both pretty similar players all around....:huh2:

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

Like Durant... so quite when he first started. Now he's yelling, cursing, doing the "slice your throat move."

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Is that what he was fined for?


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/91...nacing-gesture

Menacing? Really? It's at 26 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...kCY8qPcc#t=22s

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Originally Posted by HunnyB

Is that what he was fined for?


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/91...nacing-gesture

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Looks like he "slices your throat" that puts his hands in the "pray" position...

I was terrified from that gesture.

HE NEEDS 2 B SUSPENDED 4 DUH SEESON

I like how Jack literally tried to push his man under the bus LOL

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Originally Posted by BallSoHard

I like how Jack literally tried to push his man under the bus LOL

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Lmao i just noticed that. Jack is the ****ing man i miss him sooooooo much....

Would love to see AD studying Hakeem the Dream. If he could add post moves like that he would be unstoppable.

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Originally Posted by carpo_07

Would love to see AD studying Hakeem the Dream. If he could add post moves like that he would be unstoppable.

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I don't think Davis has the footwork for that. Garnett should be his model for this off-season. He doesn't have the strength to emulate Duncan well, at this point.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

Looks like he "slices your throat" that puts his hands in the "pray" position...

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Yeah, it means "Kill them during the game, pray for them after."

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Originally Posted by nolaslim213

Yeah, it means "Kill them during the game, pray for them after."

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Like that. But I think that was more of a stop the show cut than a cut the throat but I don't expect the league to know the difference.

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Originally Posted by GESWhoseBack

Like that. But I think that was more of a stop the show cut than a cut the throat but I don't expect the league to know the difference.

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I was quoting Durant.

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"Kill 'em and pray for 'em after the game," Durant said.

"It's nothing against the team I'm playing against," Durant added. "Come out with a mindset and be friends after the game."

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http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/91...nacing-gesture

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Originally Posted by nolaslim213

I was quoting Durant.



http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/91...nacing-gesture

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Ok then maybe I don't know the difference than lol!

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Originally Posted by GESWhoseBack

Ok then maybe I don't know the difference than lol!

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haha no big.

He got fined 25,000? Wow

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Originally Posted by wuggie

He got fined 25,000? Wow

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Yep Kevin just looked in the ash tray of his Bentley. Had a little change left over.

Completely agree with AR studying Parker. I've been saying that all along. AD should be studying David Lee, KG, Hakeem, Duncan.

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Originally Posted by Kibner

I don't think Davis has the footwork for that. Garnett should be his model for this off-season. He doesn't have the strength to emulate Duncan well, at this point.

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He has only been playing as a forward/ centre for a couple of years now. Obviously he hasn't got that footwork now, but if he works on it he could be an offensive force. His foundations as a player are based upon guardwork. With his skills there's no reason he couldn't develop Hakeem-like footwork.

Davis- Duncan or Ibaka, some Noah wouldnt hurt

Rivers- I would say Westbrook