Charlotte Hornets: At the San Antonio Spurs Tonight

The Charlotte Hornets go into action tonight on the second game of their early western road trip. This time they are going down the road from Dallas to San Antonio to face the one of the NBA’s perennials.

The San Antonio Spurs are exactly what the Hornets and every other small market team would like to build. They have a Hall of Fame coach, kept their star players, and worked within the League’s salary system to pull it off.

This off season, the Spurs upped the ante one more time by signing LaMarcus Aldridge from the Portland Trailblazers. That move gives them tremendous flexibility to dissect other teams with. The old trio of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, and Tim Duncan are still around. Kawhi Leonard keeps finding new ways to break out.

Opponent: San Antonio Spurs (3-2)
Date: November 7, 2015
Time: 8:30 PM
TV: Fox Sports Southeast
Venue: AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)

Probable Spurs Lineup:

C Tim Duncan
PF LaMarcus Aldridge
SF Kawhi Leonard
SG Danny Green
PG Tony Parker

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The Spurs will test the Hornets in the low post. The Hornets have a number of bodies to throw into those positions but not the quality that the Spurs can muster. In addition to Duncan and Aldridge, the Spurs can add Boris Diaw and David West to the mix.

Another tough cover will be whoever gets Leonard. The Hornets could send either P.J. Hairston or Nicolas Batum to do that task. Neither is perfectly suited for it. This will be a game where the absence of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist gets noticed the most.

Unlike the Mavs and Bulls, the Spurs do have a good bench so they will not wear down as much.

Probable Hornets Starting Lineup:

C Al Jefferson
PF Marvin Williams
SF P.J. Hairston
SG Nicolas Batum
PG Kemba Walker

Next: Al Jefferson Beats Dallas Old School

Hornets strategy will rely on how well Jefferson can establish himself in the low post. Jefferson will be used to slow down the game and prevent the game from turning into a track meet. His opposite number will try to draw the extra Spurs post out of the paint to prevent help side defense. The Hornets have to take advantage of the fact that Aldridge is not 100% in sync with the Spurs playbook yet.

Turnovers will also key. The Spurs big men have been susceptible of turnovers early in the season. We saw in the Bulls game that the Hornets have a pretty good appetite for loose balls. Extra possessions will be important.