1) Zu started the half playing big. Harden started the half more engaged on defense (but had a fundamental mistake going under the screen). Neither sustained it.
2) Front office could have cost us this game: the Hornets did almost everything right, going 5 out with their tall shooting forwards. It nearly changed the game because a) we lacked a mobile backup 3/4 with size (Norm, Coffey and Russ tried what they could on the perimeter but were simply too short) b) the Hornets were very hot shooting.
3) Add in: Ty not trying Theis. Positive: he played PG 40 minutes and Kawhi 37 to secure the win. This should be a negative but is almost entirely on the front office. Almost…
4) We didn’t execute on offense: a COMPLETE inability to get ANY big paint offense going after the first few minutes. Even though Zu was battling inside doing his job. We were only a jump shooting team and that’s simply not good enough. Not even good enough to keep our stars to 30 minutes vs Charlotte.

Couldn’t punish their 5-out lineup at all. Miserable and worrisome
5) Add individual mistakes: Russ had a poor start to the 3rd with a turnover and a bad decision trying to dunk (his shot selection otherwise was great, the only other shot he missed, he got fouled). Norm with the same decision trying to dunk. Quite a lot forced jumpers. Zero help defense for our bigs in transition. The big blunder though: the missing paint offense. Ty tried to correct it – almost 15 minutes too late.
6) Defensively we needed size and box outs badly, another reason the minutes looked like they look – and we were still a big body short.

P.s.: seeing Miller with the classic PG-move vs PG was funny.

Overall, it was okay. At the same time it was concerning. Let’s see how we look vs the better teams

We coasted on defense a ton. Zu and Mann were steady. PG relatively, without really being locked in. Kawhi similar, had one major defensive lapse. Russ as well, coasted mostly. Plumlee with a big blunder, Coffey and Norm questionable defending the perimeter. Harden sleepwalking/standing around. Cohesive defense looks different.

Offensively, PG hit his shots. Can’t say I’m delighted with the shot selection (sorry, if you told Dame ‘that’s a bad shot’, that also applies here). Still our best player in the first half easily but this ain’t sustainable offense vs better opponents/on a normal shooting night. He forced a ton of shots early and midway through the 2nd.

Had some good team plays, some good individual plays (Harden had one awesome pass, Coffey a very smooth turnaround jumper, PG some nice drives, we got some dunks, Mann with very good decisions). Generally liked how Russ distributed for the second unit and blend in doing the little things when he was off the ball. One turnover too many though. Harden deferring, swinging the ball faster on occasion was a positive in my book, at least right now. If you add a catch-and-shoot 3 once in a while, that could make for a much higher floor. In the playoffs, we need him to drive a lot more.