January 12, 2008

If you want to learn more about NBA teams, specific pro players, or the sport of basketball in general, you’d be well-advised to watch a TV game analyzed by ESPN’s Hubie Brown. The former NBA head coach and longtime color commentator provides a wealth of knowledge during each of the games he calls. He’s widely recognized as one of the top two NBA analysts in the game (TNT’s Doug Collins is also in that elite group).

We interviewed Brown for about 10 minutes prior to Friday’s game at the New Orleans Arena. As you’ll see, even though this was the first chance the 74-year-old has gotten to see the Hornets play in person in 2007-08, he’s very well-informed about the team’s outlook. Brown offered his opinion on several team-related topics, including the Hornets’ road success, Tyson Chandler’s development and the bench’s early-season struggles.

Hornets.com: How surprised are you that New Orleans is only 1 1/2 games out of first place in the Western Conference this deep into the season?
Brown: Well, the majority of the people who know the league realized that they would be in competition for a playoff spot. But look at the standings today: Utah and Houston are in ninth and 10th place at 20-17 and 19-17. No one expected that, including myself. I thought both of those teams would be much higher. If I said to you that I thought New Orleans was going to be in this spot, I’d be lying.

But there is still a long way to go. For them, the most interesting thing is the fact that they are 14-5 on the road. That is monumental. It’s a young team, but they’re winning the close games, winning the overtime games, as well as games decided by three points or less. [Note: The Hornets are 3-0 in OT and 5-1 in games with a three-point margin or fewer]

Hornets.com: You may have just answered my next question. Is the road success of this team that you mentioned the most surprising aspect of the Hornets’ season to you?
Brown: Yes. Because when you have a young team – whether it’s high school, college or pro – they sputter a lot on the road. They don’t a) make the (big) play, and they don’t b) get the calls (from officials). That’s every bit as important. They’ve also been outstanding in close games on the road, which is unusual.

ESPN analyst Hubie Brown believes Chris Paul has earned the right to start at point guard for the West in the All-Star Game, but fan voting will likely prevent that from happening.

Hornets.com: This is the first time you’re getting to see Chris Paul play in person this season. What is your opinion of his performance through the first two-plus months of the season?
Brown: If he was the starting point guard in the All-Star Game, I don’t think anyone would have been surprised and he would have earned it. Whoever you want to say is the best point guard in the game today, you’re going to have to put him in that conversation.

We all know that the most difficult thing for anyone is to try to pick the five All-Star guards in the West. There are 10 guards in the West who could be in the game. Not five, not seven – 10 guys who deserve to be here. So there are going to be five players (who don’t get picked) and organizations that will be upset and complain.

It’s unfortunate too, because Tracy McGrady right now will be in the game (due to being voted in by the fans), but if you go back through and look at it, he’s missed a lot of games (to injury). If it continues this way to the end of the voting, he’s going to be there.

Hornets.com: From your background as a coach and from what you’ve seen, why was Tyson Chandler able to turn around his career when he came to the Hornets prior to last season?
Brown: When you’re blessed with outstanding athletic talent, but you’re performing under your potential, there’s a reason. Now, is it the style of play of the team that you’re playing for? Is it your work ethic or accountability on a daily basis? Well, we really don’t know what the problem was, because we weren’t there at (Chicago’s) practices.

He comes here and they put the onus on him, that he’s got to deliver. And he’s not a power forward here, he’s a center. So maybe that is what (should have been) his position all along. But they also put the pressure on him to deliver on a nightly basis. The minutes have been there, the shots have been there.

When you have young big guys not playing to their potential, you say, ‘Is it a mental thing? Is it a toughness thing?’ He’s got both of those, so that wasn’t it. But the toughest part is whether he has the self-confidence to produce every night. Does the coaching staff give him the hugs and adulation and encouragement to help him improve? To me, it looks like he has all of that here.

But always remember: Big guys develop later. He’s still a kid at 25 years old. It just takes some of them a little longer to reach the point where they put together the athleticism, with the understanding of their profession, with the accountability on a daily basis. He’s a major part of the reason why this team is winning.

Hornets.com: You obviously are knowledgeable about personnel around the league in your role as ESPN analyst. When you look at the Hornets’ bench on paper, did you expect much more out of that unit than what you’ve seen so far? I’m sure Byron Scott mentioned that issue with you in your talk with him this morning.
Brown: I thought the Hornets’ bench was more productive last season. Just look at the shooting percentages of (Bobby) Jackson, (Jannero) Pargo and (Rasual) Butler, and that explains it all. For their second unit, those are the three guys that must score for you. Today I wrote down the three-point and field-goal percentage for the three of them, and the only one who is shooting worth a darn in three-point percentage is Rasual Butler, but he’s (struggling) from (two-point range). So you have five guys coming in off the bench, but these three are the ones you are expected to score.

I can understand why everyone is upset, because this group is not performing. Now (the coaches) have got to sit down and look at what (offensive plays) are they running for the group. You also ask, ‘Are we getting each guy high-percentage shots in their best areas?’

It sounds simple, but it’s the most difficult thing that a coaching staff has to do at this level.