Give-and-Go: Marco Belinelli
Thursday, April 12, 2012
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com
This is the latest 2011-12 edition of Give-and-Go, a periodic Hornets.com feature with Hornets players. In this installment, New Orleans guard Marco Belinelli directly answers Twitter questions sent to www.twitter.com/Jim_Eichenhofer. We caught up with the fifth-year NBA guard after a game at the New Orleans Arena.
From @loveyou5678: Marco, what is your favorite thing about being an NBA player?Belinelli: I love to play basketball. I started playing basketball when I was 6 years old. I love the sport, I love the competition. Being in the NBA is the ultimate level.
From @zlwool: What is your favorite Italian place in New Orleans? Having lived in Bologna where he played, I miss the food too! From @TomMagnum: What is your favorite Italian restaurant/dish in NOLA?Belinelli: My favorite Italian place here is Domenica. Theyve got great pizza and have great Italian food.
From @mknkachow: Whats your favorite place to eat in NOLA?Belinelli: I like Rock-n-Sake, the sushi place. Also GW Fins. There are so many good restaurants here.
From @TheRealPanicFC: What is your favorite soccer team? Bologna, or one of the giants?Belinelli: Im not really a big fan of soccer, but my favorite team is Inter (Milan).
From @JZeser25: Marco, how does it feel to be the most smooth and purest shooter in the league? #Money3ballBelinelli: I dont know. [smiles] I work at it every day. I try to do my best. But I also try to do everything. Ive played point guard sometimes, tried to score more and try to help us win more games.
From @psuhoops333: Marco, do you still want to stick around for a few years with the presence of Eric Gordon?
From @tommyblaze777: Marco, would you like to be back in NOLA, knowing that Eric Gordon is likely the future at the 2? Would you mind being a reserve?Belinelli: Its too early right now to think about that. Im going to be a free agent, so well have to wait and see.
From @PaulAlgu12: Would you rather have an Olympic gold medal or an NBA championship?Belinelli: An NBA championship. I always dreamed of playing in the NBA. When I was young, I watched a lot of NBA Finals where Michael Jordan won the championship. But I mean, I want to do both! [smiles]
What area do you think youve improved in your game the most during the 2011-12 season?Belinelli: My balance on my shot and my defense. I try to not be just a shooter. I try to drive the ball more and dunk the ball, to be better overall on offense.
How do you explain the recent stretch you had, including the best two-game scoring span of your NBA career during the Western road trip?Belinelli: I dont really know. When you play a lot of minutes, you get a lot of confidence in yourself and play well. Playing against Golden State, that was one of my former teams. But every night in the NBA is tough.