Shootaround: vs. Heat
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com, @Jim_Eichenhofer
Updates from Friday morning’s shootaround, as the Hornets prepared to face the Miami Heat in the Crescent City:
• After returning for one game from an ankle injury, Greivis Vasquez will miss Friday’s game, the second he’s been sidelined for in the past three games. Vasquez had played in 136 consecutive games as a Hornet, including all 66 during the 2011-12 season. Monty Williams on Vasquez: “The doctors think it’s best to take a few days off and rest.”
• As a result of Vasquez being out, Brian Roberts will start at point guard. In his Monday start, he dished out 18 assists vs. Denver, the most by any Hornets player this season. It was also the top assist game for any NBA rookie in 2012-13.
• Williams on facing Miami: “You have to make it tough on them. You’re talking about guys who have seen every defense, they’ve seen every scheme. You have to be physical with them, you have to give them one shot and you have to rebound. If you have an advantage against this team it’s going to be in the paint trying to rebound.”
• Anthony Davis on LeBron James: ““He’s a great player. The best player in the world. It’s hard to stop him. We’ve got to just do a great job of containing him.”
• Davis mentioned that his current black eye was given to him after a collision with Lou Amundson earlier this week in practice. Davis: “Every time he sees me, he says he’s sorry.”