Luke Ridnour might return today from his nagging quad injury. It would be nice to have a second PG again
Get your Insider fix from Kevin Pelton.
Kev sez:
The Sonics have made strides defensively over the last couple of weeks, holding three of their last four opponents under 40% shooting and winning all four games.
Kevin also has an interesting interview with Jim Eichenhoffer who covers the Hornets over on the Sonics Beat.
Jim responds to Kevin's question:
The Hornets defense hasn't necessarily gotten a lot of attention, but ranks in the NBA's top five. What's the key to the D?
I think it starts with Tyson Chandler, who uses his 7-foot-1 frame and wingspan to alter and block shots on a regular basis. Several of our guards have remarked that it’s much easier to play defense when they know they have Tyson watching their backs. Two seasons ago, prior to Chandler’s arrival, the Hornets had no legitimate shot-blockers, which was evident when opposing teams got to the basket with little resistance. Plus, Paul has been very disruptive, leading the league in steals per game and steals per 48 minutes.