[TimesPicayune] West develops game in summer league
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West develops game in summer league
Hornets forward gets to compete vs. tough foes
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
By John Reid
Staff writer
LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- Hornets forward David West showed a
willingness to battle for rebounds against taller players
last season, and didn't play like a rookie.
In his second season, the Hornets expect even more from him.
"I've got to be more aggressive on the offensive end," West
said. "Coach (Byron) Scott and I have talked, and I know
that to be on the floor you've got to be able to do
everything."
To prepare for the upcoming season, West is playing in the
Southern California Summer Pro League, along with last month's
draft picks, J.R. Smith and Tim Pickett. West scored 19 points
and had nine rebounds Tuesday against Golden State in a 91-87
loss.
There is no Yao Ming, Paul Pierce or LeBron James in this
league. But for West, the league is a needed opportunity to
play extended minutes against NBA-caliber players for six
games. Last season West spent most of the summer working out
alone because the Hornets did not field a summer league team.
"This gives him more offensive opportunities at facing the
basket in the post," said Hornets director of player personnel
Jeff Bower, who is coaching the summer league team. "Our goal
and objective is to expose him to certain situations and give
him an opportunity to handle them."
A priority for Scott is seeing how West handles playing power
forward and small forward. West played both positions last
season, and Scott is considering using West at those positions
again.
With forward Jamal Mashburn's status unclear as he continues to
recover from knee problems, West could be counted on to
contribute much more. He could be competing with George Lynch
for the starting small forward position if Mashburn begins the
season on injured reserve or is traded.
West, the 18th pick in the 2003 draft, averaged 13.1 minutes and
3.8 points in 71 games. But among Hornets' players who played in
60 games or more, West took the fewest shots -- 228.
In comparison, Lynch, known mostly for his defensive play, took
375 shots in 78 games and averaged 4.8 points.
Often West, when covered in the post, preferred passing to a
teammate to taking a shot. In the summer league competition,
West hasn't limited himself. He has shown more assertiveness and
a variety of post moves when the lane becomes crowded.
"I've been working since the end of the season trying to drop the
ball more in the basket, because I've got to make shots whether
I'm open or not," West said.
Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, West drove the basket
with two defenders in front of him. West was called for an
offensive foul, but after the game, Scott told West that he had
made an excellent move to score, and the that official made a bad
call. West scored 10 points and had seven rebounds in 30 minutes.
"I think just his experience going into his second year is going
to help David," Scott said. "He really didn't get a chance to play
a whole lot as a rookie. But David is very versatile and is a
smart player who can pass. I see him getting better as he plays
with more confidence."
. . . . . . .
John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3405.
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