<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">OAKLAND, CALIF. -- As the Hornets close the final 12 games of the season, Coach Byron Scott said he will be monitoring his players' effort more closely. He wants to see more hustle for rebounds, more chasing after loose balls and improved defensive intensity. A once-promising season has come down to Scott trying to weed out anyone he thinks has quit on the team. Scott's frustration reached a climax after Monday's dismal 104-80 loss to the Utah Jazz. The Hornets scored only 28 points in the second half and let Utah shoot 56 percent from the field. "I think a few of those guys in that locker room have quit," Scott said Monday night. "It's disappointing to me; (those guys) won't be here, it's as simple as that. We have no mental or physical toughness on this team right now. It's just hard to watch that; it's hard to watch these young guys that don't understand and don't get it." Scott didn't change his stance before Wednesday's game against the Golden State Warriors. He declined to name the players he thought quit, but he said that if the Hornets have nine players who are soft, then the team is soft. "I figure sometimes you've got to use different tactics to get guys' attention, so they'll start thinking, 'is it me coach is talking about?' " Scott said. "I do truly believe that there are a few guys I'm not going to say quit, but don't care. To me that's even worse." At no time last season, when the Hornets finished 18-64, did Scott say his players had quit. He said they lacked talent, but played much harder than this season's team. "I don't disagree with a lot what Coach says, he's pretty much right on the money about everything," veteran P.J. Brown said. "But I think each individual has to have some sort of pride and willpower in them to not give up on the season or give up in a certain game. "In my opinion, I just think we've just lost some mental toughness. We're not just playing with a lot of hustle and heart right now. That's the biggest difference I see in our team right now." Entering Wednesday, the Hornets had lost 12 of 13 games; since the All-Star break they have a 3-14 record. They have lacked defensive hustle, shot poorly against zone defenses and no one has proven to be a clutch player in the fourth quarter. In each of their three games on their road trip, which started Friday in Chicago, the Hornets have scored 19 points or less in the fourth quarter. "Coaches can tell us what to do a million times, but if we don't execute then we won't be successful," said forward Aaron Williams, who was slowed Wednesday night with a sore Achilles tendon. "I think teams are packing it in on us more so now than earlier. They're forcing us to shoot and take jumpers. We're a good team when our jumpers (fall). When they're not on, we have to find other ways to score. We have the talent to win, but for whatever reason we're not doing it." </div> Source
