VEN - It's not just about scoring for Vasquez

NEW ORLEANS (NBA) - Of all the performances so far in this young, NBA season, one of the most encouraging has to be that of Greivis Vasquez on Wednesday night in a narrow home defeat to San Antonio.

The third-year point guard of the New Orleans Hornets had a busy summer with his Venezuela national team, playing at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Caracas where he wowed the crowd with spectacular performances in which he scored a lot of points but also set up his teammates.

Vasquez and his national team did not advance to the Quarter-Finals at the OQT after winning one of two games, yet he did confirm his status as one of the most exciting talents to come out South America in recent times.

The 25-year-old playmaker did not have the best of pre-seasons with the Hornets, though, and that set alarm bells ringing in the Big Easy.

Yet with one excellent display against a veteran, star-laden Spurs squad, Vasquez seems to have erased any doubts about his ability to run the offense for Hornets coach Monty Williams.

He had 13 assists in the 99-95 home defeat to San Antonio.

Vasquez, on one play, threw a perfect alley-oop pass to Al-Farouq Aminu that the Nigeria international dunked with ferocity.

The presence of Team USA's Anthony Davis, a 2.08m power forward/center, will give Vasquez more opportunities to collect assists this season.

Vasquez can score, which he has done to good effect in his college days at the University Of Maryland, with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Venezuela national team.

With the Hornets, he just wants to do things that allows the team to win games.

He wasn't about to panic after scoring just eight points on four of 11 shooting against the Spurs.

"To me, it's not about scoring," he said.

"I can score and I think I'll get better as the season goes.

"But the most important thing to me is I want to do the job coach wants me to do and that's run the team."

The Hornets have a young squad, and one in which all of the players are not entirely familiar with each other.

The team also has rookie Austin Rivers, a player that has competed for the United States at youth level.

Rivers turned professional after a season at Duke playing for Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski.

The potential is there for the Hornets to have a big season.

"I want to get used to knowing all the guys and getting everybody involved," Vasquez said.

"There's going to be games when I get a lot of assists, or games when I score.

"I've got to adjust to what the other team is giving me."

FIBA