For two games, everything went right for New Orleans.

The Hornets all but shut down Tim Duncan. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, while able to score, were mostly contained.

Photo by Matt Slocum / The Associated Press

San Antonio guard Tony Parker, left, drives to the basket past Hornets guard Chris Paul during the first quarter in Game 4. The Spurs won 100-80.

And then New Orleans’ series with San Antonio moved to Texas and all that happened in the Arena was forgotten. The Spurs troubled the Hornets on offense, scoring at will and using their pick-and-roll to flummox New Orleans.

By the end of San Antonio’s 100-80 drubbing of New Orleans in Game 4, the Spurs had shot nearly 50 percent at home in the two games at the AT&T Center.

So, Hornets head coach Byron Scott went to the players. It’s their turn to decide how to defend the Duncan, Parker, Ginobili and the rest of the beast that is the defending champion, he said.

“I went to them and asked them how they want to play pick-and-rolls and how they want to play Tim Duncan,” Scott said. "I felt in Game 3 and 4, they got away from trusting what we were doing. I pretty much put it in their hands. Whatever we do, they have to feel comfortable out there doing it."

It’s not new concept, though.

Chris Paul, the de facto team leader, said Scott has come to the players several times throughout the year asking the team how it wanted to get out of a defensive funk.

"That’s something we’ve done a lot this season when we have problems,” said Paul, who earned second-team all-NBA defense honors. “Coach lets us decide what we’re comfortable with. It’s something me, David West and Tyson (Chandler) will talk about before the game and figure it out.”

For Chandler, that could mean speaking up and asking to defend Duncan solo. In the two games in New Orleans, the Hornets’ swarming defense held Duncan in check, keeping him to only 5 points and three rebounds in Game 1 and a modest 18 points and eight boards in Game 2.

But in Games 3 and 4, he combined for 38 points and 28 rebounds, becoming a much bigger factor on the blocks.

Additionally, Chandler was in foul trouble in the fourth game, finishing the game with no shots and five fouls. That hasn’t – and won’t – stop him from trying to take on a greater role in defending the Spurs All-Star power forward.

“At times, I want to see what I can do,” Chandler said. “He’s going to a Hall of Famer. He’s probably the best power forward to ever play this game. It’s going to be tough. But I love the matchup.”

Yet, for the sake of doing what’s best for the team, he’s willing to continue playing things as is, rotating on defense and doubling down on Duncan when he receives the ball close to the basket.

“If we’re comfortable getting out and rotating and coach thinks that’s how we’re going to be aggressive, I’ve got a role to play,” Chandler said.

For Scott, letting the players decide is a diplomatic way of trying to find something that the team feels comfortable with. Nevertheless, there’s one requirement for letting the team decide how to defend.

“Bottom line is, whatever we decide to, it has be with an aggressive mindset,” Scott said. “If we don’t do it with an aggressive mindset, it doesn’t matter what we do defensively, we’ll be in trouble.”