Hornets Slip At Home Against… Grizzlies?

It was one of those games that seemed like a great opportunity for New Orleans.

Things ain’t always what they seem.

With a two-game losing skid and fast-fading playoff hopes despite some incredible play from the rookie guards, the Hornets had to beat Memphis. You can’t sleep when the one team you’re trying to catch for that elusive eighth playoff spot is heading to your house.

Someone hit the snooze.

While the .500 record (now at 31-31 after dropping the last three) for the season will garner plenty of talk in the Big Easy, there was another more curious record set on Wednesday night. The Memphis Grizzlies won a franchise record fifth straight game.

I’ll say that again just so there’s no chance of wide aim with the point I’m making. In a must-win game, at home, against the team that’s laughing down at you from the final playoff perch, the Hornets came up short. Against a team that has been so beatable that winning five games in a row set a damn franchise record, New Orleans couldn’t get it done.

That’s not good. The schedule doesn’t get a lot friendlier. Of course, it would be hard to find a friendlier favor than hosting your sudden rival in this situation.

And what’s worse is that even with a strong night from the duo that has shocked the streets of the French Quarter all season, this team still lacked that spark that separates the postseason bound from the homebodies. There just weren’t enough championship plays.

Darren Collison added 17 points and 14 assists in a Chris Paul impersonation, and Marcus Thornton chimed in with 24. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough when the two combined for 27 of New Orleans’ first half 54. In fact, that was barely more than Mike Conley’s season-high 26.

But that’s about how it went for the Bees. Trailing for the majority of the first three quarters, Peja Stojakovic finally gave New Orleans their first lead with a layup that made it 70-69 with 3:08 left in the third. It only came after Memphis missed 14 free throws. It didn’t last.

Emeka Okafor played only 15 minutes following early foul trouble, David West blocked five shots but even a career-high there proved to be less than the salve they were hunting.

And that’s how this season has gone, is going, and now likely will go. Close, but no cigar. A prayer, but no church. Collison and Thornton, but no CP3.

And hopefully, with the playoff chances dwindling, smoke but no fire. Not yet.

Hornets Mid-Season Review, Part I

It’s the mid-season, the All-Star break.  And since it’s Valentine’s Day in two days, I thought I’d skip the candy and give you what you really want (plus, let’s not lie, you’ve been looking awfully fat in those pants lately, chocolate is no longer your friend) and fix you up with a two-part review of the Hornets’ season so far.

Enjoy.

Team MVP
It hasn’t been his best season, mostly due to the fact that he can’t seem to stay healthy, but there’s really no competition when it comes to which Hornet is most valuable to the success of the team. Chris Paul is this team. That’s not a knock on the other guys, it’s a testament to how important Paul is. Without him, they’re a scrappy group of youngsters coupled with some decent vets that fights hard in spite of often coming up short, but with him this team is playoff-caliber good. There simply isn’t another player on the roster that makes more of an impact on the court.

Biggest Fantasy Disappointment
Is the universe going to implode if I list Chris Paul in both categories? If the Saints’ win didn’t do it, I’ll take my chances. This is an iffy call, but considering I didn’t have high fantasy expectations for too many other guys on the team, it’s got to be Paul. Simply because of the time he’s missed. I hate to call him a disappointment, because the effort is there, but it’s impossible to get the kind of production expected of him when he’s likely to be in street clothes for a while.

Biggest Fantasy Surprise
Have to give it to Darren Collison. He’s played well all season, but only recently has he become a must-have fantasy point guard. His numbers are nice, and he’s been on fire since the end of January. Unfortunately, his fantasy boon is CP3’s fantasy doom. As long as Paul is on the bench (likely another month, maybe more), Collison is a stud.

Post All-Star expectations
It’s tough to be optimistic with Chris Paul expected to miss around 20 more games. Especially considering New Orleans is only 3-4 since his latest injury and 7-7 without him on the year. That’s not horrible, but it’s not enough for a postseason berth. Still, this team has been scrappy in recent wins over Boston, Charlotte, and Memphis. If the remaining Hornets can keep this club a few games over .500 until Paul returns, then there’s a definite chance of sneaking into the playoffs at the end. Tough to imagine a team that’s been through the turmoil of losing their coach, trading some big name players, and losing their leader to injury finishing strong, but if these guys learned anything from the Saints it’s that anything’s possible.

Hornets Avoid Luxury Tax, Trade Guards Brown

Later, Devin. Hopefully you wont be missed.

At one point last summer, the Hornets had the highest payroll in the NBA. Hovering somewhere above $77 million, with a roster heavy on guards, this was a Yankees-esque roster. Seems like a long time ago.

And now, after trading seldom-used backup point guard Bobby Brown, the Hornets are sitting svelte, coming in right below the predicted luxury tax limit.

The worth of a backup PG who averaged 6.6 ppg and 2.1 assists per game is apparently a conditional 2014 second round pick. Not too shabby. Who knows, by 2014, this team may be light on guards. And I’m willing to bet this pick will net a better player. That’s not to take away from Bobby. I’ve got nothing against him, and he’s done well enough when counted on in 22 games this season, but the necessity of sliding under the luxury tax limit far outweighs any contributions he’s made.

Of course, Bobby wasn’t the only Brown shipped out of the Big Easy at likely the worst time to leave this city. With Mardi Gras around the corner, the Saints in the Super Bowl, and believe it or not no signs of Kanye West anywhere, this is a hell of a time to live in New Orleans.

I’m getting off point. Shooting guard Devin Brown was traded to the Bulls for center Aaron Gray yesterday nearly a month after an attempted swap with Minnesota was kiboshed by Devin’s refusal to drop a portion of his salary.

It’s no secret that the Hornets need some help in the frontcourt. Time after time during the last ten games, the Hornets have seen the rebound numbers tip dangerously in favor of their opponents. Sure, we’ve still been winning, but why win with fewer boards when you can win with more? Pretty philosophical stuff.

And it’s not like Devin has been lighting the world on fire either. He’s been outplayed by rookie Marcus Thornton for most of the season offensively, and his defensive skills just weren’t enough to convince New Orleans to loose anyone else.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s GM/Coach Jeff Bower:

“We felt it was an opportunity to add a player to our front line that has very good size, ” Hornets Coach/General Manager Jeff Bower said. “We think with his size he’s the type of player who can add something different to our front line.

“And his mind-set of coming here with something to prove is the type of attitude we like as well. We think it also will put Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison in an increased role which we’re confident about and like the possibilities that has, as well.”

Sounds good to me. I’d love to see Thornton and Collison in an increased role, as long as Thornton picks up his own slack on D. And, of course, as long as Gray uses that “something to prove” mentality to actually prove that this was a smart move. That would help.

In the end, the trade of Devin Brown and his $1.1 million salary left the Hornets nearly $425,000 over the threshold. Which led to the arrival of a 2014 draft pick, the departure of Bobby, and a nice, attractive $5 million bonus from the league for being fiscally responsible.

One more time, Jeff Bower:

“With today’s move, we put ourselves in a position that is under the luxury-tax threshold while preserving our ability to maximize our results on the court and keeping our core intact, ” Coach/General Manager Jeff Bower said in a statement released by the Hornets.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Well, maybe.

Hornets BUZZer Beater, Kind Of.

This is what Chris Paul looked like years before beating Portland tonight.

Okay, so it wasn’t a buzzer beater in the traditional sense. But technically, Chris Paul’s 16-foot jumper with three ticks left on the clock did beat the buzzer. Apparently, three seconds early is a charm.

In a back and forth game that seemed destined to fall into the laps of the homecourt Trailblazers, the Hornets simply wouldn’t quit.

Sound familiar? It should. For the second time in two days, a New Orleans squad knocked off a determined opponent that probably feels sheepish about losing. And why not? The Trailblazers have been defying some odds of their own lately. Dealing with a few injuries, this team has copied a New Orleans blueprint for success with less — make plays.

But on a night when all of the bourbon-reddened eyes of the Big Easy were stuck in the past, Paul reminded everyone in Louisiana that there’s another sport to watch for the next two weeks. Left wide open at the free throw line, CP3 drained it giving the Hornets a 98-97 lead.

Sure, 24-20 is exactly what it sounds like — four games over .500 with 38 contests left. But this January is turning into something special. Drew Brees special? No, not yet. But this season mirrors the Saints’ history at least a little. Started off poorly. Written off early. Coaching changes that are laughed at. Finding a way to look outclassed against subpar competition.

But since the return of Paul, the Hornets are a different team. Since the beginning of 2010, they’re 10-4. And with three dangerously beatable teams left before Groundhog Day, a 13 win month is looking good.

It looks even better when you realize that by beating Golden State, Chicago, and Memphis the Hornets might be back in the eight-seed-spot. Hear that Grizzlies? Tell Winny the Poo to stay the hell away from this hive. There’s no honey here. Only momentum.

Hornets Building… Buzz?

Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Hornets are two games above .500.

Yes, the same team that fired their coach before the season reached 20 games.

Yes, the same team that watched as their unquestioned leader and best player missed time at the most crucial moment.

Yes, the same team that had been written off as a playoff afterthought.

Not anymore.

The New Orleans Hornets are 18-16.  That’s better than the Miami Heat.  It’s slightly better than the Utah Jazz.  It’s a world better than anyone thought the Bees would be 34 games into the season.  But public opinion rarely matters in sports.  No one on this team will be content.  They didn’t buy in to the insults when losing was a ritual, and they certainly won’t relax now that a few eyes have opened and praising them is becoming just rare enough to be cool.

There’s actually no reason to believe that the rest of January won’t go the same way.  Of the 12 teams left to play this month, the Hornets have already played eight of them.  Their record against those teams?  7-3.  And the four they haven’t played have a combined record of 51-88.  In fact, only one of those teams has a winning percentage better than .353 (the Grizzlies are 18-17… watch out).

Of the three losses, two were on the road against teams (San Antonio and Chicago) that must now travel to a reborn New Orleans Arena.  It’s a different place now.  The kind of advantage it used to be.  In fact, the Hornets haven’t lost in the Big Easy since a December 11th aberration to the Knicks.  You have to go all the way back to November 13th to find the next home loss.  That’s a 12-1 home record since mid-November.

So go ahead and be tentative if you want.  But an undefeated January isn’t as impossible as you might think.  The Hornets play only four teams with winning records (that includes the aforementioned 18-17 Grizz).  They get the Spurs at home.  Beating Denver and Portland in their homes has proven difficult, but Philadelphia went Mile High and knocked off the Nuggets, while Memphis found a way to upset Portland in Oregon.

Right now, it’s all about keeping the momentum going.  This team has aged past a mere 34 games.  They’ve been through a season’s worth of controversy, obstacles, and naysayers in only two months time.  And with a nod to the scheduling Gods, I’ll happily set my sights on at least a 27-20 record when February rolls around.

New Orleans Hornets @ Dallas Mavericks

Finally a team whose number we have. The Mavericks. Okay, scratch that. One win at home earlier in a season that seems to already be in its tenth or eleventh stanza does not equal ownership. But it could help.

If you really want to check the books, the Mavericks technically own the Hornets, at least in Dallas. Nowitzki and co. are currently riding a 13-game home winning streak over Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. Not a great omen. Read the rest of this entry »

Diogu Out for Season

Forward Ike Diogu will undergo season-ending micro-fracture surgery on his left knee.

So, obviously, he won’t be back for tonight’s game against the New York Knicks. Of course, Diogu had yet to play for the Hornets anyway.

Now New Orleans will be sans one never-used backup when they try to extend their winning streak to four at home tonight.

The Knicks have the same goal. Both teams enter this one on hot streaks and looking to keep the momentum going. The return of Chris Paul, coupled with surprising adept coaching, has the Hornets looking more and more like a playoff team. They’re definitely more talented than New York.

But talent alone won’t win tonight’s game. If the Hornets want to take the next step they need to continue the smooth management of minutes between Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton, and Devin Brown. Do that, and tonight’s game should be an easy one. Should be…

Paul’s Ankle Fully Healed

Chris Paul played almost 40 minutes in Friday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

His return was much anticipated, but after receiving no timetable for his injury, many were still wondering whether or not he’d been rushed back, or if he was risking another aggravation of the ankle. But Paul was vintage on Friday, scoring 16 points, tossing 15 dimes, nabbing eight steals, and adding six boards.

On Sunday, he was just as healthy. Paul returned to the practice floor yesterday with no residual effects from the ailment.

Hornets @ Lakers Preview: Peja Likely Out Again

Peja Stojakovic will likely miss tonight’s game at the Los Angeles Lakers.

The small forward missed the most recent loss against the Sacramento Kings due to an illness afflicting a family member. There’s not much more info than that, but the loss of Peja certainly hurts New Orleans’ chances in a game that already seemed more than a bit out of reach.

Of course, with Peja’s recent resurgence, anything was possible. The Hornets beat the Hawks and Suns with Stojakovic’s sharp-shooting, and the Lakers were close to becoming a rival only a season and a half ago. Since that time, LA has won a world championship. New Orleans has lost their coach, their playoff series, and their best player. Now, we’ve lost a guy who was vying to fill that role in Chris Paul’s absence. Read the rest of this entry »

Who are These Guys?

Now that the somewhat miraculous, somewhat uncanny, three-game winning streak has come to an end, it’s safe to talk about it.

I’m not overly superstitious, but with all that’s happened in New Orleans this season, why take the chance?

But it’s over now, if only by a point, and shooting straight is a trait I’ll now gladly share with the team. Three wins over three teams with a combined 28-15 record is some pretty staunch evidence that this team isn’t done, isn’t out, isn’t giving up. Not yet. Read the rest of this entry »