Hornets Advance/500th Post!!

First, I'd like to state with great pride that we have just reached our 500th post! Hard to believe we've been writing for almost a year now. Anyway, you don't care about that so I'll get to the point.

My New Orleans Hornets have advanced from a 7-game playoff series for the first time in franchise history and they did it in dominating fashion by taking the series from the Dallas Mavericks in 5 games. After seeing the Hornets dominate game 1 (particularly Chris Paul), I definitely knew this was our series to lose. People just don't get how dangerous the Hornets are. I think the world now knows what Chris Paul is capable of, Peja is still the beastly 3-pt/FT shooter that he always was, David West is quietly one of the best forwards in the game and Tyson Chandler has really blossomed into a top notch center with the Hornets since his trade from the Bulls. Not only that, but Jannero Pargo has been explosive off the bench for New Orleans as well. As long as the team stays healthy and hits the shots they're supposed to make, they will be a formidable opponent for whoever they may face.

While the whole team has been dominant, this series (as I alluded to before) was really a coming out party for Chris Paul. He had 30+ pts and 10+ assists in his first two games and concluded the series tonight with a triple-double. The kid is sick and can flat out play. Simply put, he has it. He'll slice through defenses and hit those shots that nobody is expected to make. Not only that but he always finds the open man. He has (or almost had) 10 assists by halftime in Game 5. No easy task. He really showed that he's much more of a point guard that Jason Kidd is right now. Sure, Kidd is still a good player, but he's also an ass and can't move like he once did. CP3 will be one helluva player for years to come. He's just one of those guys that you can't find an answer to.

CP3 was even kind enough to give Dirk Nowitzki a lift
en route to his triple-double. My guess is he slam dunked it with Dirk
still on his back. (AP)

While the best part of this story is the Hornets finally proving their legitimacy to the world, one can't help but look at the demise in Dallas. The trade for Jason Kidd is looking to be an extremely foolish move at this point. They traded away Devin Harris, one heck of a young player along with 2 1st round draft picks for a Jason Kidd that looks pretty washed up at this point. He's also looked like a moron, especially with his ejection in Game 4 for slamming Jannero Pargo to the ground. One other problem I had with this series is the amount of respect I lost for Dirk Nowitzki. He's been one of my favorite players for a while but he just rubbed me the wrong way this series. Every time a player all but tapped him, he'd go down flailing his arms and legs like a guy diving in soccer would. Granted, his is from soccer friendly Germany but that's obviously no excuse. Grow up and stop acting like a baby. Yeah, you were probably the best player for your team all series long, but still. Also, what's gonna happen with the Dallas franchise? Mark Cuban has a lot of big decisions to make. It seems like they might have to retool or even fire their head coach, Avery Johnson. Do I think he should be fired? No. Do I think he will be? Maybe. He did the most with what he had but they ran into a very tough New Orleans team.

Mark Cuban fails yet again. Perhaps an epic fail this time? (AP...though I take full credit for that added fail)

With the Spurs up next, there's no time for down time. Hopefully they can pull it off. All I know is that it should probably take a more complete game to defeat the defending champs but I definitely think that they can do it. This is a special Hornets team we have here, and it's finally one actually worth cheering for.

GO HORNETS!!

Will It Continue to Last?

Astonishingly, my New Orleans Hornets currently sit atop the Western Conference. Yes, the NBA Western Conference that has been rough on many, many teams over the past decade. At 29-12, the Hornets are easily off the best start in franchise history, going back to the Charlotte days. While many people might be surprised by this recent surge, it should not come as a surprise at all to Hornet fans. Last year, the Hornets got off to a blazing start (9-3 or something) before injuries to their top 4 players (Peja Stojakovic, Chris Paul, David West, and Tyson Chandler) crushed their playoff hopes as they ended the season at 39-43. This year, they got off to that blazing start again...and have stayed healthy. The Hornets have an incredibly deep roster and one of the last 'high school to NBAers' Tyson Chandler is developing into and incredible force at center. CP3 is easily one of the (if not the) best PG in the West, Peja is continuing to hit his 3s, and David West another double-double machine at PF. Being able to call guys like Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo off the bench and watching them score in the double digits night after night is certainly a comforting thing for all Hornet fans. If this team stays healthy, the sky is the limit.

Not only do they look good next year, if they can keep the core of this team together, the Hornets will be force to be reckoned with for years to come. Chandler is 25, Chris Paul is 22, David West is 27 and even Peja isn't that old at 30 (it seems like he has been playing for years and years).

Chris Paul leading the Hornets up the court against the Bobcats on Jan. 18, 2008

I (and other PSUers down in New Orleans for the American Meteorological Society Conference) had the pleasure of attending a Hornets game on Friday (Jan 18). For me, this was incredibly exciting as I have never seen the Hornets play a home game. I have seen them play at Madison Square Garden and in New Jersey...I even saw their last game ever played as the Charlotte Hornets (they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semis @NJ in 2002). Finally seeing them at home was a treat. Seeing them annihilate their former namesake, the Charlotte Bobcats, was even more entertaining.

The Hornets watching yet another basket go in during a 112-84 drubbing of the Bobcats

The beatdown got so bad that the Hornets barely played any starters (if any at all) during the 4th quarter and virtually turned the game into a slam dunk contest. While it has been smooth sailing for the Hornets of late (14 wins in their last 16 games including 6 in a row), they will be tested this weekend. On Saturday, they travel to division rival San Antonio for what promises to be an exciting game. After that, they have home dates against Denver and Golden State before traveling to face Utah and current Western #2, Phoenix.

Go Hornets. Keep it up.

(Knocking on wood to avoid jinxing them like I did earlier this season)

All Photos taken by me (E)

Western Conference Contender???

Think fast...who has the best record in the NBA Western Conference? San Antonio?

Ok, you guessed right. But only half right.

Somebody else is currently tied atop the Western Conference standings 10 games into the young NBA season with those Spurs. That team is none other than my beloved New Orleans Hornets (8-2). To many people this may come as somewhat of a surprise. To those that know the terrible luck New Orleans has had with injuries over the past couple of years, it shouldn't.

In previous years, the Hornets were always somewhat of a 'sleeper' team in the West, but could never amount to anything due to injuries and very streaky play. Now, with a healthy lineup (knock on wood), they're showing the NBA what they are capable of. The starting lineup the put on the floor is very impressive, and highly underrated. They have one of the best PGs in the game in Chris Paul starting in the back court with veteran Morris Peterson. For forwards, they have the old, but still effective 3-point assassin (as long as he's not hurt) Peja Stojakovic and the young and very effective (as long as he's not hurt) David West. On top of that, they have Tyson Chandler, a 7'1 monster at center. That combination along with a solid bench has been giving the opposition fits so far this year.

The Hornets' ability to spread the ball around has also been key. All 5 starters average between 10.2-18.6 ppg while Chris Paul leads the NBA with a sick 10.6 assists per game. With that balance, they've gone 5-1 on road so far (road games being a weakness in the past) with two of those road wins coming against solid teams in Los Angeles (v. Lakers) and Denver. If the Hornets can keep up the pace (and stay healthy!!), the sky is the limit for them. Having San Antonio and Dallas in same division is certainly no fun, but they have the talent to keep pace throughout the year.

Hopefully they'll still be in the thick of the Southwest Division race when I head down to New Orleans at the end of January to cheer them on.......I mean attend a conference.......