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Hornets BLOG |
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January 2009
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March 2008 ArchivesSorry for the lateness of this attendance update. You've likely seen it elsewhere, but if not, it's a good one. Remember, the average isn't taken from the beginning of the season. it's taken from Dec. 1, 2007, the date the latest contract states the Hornets must average 14,735 through the end of the '08-'09 season. The last home game came against Boston on Sat., March 22. That game drew a seas... Marc Stein of ESPN and Dirk Nowitzki think the MVP race is between two players - the Hornets' Chris Paul and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant - and they both think it could depend on how the two teams finish. ...You read that headline correctly. A Cleveland writer has been convinced - courtesy of Paul's performance against the Cavs - that CP3 is the MVP over his hometown guy LeBron. He's probably right, but I'm sure the home folks there aren't happy. ...
Really, just read his latest column. He's virtually gushing over Chris Paul and crediting this team with saving pro basketball in New Orleans. Still, he thinks they are a year away and predicts them to fall in the second round of the playoffs. But read it...he couldn't possibly fawn over a team more. ...The Hornets continue to build positive energy, and as such, the NBA announced Thursday the franchise will play two preseason games in Barcelona, Spain and Berlin, Germany in October. On Oct. 14, the Hornets will play the Wizards in Berlin, and three days later, will play Washington again, this time in Barcelona. Chris Paul was named the NBA's Player of the Week ini the West for a recent series of impressive outings against some of the league's best. ...Marc Stein of ESPN has the the Hornets 2nd in the power rankings to the Celtics. Yes, the Hornets did beat Boston, but the Celts have been mighty darned impressive, and have owned the West. One slipup to the Hornets can be forgiven, now, if the Hornets beat them again this week... NBA.com also has the Hornets second after recent wins ov... It's looking more and more certain that the Hornets will be in the NBA playoffs but it's likely that some team in the West will make history with 50 wins or close to 50 wins and no playoff spot. The most troubling thing is that 50 wins would get a 3rd or 4th seed in the East. ...Just another example of how the Hornets aren't taken seriously even after going through an ultra-tough six-game stretch and losing only once. J.A. Adande's column on who should be MVP not only doesn't have Paul as a leading candidate it doesn't mention his name in the entire column.. He isn't even in the conversation... Last night's sellout saw something special - the Hornets, after scoring 16 points in the first quarter, held Houston to 69. That included giving up only 25 second-half points, tying a franchise record for fewest points given up in a second half. It also was the eighth sellout of the season, and seventh in the past 12. Adding 17,956 fans to the coffers, the average is now 14,219, not too far sh... Don't get the Hornets mad. As ESPN's John Hollinger points out, the Hornets are angry when you stir their nest as Rafer Alston did with his comments slighting David West. ...The Hornets are going new age marketing with a web site to tout Chris Paul for MVP. ...
At least according to the San Jose Mercury News. They say that Warriors coach Don Nelson would like to face the Hornets in round 1 because they think they would match up well. The Mercury News writer tends to agree. ...Okay, so it's not official, but at least one guy who knows something says that so far Byron Scott is the guy though he did add that Rick Adelman and the hard-charging Rockets are a close second. ...After Monday's Chicago game drew 14,133 fans, the Hornets gained two people in their average attendance. It's now at 14,085. The big thing is that Monday's attendance was above weekday (Mon-Thurs games) average for the Hornets. Including Monday night's game, that number is 13,426. The weekend (Fri-Sun games) average is now 14,746, and the Arena has sold out for... I'm old enough to remember Pistol Pete putting on a show at game's end - on those occasions when the Jazz won - by shooting and passing and making the other teams dizzy. Monday night, Chris Paul's fourth quarter reminded me of Maravich. The Hornets were sleepwalking through what looked to be a forgettable loss to Chicago when Paul must have said, 'the heck with this, I haven't hoofed it three quarters on a bum ankle to lose this game.'... Marc Stein of ESPN has them 6th, up one spot. ESPN's John Hollinger has them 9th. ...Well, Friday night's ubersellout crowd saw a tremendous basketball game with some high-flying acrobatics - both by the Hornets and by the Chicago boys acrobatic team, or whatever their name was. A 2007-08 record 18,199 fans saw New Orleans beat Los Angeles 108-98 Friday night. And that pushed the average attendance at home games since Dec. 1 past 14,000. It's now 14,083. The agreement ... The Lakers have apparently had some trouble with penetrating point guards recently so a road trip featuring several of the league's best - including Chris Paul - is definitely a challenge. ...
From the Associated Press: The NBA has suspended San Antonio's Bruce Bowen for one game. It's his punishment for kicking the Hornets' Chris Paul during Wednesday night's loss to New Orleans. Bowen will sit out tonight's game at Detroit, ending the longest consecutive games streak in the league at 500. Besides his streak, Bowen will lose about $373,000. ...Two poundings at the hands of the Hornets have Spurs' head coach Greg Popovich singing the Hornets praises. ...Wednesday night wasn't a sellout in the New Orleans Arena despite the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs coming to town. It didn't even help that the Hornets and Spurs are locked in a battle with Houston for the division title. OK, that's not exactly true. The total was 16,319 fans, well above the weekday average. But still not a sellout. So, the current tally now for an average after 26 games is ... In ESPN's power ratings the Hornets held or ascended slightly after a 3-1 week. This week will tell the tale if they leap back into the top 5 or fall from the top 10. ...In ESPN's power ratings the Hornets held or ascended slightly after a 3-1 week. This week will tell the tale if they leap back into the top 5 or fall from the top 10. ...It's been said ad nauseum but the Hornets will find out what they are made of in this current stretch during which they face the hottest teams in the west - Houston, San Antonio and the Lakers, along with the East's best two teams - Detroit and Boston (twice). A .500 mark would be good, but might cost them ground. ...For the second time this season, ABC has picked up a Hornets game to broadcast to the nation. It certainly helps that New Orleans is playing well this season. New Orleans will host Golden State on April 6, and thanks ABC, it'll also host the nation. Tipoff is set for noon, a change from the original 6 p.m. time. CST won't televise the game anymore, though, because of an ABC-NBA contract. “We are honored and proud to onc... One week after the Hornets recorded two straight sellouts, the Arena saw one sellout and one below-average attended game. But the end result was a gain of nearly 100 fans to their average this season. And yes, I know, I read the Times-Picayune story recently saying team owner George Shinn is looking for a new deal that would make the attendance null-and-void in regards to staying in Louisiana. You know what? No new deal is in ... ESPN says that the Hornets appear to have the toughest road ahead among the teams in the West trying to make the playoffs. They also think that a 50-win team could fail to make the playoffs. ...The Sunday, March 16 game between the Hornets and Pistons in Detroit has been moved up to 2:30 p.m. and will be a national broadcast on ABC. The league pushed back the start time of a game between Dallas and the Heat and removed it from the national TV lineup. It's probably as much a recognition of the excitement of Chris Paul, TC and the Hornets as it is the fact that the Heat, who are heavily on a national schedule, have coll... Chris "Bird Man" Andersen signed a one-year contract with the Hornets following his two-year suspension from the league for a drug violation. If healthy and in shape, he could provide some athleticism and energy. ...Just about a month ago, the Hornets were atop almost all power ratings, now it seems almost universal that the Hornets are beginning their annual second half slump. John Hollinger ranks them 10th, while Marc Stein has them ranked 8th. They had just better turn things around NOW, because this is suppo...
In an attempt to lure, presumably the Sonics, Oklahoma City is contemplating funding for improvements to the Ford Center and money for a practice facility. ... |
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