He said they were unbelievably good and had a fantastic year.
"I don't think there's any doubt their time will come," he said. "They were something else. We were fortunate."
]]>Chris Paul fouled out and Jannero Pargo had a great fourth. But nothing was enough to overcome an experienced and determined San Antonio.
It's the first time the Spurs have ever come back from an 0-2 series deficit. New Orleans still has never moved into the Conference finals.
]]> (End 4th)I'm heading downstairs for interviews.
(2:59 4th Quarter)
Jannero Pargo, silent for 3 quarters, has caught fire. He has 13 points this quarter and is keeping New Orleans' hopes of advancing alive.
Down 15 at the end of the third, New Orleans is now down 81-77 with 2:59 to play.
I still don't know. They certainly need a defensive stop right now. That would be...key.
(8:32 4th Quarter)
Is it too late for New Orleans to come back? It was down 15 at the break and shooting 39 percent for the game. The Hornets hit only two 3-pointers in the first three quarters. San Antonio hit 11.
Now, to open the fourth, New Orleans looks like it has some life in its legs. But it has to come up with stops on defense. Tony Parker is still getting the shots he wants and making them.
Though Jannero Pargo is starting to make shots for New Orleans, if there are no stops on defense, the lead can't get cut down.
Can it happen?
(End 3rd)
The Hornets look stagnant on offense. And that's not a good thing, especially since the team got some good defensive stops in the third.
And in the all important third quarter in this series, San Antonio outscored the Hornets 20-14, thanks largely to some big shots by Michael Finley and New Orleans' favorite Spur Robert Horry. Finley hit two treys while Horry hit one down the stretch.
New Orleans won't win if it can't figure out how to get the ball to go through the hoop. And I know that's obvious, but it's important to say. The defense was doing its part for most of the third, and heck, even most of the game.
But New Orleans' offense has been dormant. They left it behind in Game 5, apparently, and forgot to take it to the airport to go to San Antonio. The offense being lonely while the team was away apparently hitchhiked out of town.
The Spurs have hit 11 3's and have double-digit advantage in rebounds. So, there you go.
OK readers, what happens? How do the Hornets get it going? Is there enough time left to turn things around?
(some time in the 3rd)
Quick from Scott Cody:
"You keep allowing offensive rebounds. I thought in the first half, offensive rebounds was the product of long misses. but they're getting to everything.
"On the other end of the floor, the Hornets aren't attacking the rim at all. It's one and done for the Hornets and two and three and done for the Spurs."
I agree with Scott. The thing that has stood out to me the most is the Spurs ability for the offensive rebound in this game. It seems that everything is going San Antonio's way tonight.
But hey, New Orleans didn't set a franchise record for wins in a season by giving in.
Can the Hornets come back?
(Halftime)
So, building on my last post, Manu Ginobili has 14 points, 11 coming in the second quarter. Find a way to stop him, New Orleans, and you'll certainly have a better chance to win.
The bench is giving New Orleans nothing, contributing one point, that one thanks to Melvin Ely.
Byron Scott hasn't asked the bench of much, but they haven't responded.
This crowd is dying to get into the game. Get the crowd into the game and this one could go the direction the city wants.
That said, New Orleans trailed by four in the series opener before winning 101-82. the Hornets trailed by one in Game 2 before winning 102-84. In New Orleans' Game 5 win, the Hornets trailed by three and won 101-79.
I'm all about the positive energy here, folks.
What are your thoughts?
(:57.5 2nd Q)
Here's a hint. Find Ginobili. He's 4 of 7 from behind the arc. He's making it when he's throwing the ball up. New Orleans' defense has to be aware of the guy.
Hey fans, you got an idea how to stop him?
(2:44 2nd Quarter)
Well, we have our answer. The Spurs answered with a quick 5-0 run that could be 6-0 pending a Tony Parker free throw.
The Hornets need to find a way to sustain the momentum they're gaining with runs.
It looks, to me, like New Orleans is waiting for something to happen. Don't wait. Go for it.
(3:31 2nd Quarter)
How do you get New Orleans to get loud? Let CP3 take over and then let Peja hit a 3 then let Mo Pete hit a 3.
A 12-0 run has given NOLA a 37-36 lead. Let's see if it can continue.
(midway 2nd Q)
Ric Flair is in the house and fans loved it. Unfortunately, he came on about the time CP3 was shooting free throws.
Paul missed both. Omen? Maybe.
SA missed a shot, then Peja came alive with a trey. Omen? Maybe.
(8:47 2nd Quarter)
It has got to be said. The Hornets fast breaks in this game have been pretty bad. Bonzi Wells makes a steal, then misses a lay-up WWL-TV's web producers could make. Chris Paul makes a great steal then throws the ball away.
In the first quarter, Paul went flying down the floor only to bobble the ball at the basket.
The Hornets need to get control of themselves and remember this is just a game, the same way they played and won 56 times in the regular season.
A penny for your thoughts...
End 1st Quarter
Not really sure what to say about this one. I don't get the feeling the Spurs are running away. I don't get the feeling the Hornets are playing horribly.
I do know this crowd is ready to explode, be it for the Hornets or for when the Spurs put in Robert Horry.
But enough about what I, Bradley Handwerger, think.
What does WWL ace Scott Cody say about the first quarter.
Says he -
"I thought the Hornets came out with the type of intensity and aggressivness that's lacking sometimes. You can tell they had some nerves. One fast break CP bobbles it. Chandler bobbles and ally oop.
"All in all, they're doing everything defensively they want. I don't think the Spurs can continue hitting the shots they're hitting right now in this Arena.
"And it's not necessarily that bad to be down at halftime. They've trailed in the other (wins)."
He's a smart man, that Scott Cody.
(3:45 1st Quarter)
Harkening back to good ol' Game 1 shenanigans, we're at a timeout here called by neither team.
Why?
The floor is wet. Now, we're 8 minutes into the game and the players can't be sweating that much.
Hmm. At least no fire extinguishers were used in the making of this timeout.
Famous sighting No. 2 and 3: Brian McKnight, he's a singer, and Bow Wow, who, according to the PA announcer is a triple threat. I don't know what that means.
(5:43 1st Quarter)
Early on, this is a good one. Back and forth, both teams playing hard.
The key right now is this:
1) The Spurs have hit only one 3-pointer. The Hornets need to rotate onto the open Spur to keep them from making more.
2) More importantly right now, Chris Paul's hands are active on defense and David West is active on offense, showing no effects of the back injury he sustained Thursday night in San Antonio.
No famous people sighted right now at this break other than Juan Kincaid and Jim Henderson.
Best sign so far : "Tony, tell Eva to stop calling me."
Six minutes in, it's 14-11 Hornets. Do you think this pace will keep up? What do you, the reader, see happening the rest of this quarter?
------
Well, as suspected and reported, no injuries for either team. That includes David West, who is warming up like nothing is wrong.
As long as he doesn't get another forearm to the back, he should be fine.
Famous person sighting No. 1: Sean Payton. You may know him as the Saints head coach. We all have come to know him as the lovable Hornets fan who can. Put on the spot on the DAKTRONICS screen above midcourt, Payton went with the flow and threw on his white Fan Up! New Orleans shirt.
]]>But why have the Celts played two games since the Hornets last played? Why did the Hornets and Spurs get three full days off? After having three days off, why will the Hornets or Spurs be forced to rush to L.A. to play Wednesday after what figures to be a draining Game 7.
I know the answer is TV, but I don't understand the reasoning. You mean a doubleheader of Game 7's on Sunday wouldn't have drawn fans? You mean TNT's Law and Order Marathon Sunday night drew more viewers than a Hornets-Spurs Game 7 would have.
I can't look a gift horse in the mouth, because David West certainly could use the extra time to heal.
Now, this may have been explained somewhere, but when the media asked Byron Scott about it last week, prior to Game 6, he didn't know the reason.]]>
One thing Hollinger does question is why David West was still in the game to get injured when the Hornets were down 21 in the fourth quarter, he had a back back and hadn't been effective.
]]>Doyel correctly points out that the Hornets blew their cool and that Scott rolled the dice by playing Paul, Chandler and West for almost all of the first three quarters, but while most writers have been giving the Hornets a pass for being young and playoff inexperienced, Doyel seems to be expecting the Bulls of the early 90s.
The Hornets may yet lose Game 7, but with three and a half days off before the next tip, I hardly think they left it all on the court.
]]>Smith does think the younger, more athletic Hornets can't be had in Game 7 by the Spurs in New Orleans.
Quick note... Robert Horry just put David West down hard. West was slow to get up and left the game. Don't think that won't be an issue Monday night. What's the NBA word for beanball?
]]>Bum Phillips once said on an NFL Films classic mic'd up... "That's four holding penalties on one football team in a quarter and half... it ain't funny!"
Once again the refs have made themselves part of this series with five foul calls in less than a minute and a half span on the Hornets, capped off with a technical against David West. It ain't funny.
West plays at his best when he's angry. 8:05 to play in the third. Let's watch...
All of that foul mess coupled with Manu Ginobli's impression of Larry Bird this quarter... and the Spurs lead still just 9. It could be MUCH worse.
It got much worse... the Hornets go cold... nothing falls in the final 4:43 of the quarter. San Antonio takes a 15 point lead (their largest of the game) into the 4th.
I just saw Popovich on his cell setting up dinner plans for Sunday night in New Orleans. Game 7 in NOLA... I'll bring ear plugs
]]>