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Bradley Handwerger: March 2009 Archives


Power ratings time: Hornets solidly in top 15

3:54 PM Tue, Mar 31, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

New Orleans comes in with several 8's, a 10 and an 11.

For a team that was picked to contend for the NBA title prior to the season, that's not very good with about three weeks to play.

For a team that has had the ridiculous amount of injuries the Hornets have had this season, that's pretty darn good.

Sporting News has NOLA No. 8
>> Continue reading: Power ratings time: Hornets solidly in top 15



Hornets get Daily Dime play on ESPN

10:21 AM Mon, Mar 30, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Each day ESPN.com throws together short stories and stats and videos around the league.

The Hornets cleaned up after Sunday's 90-86 win over the Spurs.

New Orleans' win picked up the No. 2 story on the page, Chris Paul earned the "Sunday's Best" moniker and the Hornets' win is one of the choices in the daily poll.

Not bad for a team that, as of Satur...



Hornets vs. Spurs: Hornets storm to 90-86 win over Spurs

9:44 PM Sun, Mar 29, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

FINAL
Two nights after looking listless in a loss at New York, New Orleans did the unthinkable Sunday night at its home floor - the Hornets beat San Antonio.

New Orleans won 90-86 despite being without three key players. Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic and James Posey all missed the key Southwest Division showdown for New Orleans.

And still, the Hornets prevailed, thanks in large part to another MV...



SI's Thompson: Hornets are team of moment, need to win now

4:51 PM Thu, Mar 26, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Sports Illustrated dispatched illustrious writer Ian Thompson to New Orleans this week for a feature on the Hornets.

I briefly met Thompson while he was in town. He seems nice.

What does that have to do with his story. Not much, other than that it's well-written and I agree - the Hornets need to win now and they need to put ...



Hornets vs Nuggets - Hornets fall 101-88

9:30 PM Wed, Mar 25, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Read Bradley Handwerger's Game Story

Read Bradley Handwerger's Game Column

FINAL
This one hurts.

New Orleans couldn't stop two of Denver's biggest stars - Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups - ...



Hornets' walking wounded

1:06 PM Tue, Mar 24, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Hilton Armstrong is the likeliest of the four injured Hornets to play Wednesday night against Denver, New Orleans Head Coach Byron Scott said following practice Tuesday.

But Scott also said there was a chance all four players - Armstrong, Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic and Ryan Bowen - would be available to play.

All are likely game-time decisions, though we'll find out more tomorrow morning during shootaround.

Stojako...



Hornets' PG CP3 not in MVP talks...here we go again

11:38 AM Mon, Mar 23, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Well, this seems to be a fairly hot topic these days.

New Orleans all-everything point guard Chris Paul appears to have fallen out of favor with yet another national writer in regard to MVP talk.

It's not that Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com thinks CP3 is not good. Quite the contrary. He's just tying any MVP talk to record as much as a...



Hornets vs. Warriors: Hornets hold on, beating Golden State 99-89

8:26 PM Sun, Mar 22, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

FINAL
New Orleans led by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter but watched as Golden State cut into the lead putting the Hornets ahead by as few as nine points late in the game.

But New Orleans held on, winning 99-89.

Much of the thanks goes to Chris Paul's 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, 23 points by David West and a strong early-game performance by Hilton Armstrong, who finished...



Hornets vs Grizzlies: Hornets break away late, win 96-84

9:31 PM Fri, Mar 20, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

FINAL
Chris Paul finished with 32 points, nine assists and five steals and kept New Orleans alive when the team needed it most and the Hornets broke away late to beat Memphis 96-84.

Paul scored 28 of 57 points for the Hornets from the midway point of the second quarter to the 4:07 mark of the fourth.

That was long enough for New Orleans to keep the game close. His 28th point of that stretch gave th...



Peja, Tyson out against Memphis

10:15 AM Fri, Mar 20, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Byron Scott told assembled media at shootaround Friday morning that guard Peja Stojakovic and center Tyson Chandler will miss tonight's game against Memphis.

It'll be the second game Chandler has sat out after his left ankle gave him fits against Houston on Monday night.

"We're going to see if we can get him ready for Sunday and same for Peja," Scott said.

As for Stojakovic, this will mark his ninth-straight game witho...



Hornets vs. Twolves: Hornets win, Hornets win, Hornets win

9:22 PM Wed, Mar 18, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

FINAL
David West had one of his worst nights as a Hornet.

But in the end, the All-Star did what he had to do, making a back-door cut, taking a pass from Chris Paul and explosively throwing down a dunk that gave New Orleans a 94-93 lead with 12.4 seconds to play.

And then the Hornets had to pray.

Minnesota's Randy Foye dribbled to his left, dribbled to his right, then shot over West. The bal...



Hornets raise more than $200K for local charities

11:30 AM Tue, Mar 17, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Each year, New Orleans puts on a fundraiser for local charities called Top Hats and High Tops.

This year, the event raised more than $200,000 that will be distributed through The George Shinn Foundation.

"This year's gala was a huge success," said Shinn, New Orleans' owner. "Our guests were entertained and enjoyed spending an evening talking with our players and we came together for the ultimate goal of raising money to contin...



Hornets vs. Rockets: Hornets fall at home 95-84

9:26 PM Mon, Mar 16, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

FINAL
Not even a big game from Chris Paul could turn this into a win.

Paul's 29 points, 11 assist night weren't enough for New Orleans to overcome Southwest Division rival Houston at the Arena on Monday night as the Hornets fell 95-84.

It's the second consecutive loss for New Orleans and one it could ill afford as it fights for home-court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs.

Ron Ar...



ESPN says CP3 could be best PG ever, already up there with Magic

3:36 PM Wed, Mar 11, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

I've many times told friends how amazed I am at Chris Paul and what he can do night in, night out.

I'm apparently not alone (not that I'd ever think that from listening to MVP chants at the Arena).

ESPN's John Hollinger writes today that Chris Paul might be surpassed by only one player as the best point guard in the history of...



Hornets vs. Thunder: Hornets beat Thunder 108-90

9:23 PM Sat, Mar 07, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

FINAL
It took awhile, but once New Orleans got rolling in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma City could nothing to stop it.

The Hornets won their seventh straight game, beating the Thunder 108-90 in front of the season's 15th sellout crowd at the New Orleans Arena.

Julien Wright made this one happen, finishing with several rim-rattling dunks and many more crowd-pleasing effort plays.

Wright finis...



Peja likely out, JuJu to pick up the start

10:59 AM Sat, Mar 07, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Byron Scott said he didn't think forward Peja Stojakovic would be ready to play tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It would be the second consecutive game Stojakovic would miss with a bum back, which flared up on the Hornets' recent road trip at New Jersey and Philadelphia.

Scott said if Stojakovic couldn't go tonight, Julian Wright would get the start once again.

New Orleans' head coach is just being cautious w...



Hornets vs. Dallas: Hornets win 104-88.

9:44 PM Thu, Mar 05, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

FINAL
New Orleans put down Southwest Division rival Dallas 104-88 behind Chris Paul's 27 points and 15 assists.

And per usual, it was all about CP3, who took over the game midway through the third quarter and didn't let up until he left the game with less than five minutes to play and New Orleans holding a double-figure lead.

David West had 19 points and 10 assists to continue his torrid pace.

...



Shoot around injury report: Peja, Mo game-time decisions; Wright to start

10:29 AM Thu, Mar 05, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

Hornets Head Coach Byron Scott said before Thursday morning's shoot around that he doesn't expect forward Peja Stojakovic to play and that forward Mo Peterson is a game-time decision.

Stojakovic missed the latter part of Monday's game at Philadelphia with back spasms and Scott said the team is being cautious with him in regard to bringing him back too soon. Stojakovic was not at shoot around.

Scott said he thinks Stojakovic's b...



Novel season ticket idea Hornets should look into

1:38 PM Wed, Mar 04, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

We all know the economy is in shambles right now. And it doesn't appear that it's getting any better any time soon.

For the New Orleans Hornets (and lesser so the New Orleans Saints), getting season tickets sold in this type of environment has got to be a hard task.

I know I'm trying to cut back on things I purchase, especially big ticket, expensive, heavy lifting items.

...



Hornets smoking after Chandler's return

2:01 PM Tue, Mar 03, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

At least, that's the opinion of J. A. Adande of ESPN.com.

Yes, the Hornets have won five straight and Chandler has been pivotal in big plays in the last few, but the Bees have had a habit of blowing big leads and then hanging on for wins.

Anyway, Adande attributes much of Chandler's inspired play to the comments of his current teamm...



West deemed steal of 2003 draft

12:00 PM Tue, Mar 03, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

It has been a good week for David West, New Orleans' All-Star forward.

He has led the team in scoring in four of the past five games - all wins.

He was named Western Conference Player of the Week.

And now Blearcherreport.com calls him the steal of the 2003 NBA Draft.

Kind of hard to argue that right now.

>> Continue reading: West deemed steal of 2003 draft



WSJ story on NBA's economic stability

11:35 AM Tue, Mar 03, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

The Wall Street Journal is a business institution, a paper that people turn to when they want to learn or read about what's going on in the business world.

While the sportswriting is some of the best around, it's not always around. Which makes a story on financial stability of the NBA an interesting read.

>> Continue reading: WSJ story on NBA's economic stability



CP3 5th in MVP race according to NBA.com

10:19 AM Mon, Mar 02, 2009 |
Bradley Handwerger

You hear the chants all the time at the New Orleans Arena: "M! V! P! ... M! V! P!"

The cheers, of course, are for Chris Paul, the Hornets' talented and impressive point guard. And while you'll get lots of people to agree he must be in the conversation for league MVP, NBA.com thinks his candidacy isn't as good as four others.