I know. I know. The Saints are 6-0 and the city of New Orleans could burn, and while the fires are being put out everyone would be asking about the latest Saints news. Black and Gold fever is extremely high. Still the NBA season is underway, with the Hornets beginning a new campaign Wednesday night in San Antonio.
“I would rather play Morningside High School so we can get a win, and go on to the next game,” said head coach Byron Scott laughing in reference to taking on his old high school team. “I think if you’re a true competitor you want to play against the best. San Antonio has been one of the best teams in this league for a decade or so. We know that they’re going to be tough. It’s going to be a tough game against them, and we’ve had tough games against them for the past two or three seasons.”
“I’m expecting a real tough game. I’m excited though,” says Hornets point guard Chris Paul. “You know you want to win, you don’t want to take any games for granted. You think about this first game right here it could mean a lot late in February, March and April and stuff. It’s all about trying to get us mentally prepared.”
The excitement of a new season definitely has been palpable at the Allario Center on the west bank. One can also sense the anxiousness of seeing just what type of team the hornets will have this season. Six new players are on the roster. The team used the draft to try and improve needed help in the backcourt. Darren Collison and Marcus Thorton will be counted on to provide minutes for Chris Paul to rest and points off an anemic bench from a season ago.
It’s a different starting lineup from a season ago as well. Guard Rasual Butler who won few games last season with buzzer beaters, has been traded as has center Tyson Chandler. The shooting guard position is a huge question mark. Right now, Morris Peterson is your starter. Mo-Pete however is good for about a bucket or two a game and not more than about 15-18 minutes of action. Thornton, and Devin Brown will be competing for the rest of the minutes.
Peja Stojakovic will be coming off of the bench, while Julian Wright has been given the chance to become the starter partly due to a pair of reasons. Peja’s been injury laden the last few season, coming of the bench would help production for the second unit, and less minutes could keep him fresh for the post season. Wright also appeared to play better with the starting unit last season.
One question mark not only heading into tonight’s game, but for the season is how will Omeka Okafor fit in. Okafor was acquired in a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats in the offseason, in a move swapping centers. Larry Brown got Tyson Chandler and Byron Scott got Okafor . The move was made in the hopes of picking up a center that could stay on the court, the knock on Chandler was he was injury prone. Well Okafor ”From my experience no matter how good of shape you’re in, the first game because of adrenaline you’re always sucking wind. I just got to be patient, ” says the new Hornets center who averaged 13.2 points and was fifth in the NBA in rebounds last season with 10.1 a game. ” Considering I missed the preseason and for where I’m at right now I’m happy.”
Okafor missed all eight preseason games with a sprained right second toe. With the limited amount of time on the court, Okafor isn’t just behind on conditioning but on knowing all of the offensive sets and plays. ”He knows how to play basketball so that’s what’s universal. So the plays that’s one thing, but he knows how to rebound, run and stuff like that,” says Paul who added he’s not concerned about the issue. Paul and the rest of the starting group pulled Okafor aside after practice on Tuesday to go over some plays with the new center. Okafor had been doing that after practices with the second unit.
“Teammates and coaches have been good in making sure, and talking me through the plays and what not. I have a pretty good understanding,” said Okafor on Tuesday. “When the game is sped up, I think I’ll maintain, I just don’t know the small little wrinkles of it yet, but that’ll come in time.”
The questions will be answered as the season plays on and we’ll find out if the moves made by the organization were good ones. Wednesday night in San Antonio Hornets fans will at least get a snap shot.
San Antonio made some moves in the offseason. They acquired Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto. They also signed veterans Antonio Mcdyess and Theo Ratliff to add more depth to their front court. The Spurs also perhaps got the steal of the draft in Pittsburgh forward DeJuan Blair, obtaining him with the 37th overall pick. Blair was an All-American forward that led the nation in offensive rebound last season.
On ESPN Tuesday, the networks experts made predictions and talked about the biggest moves in the offseason. San Antonio was picked to win the West, Jefferson was called the best pick up, and Blair the best rookie in the West.
Great. An already solid team got better. “San Antonio is just one of those teams that just year after year is on top. You know people talk about their age, or this or that, and they just continue to shut people up by their production,” said Okafor of the constant reloading of talent. “You have to come in there just respecting them and knowing that they are strong contenders.”
“Richard Jefferson is a great player. Duane Blair is a big powerful guy on the inside who knows how to play, but the Spurs are the Spurs. No matter who you put into the pieces they’re going to do what they do,” says Paul
This game won’t make or break the season for the Hornets, but make no mistake it will be a telling game. San Antonio flat out made moves to compete against the Lakers, a team that went out and picked up Ron Artest in the offseason. The Hornets in my mind will be competing for spots six through eight in the standings. A solid showing Wednesday night could provide confidence and show they aren’t as far back as me and many NBA experts believe they are from the top. The highest preseason ranking for the Hornets I’ve seen is fifth.
While I know it was preseason, 2-6 can’t have you feeling good. Especially since the starters got out played. The Hornets will again go into battle with Paul and forward David West as their leaders, their players to stop. Teams will no longer allow Paul to beat them. Other players will have to step up. Tonight is the perfect time to see who that might be.
“They’re going to be trying to make a statement with some new additions, Richard, Antonio McDyss, and Blair the draft pick,” says Scott. “They want to see if they can be one of the teams in the Western Conference that can dethrone the Lakers. National TV they’re going to come out and try to make a statement, and we just got to be ready for it.”
Related posts: