Undoubtedly, the Hornets look to be headed in the wrong direction, losing 4 out of their last 5 and looking unimpressive in their one win in that stretch. Moreover, other than what might look like an anomalous win against the Spurs, their last set of wins before that five game stretch? Victories against the Clippers, Kings, Grizzlies, Warriors, T-Wolves, Bucks, Wizards, and Thunder; while in that same time, having lost to the Knicks, Nuggets, Rockets, Bulls, and Hawks. Not the championship-caliber resume we’ve come to expect from this team, but to be fair, they’ve played most of those games without Peja and Tyson, and several without Posey. Which is the real team? The one that we’ve seen on the floor, or the one in our mind’s eye? We’ll find out starting April 18th. But I know one thing, they can win tomorrow.
A bittersweet season of ugly victories and Pyrrhic losses, where the rare times we’ve fielded all our starters we’re somewhere in the .667 win percentage, which would put us right behind the Lakers in the standing, but as things stand, we’re desperately clinging onto the sixth seed. That said, we can still finish anywhere between fourth and eighth. Significantly, we’ve beaten the Lakers, Spurs, Nuggets, Rockets, Cavs, Magic, Heat, and just about every other team that is expected to contend, other than the Celtics and Hawks. We know the Hornets can beat the best, but can they do it in a best of seven series? I think so. But we need to be more consistent.
The bottom line is, as much heat as Byron is taking right now, I think it comes down to execution. Byron’s gameplan is set and if guys hit shots and rebound, this team can beat anyone. I said before Friday’s game that I believed the Hornets could run the table to close the season. I was wrong. But I think this team will defend home court. And here’s the stat that militates in their favor: Tyson is on the final game ticket face. Here are the stats that no one else talks about: the Hornets’ home record, by ticket face star:
- David West: .875 (7-1)
- Tyson Chandler: .857 (6-1)
- Chris Paul: .667 (6-3)
- Byron Scott: .625 (5-3)
- Peja Stojakovic: .375 (3-5)
Considering that David’s ticket face just lost its first game in two years, I wouldn’t want anyone else’s face on this ticket for the Dallas Mavericks game. Think this is a “fictional” stat? Not in pro sports, where players are notoriously superstitious. Consider this, the worst record of any ticket face last year, and the only one with a losing record, Mo Pete (.400, 2-3), was also, coincidentally, on the Game 7 ticket versus San Antonio. We all know how that turned out. And Mo Pete is the only one to appear on last year’s tickets not to appear on this years. I doubt that is a coincidence.
So, maybe, just maybe, this ticket somehow augurs some cosmic sense of causality, and even if it doesn’t decide the fate of our team per se, it might have a knowing read of the preordained outcome of the game and resultant the Western Conference standings. Or not. As you can see from the above, Tyson’s mere presence doesn’t guarantee a win, but it puts the odds in our favor. Believe it.
Sí se puede
I was wondering if anyone was keeping up with the statistics on home game tickets. I’m happy to know I’m not the only one who think about these things.
There is a difference between correlation and causation!! Are you a 5th grader? Have you taken a basic statistical course? Don’t post stat’s that YOU don’t even understand!!!!! CAUSATION VS CORRELATION BUDDY!!!!
EDUCATION!!!! try it.
Cha-ching!
That’s right, folks. Tyson now 7-1 on the ticket face. Mavs suck.
HornetsFan — Have a beer. Um, on second thought, have 6. Then get back to us and bring a sense of humor.
Let the ignorant be ignorant, ticktock. It ultimately makes me look smarter. s-m-r-t.
hahaha, this is good one.
Last year before playoff, I wrote something saying that an astrologist, after studied the astrology sign, had predicted Hornets would win over Mavericks. It was not something serious but for fun and fighting against people who did not like Hornets.