Hornets Hype

Insert foot. Or see Scott go to the finals as both a player and a coach. Not content with his 32% shooting from the field, or his 29% 3-point percentage, Jerry Stackhouse decided to try and hit something with his mouth. He had this to say on his weekly radio show:

“I think it’s just about having personalities that mesh and I think Chris [Paul] is such a great guy, I think he’s been able to kind of deal with Byron Scott. I don’t think Byron Scott is the best coach. I don’t think he’s the best guy to deal with — you know what I’m saying? — from some things that I’ve heard from other players and just some dealings that I had with him earlier in the season.

“I was about ready to kick his ass — you know what I’m saying? He was sitting on the sideline and we just got into a little conversation or something and he was going to tell me, you know, ‘Talk to me when you get a ring.’ I was like, I told that fool, ‘If I played with Magic and Worthy and Kareem I’d have a ring, too. So, you know, he’s a sucker in my book, but that’s a whole other story.”

Really. And what does Stackhouse think he’d have accomplished even had the Mavs beaten the Heat the other year ago (which they didn’t). What has he ever done? And in this year’s playoffs, he averages as many turnovers and fouls a game as he does assists. And by the way, Stack, Byron–as a player–averaged 13.4 points a game in the playoffs, while shooting 48% from the field and 40% from long range. Those are the numbers you need to contribute to a championship team.

Enjoy your first round ouster, Jerry. Again.

Game one is behind us, but the rest of the series is still ahead of us. Watching the other games last night, ticktock and I tossed around how back and forth these things can be over seven games. Plenty of times a team goes up 2-0 at home, only to drop to 2-2 after their road trip. Imagine the peril of the game for at 2-1. You can be totally in control, up 3-1 with a win, or back where you started, all tied up, with a loss. So the Hornets need to make sure they get that far. (To 2-0). While someone at hornets247 astutely noted the other day, no game is a must win until you’re down to three victories for your opponent, this game may decide the series. With a team as good at home as Dallas is, it would be a disaster to go there 1-1 and expect to take one (or two) in an arena that we haven’t won in since 1999.

That said, both the Bees and the Mavs have plenty of good starters who can change the outcome of the game. But who makes the difference in this one might just be whoever comes off the bench and makes the biggest difference. It might have been Pargo’s defense on Terry in Game 1. Maybe it’ll be the same tonight. Or Bonzi or Ju-Ju with an offensive explosion or series of steals. Whoever it is, on either team, they’re going to have to adjust to how the refs call the game, and may be in to cover for other guys in foul trouble. They’re going to need to produce on both ends of the floor and weather runs by the other team.

I think it’s the Hornets bench that is more likely to come out hot. I don’t think the Mavs are going to “choke” like some fear, but rather that they’ll be outplayed by the Hornets. Other than Terry, I’m not sure that bench has the firepower to keep up with a team that has been hot on both ends of the floor this year. It’s not hubris, it’s not a prediction or a promise. Just my observation based on seeing eighty-some games this season.

For the second road game in a row, I have downloaded pictures in preparation of photoshopping CP stealing an opposing player’s soul, to illustrate the phrase ticktock likes to colloquially throw around from time to time. And for the second game in a row, the opposing team has not only beaten the Bees, but the player whose photo I downloaded to be CP’s victim, has actually been our downfall (Artest, Kidd). Thus, no picture. Dammit.

Losses to the Lakers and Kings? Eh. Dropped 3 out of 4? Pshaw. It could be worse. We could be racked by injuries. We could have traded away all our assets. We could be starting D-Leaguers in an effort to “evaluate talent.” And speaking of trades and D-League, probably you are all wondering in the midst of the final days of the NBA regular season, what ever happened to the Hornets’ OTHER Iowan, Adam Haluska?

Of course you are. No word on whether the Hornets will invite him back to training camp next year, but Adam signed up with Iowa’s D-League team, the Energy. Suddenly, he found himself playing just under 40 minutes a game over 11 games. In doing so, he put up a FG% of 42%, while shooting only 30% from 3-point range, though managing almost 19 points a game. He also added about 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal per contest.

As someone who always wanted to see Adam get a chance to play, they’re not exactly the killer numbers I’d expect from someone who I thought might have major league potential, but then again, he is a rookie. For reference sake, had he played enough games (to qualify for the league leaders), he would have ended up ranked #13 in average points scored and #27 in 3FG%. Although he would be 11th in FT%, at an unconscious 88%.

Regardless of what happens to Adam next, I wish him the best. Oh yeah. And I hope the Hornets win big tomorrow!

As you may know, the NBA once again held their annual Dance Team Bracket, a one-and-out tournament where fans can vote on their favorite dance team through a tournament bracket, whereupon one is declared the ultimate winner. For the third straight year, the Heat Dancers won. But, as this is a site dedicated to hyping the Hornets, we’re going to give a shout out to the Honeybees anyway.

Be it their excellent dance routines (albeit at times to the odd AC-DC dance remix song…), their wave-like undulations in sync with the CP loudspeaker “whoos!”, or just serving up eye candy during other promotions, we visitors to the Hive, and perhaps those of you watching from home like what you give us. Keep it up girls. With any luck, you’ll be doing these things all the way to the NBA finals. Then who will be the winning dance team?

Believe it.

It looks like the trip to Canada did wonders for Mo Pete. Although he only played 24 minutes, he was 2-4 from 3-point range and ended the night with 8. He was aggressive on defense and and got a warm reception from the Air Canada Centre crowd. Then he moved south with the team to Orlando. From the beginning of the game he was hot. Mo ended up leading the Hornets with 19 points, his most since January, on 7-9 shooting overall and 5-6 from 3-point range. In his 32 minutes, he also pulled down 6 rebounds and was hustling on both ends of the floor.

Down the stretch is was Peja’s big shot that put the team ahead, but we wouldn’t even have been in striking distance if it wasn’t for Mo. He made shots throughout the game and kept the team floating when the rest were struggling to hit shots.  So keep it up Mo.  We here at Hornets Hype have faith in you.  We know you are key to our playoff run.  When you’ve been great, so have the Hornets.

We believe.

Hypemeter:  wicked high, after a gut-wrenching series of runs back and forth, the fourth quarter was edge-of-your-seat entertainment, culminating in a huge Hornets’ win!

So here’s how it is. Classic match-up. Best in the West and best in the East. Each team giving its best and hammering the other, then the other taking it and giving it back. I think fans of either team would be proud at half time, and would feel okay with the loss either way because it was such a great slugfest. Only then Doc “Cry Me A” Rivers melted down near the end of the half. Throwing a hissy fit over calls that were clearly legitimate, he garnered a technical foul. On the next few fouls (his team was in the penalty early), he glowered at the refs, but kept it cool.

Then the second half. Where we saw perhaps the worst refereed quarter ever. And fans of the Hornets know that is saying something. For the first five minutes or so of the quarter, it was a slugfest. Celtics come out on a run, but then the Bees responded. They went back and forth. It was as nerve wracking as it was great. But then the refs took over. First, a “foul” on David West, where the Celtic is seen clearly in the replay pulling his jersey and yanking him to the ground. Then the Celtics score. Next, David West was called for a charge, when his defender was off his feet (a clear foul on the defender, and a total blown call). Then the Celtics go down and score. Then a third foul. A Celtics score on the other end. Later a CP shooting foul, somehow, inexplicably is called a pre-shooting foul, the cheering crowd looking for 2 points and 1 are disappointed when they see the ref waving it off. The Bees take it out of bounds and then a turnover and C’s score on the other end.

While we’ve written before that a true champion should be able to overcome bad calls, it’s really hard when the team you’re playing is a potential champion also. When you do the math on this stretch, it was not just three bad calls, costing us six points, but twelve because they worked both ends. So basically, this stretch cost us the game. Yes, we lost by twenty, but that was well after the game was out of hand, forcing us to jack up bad shots in desperation and what our back-ups eventually did in the same vein.

So yes, NBA coaches, feel free to lobby, cry, and whine to the refs. Get your technicals. It just might help. And by the way, I love the Celtics. I love Kevin Garnett. So I’m not biased against them. But right now, I’m so bitter that they were given this game on a silver platter, that I am going to be desperately rooting against them in the playoffs. David Stern may want Lakers-Celtics in the finals, but I for one don’t want him to make that decision unilaterally.

Nor should the refs. This game was a travesty. The Hornets will have their revenge.

In the words of the opposing coach, Doc Rivers, “David West single-handedly destroyed us.” You taking note, Rafer Alston? Those of us in the Big Easy have known all year that D-West deserved his All-Star spot. And last night he proved it big-time. Many people have called for Garnett to get the Defensive Player of the Year award, especially if he misses out on the MVP. Well, tonight, D-West said otherwise, putting up 37 points on Boston’s big man.

Hornets’ coach Byron Scott called it a “quiet” 37, which it was, because until we looked up at the player of the game stats, we had no idea he had scored that many. But this is why David is so crucial to the Hornets. When we struggle with perimeter shooting, David offers an alternative: able to just plug away and hammer the paint points. He’s done it to the best in the West, and now he’s done it to the best in the East. He’s like a force of nature, and he’s going to carry us in the playoffs.

Don’t get me wrong, I love CP and Peja, and all the rest, but when it comes to the solid, easy, punishing points and drawing fouls, West is the man. David West.

Okay, there’s been a lot of TC-bashing in certain Hornets forums lately. Not doing enough of this or that…boo-hoo. The man is AVERAGING 12 and 12 in the basket and on the boards, adding a block and an assist, with a steal every other game. Funny how people see that Shaq gets 11 and 11 the other night and think this is good. Not to mention that TC is only 25, and thus still growing into his game. Could he work on his defense a little? Sure. Do we wish the man got more blocks? Sure. But I also wish CP averaged 40-20-10-10 and Peja averaged 15 three pointers a game. Guess what? Yeah. Not gonna happen.

The key question is how does TC contribute to victories? The fact is that most complaints about his D are about his help on penetrating guards. He’s done a pretty good job this year straight up. And while the question of whether he is an All-Star depends on how he can guard the Shaqs, Howards, and Yaos, the question of whether TC will have a monster game is often about the center, not the team. For example, without a dominant center, he probably would have done great against MJ’s Bulls, even though the Bees would have lost out. Like tonight, who can say who will win against the Spurs, but with 6′9″ Kurt Thomas listed as their starting center (pictured, getting rejected by a shooting guard, left), expect TC to have a big game.

I’ve yet to understand the love crush critics have on Kurt Thomas. He is at best mediocre. Besides the fact that I can’t stand teams that insist on putting 6′8″ or 6′9″ guys, even with bulk, at center, like that will help (picture T-Wolves Mark Madsen, forearm on Shaq’s back, his body at a 45 degree angle to the ground…yeah…), he’s just not that good. He played seven years as a Knick when I lived in NY, and let me tell you, we were not fans. We got to hear every game how he was the last collegiate athlete to lead the nation in both scoring and rebounding (at TCU…whatever…) , expected him to do something…and were repeatedly disappointed. The man averages 9 and 7, with less than a block, steal, and barely an assist per game. Hardly an impact player. (See picture of him trying to guard a real center at left).

Bottom line? TC will destroy him. Unless of course Pop wises up and puts him on West, who will then destroy him. Meanwhile, I would expect TC and West to combine to slow down Duncan. Prediction? TC will have a huge game, but the outcome will be determined by Peja and Mo’s shooting compared to the Bees ability to stop Ginobli and Parker.

I’ll be the one under the big blue sign screaming the whole game for them. Go guys!

Well, folks, we have a short lag in Hornets games, as the Bees lick their wounds from Houston and prepare for San Antonio at the Hive on Wednesday. So nonetheless poking around the Hornets website I found an unexpected gem. Team owner, George Shinn’s, son, Chris is a rock star. Well, I’ve seen him at games before. I knew that. What I didn’t know is that he is fairly amazing at what he does.
A little history first. Apparently Chris moved to L.A. and had a record deal within a few months. That’s impressive. But then the band’s house burned down, destroying all their instruments and recorded material. Devastating. But Chris didn’t give up. He ended up forming a new band: Unified Theory, with two guys formerly of Blind Melon and the original drummer of Pearl Jam. They’re amazing! You can check out their myspace page here. Unfortunately, the band has since separated.

Never one to throw in the towel, Chris worked with family to start a new recording label and resurfaced with a new band, Everything is Energy. Another impressive showing. While being a Hornets fan doesn’t obligate us all to like what Chris and company do, I think it does behoove us to at least take a listen. It’s all free samples on the internet, baby.

There’s not a lot of genuine talent out there in the bland re-trod radio rock world where anything that sounds close to something else will sell to someone, but Chris is one of those talents. I for one, love both of these bands and will get all of their albums as soon as possible.