Hornets Hype

Anyone who has followed the NBA knows that it is home to conspiracy theories. Like the Knicks mysteriously getting the #1 pick in 1985 draft to obtain Patrick Ewing, despite having the smallest chance to obtain that lottery pick. Or the phantom foul called on Scottie Pippen in the 1994 against the Knicks, the first year after MJ left, basically handing victory to the Knicks. Others accuse the league of moving the three point line forward in 1994-1997 to help the poor shooting Knicks advance in the playoffs. Others point to the 27 free throws awarded to the Lakers in the 4th quarter alone in the game 6 against Sacto in 2002. Or that league officials have been instructed to call fouls more strictly on Shaq because otherwise his combination of size, speed, and power would make him unstoppable and the Lakers/Heat/whoever would win every year. Others suggest expanding the no-charge box on defense is meant to help “exciting” teams like Suns and Mavericks, who run, or one-on-one stars like Kobe, McGrady, and Iverson.

Now these are conspiracies for a reason: there is absolutely no proof that these or others exist as any sort of deliberate action. And like any other sport, officiating can be subject to human error and limitations (such as being screened by players from seeing a foul). League rule changes, are similarly given the benefit of the doubt of being intended to benefit the league, not any particular teams. But here’s what I see as the latest conspiracy: New Orleans is a great story for the All-Star game, but too small of a market to compete in the NBA finals. (Just think how much already we’re being told to expect a Lakers/Celtics finals, or how much hype has centered around Kobe potentially going to Chicago or Lebron going to the big apple because he’s friends with Jay-Z. Conspiracies usually favor large market teams.) As such, it is my belief, after analyzing this season’s games, that the NBA officials have been instructed to make things hard for the Hornets.

Ordinarily, I am inclined to believe in my own bias, and those of any one else in the Arena, in that we will boo any foul against us or any perceived slight not called a foul. However, after the game versus the Wizards, I was apalled. The refereeing was horrible. I even watched the replay today on CST, to check my initial instincts and utilize instant replays and was again appalled.

Let me give you the bare bones highlights. Hornets fans feel free to comment here with your own. The technical foul in the final quarter against Tyson? There was NOTHING going on. They showed the replay several times. Two guys going for the ball, Tyson gets a personal, fine. (You could have let it go too, but anyway.) Then the guy shoots and makes the free throw, Tyson goes to take the ball out of bounds, and there is a phantom technical called. No apparent comments being made, Tyson’s not looking or calling to the ref. It just came out of nowhere. How about the so-called charge on David West with 35.7 seconds remaining and the Bees up by 1? Insane. David did NOT lower his shoulder AND the defender’s feet were moving . Are you kidding me? It should have been a block, sending D-West to the line . Do these refs not realize the game is on the line and they’re blowing these kinds of calls? I would say it’s inexcusable, but with the scrutiny these guys (and 1 lady) are forced to endure, that seems unlikely. So dare I say it, it must be intentional. Lastly, the foul on Hilton that gave the game away. Here we are again, with a player barrelling out of control toward the bucket who is rewarded for jumping into a player. Refs are usually smart enough to make a no call in this situation. Unfortunately, Hilton had the audacity to make a good play, jumping back, leaning over, and swatting the ball away. He should have just let DS (he deserves no name) miss the shot without the block. But with a block, refs felt they needed to employ Stern order #147 and the fall was called. DS jumped INTO Hilton, I don’t buy a foul there. Should have been a no call.

My whole problem I’ve seen this year is that David Stern’s shock troops have been inconsistent in Hornets games. Refs will call games tight or loose, and usually call it the same way on both teams. That’s fine. But when you call tight on one team and loose on the other, it is bullshit. I’ve seen it a lot and I’m sick of it. I for one, hope Byron Scott and the coaching staff send a tape of this game to the league for review. Someone should be censured for this.

That is, unless there is a conspiracy to stop the Hornets.

Word from the All-Star game. It was awesome! Although the first three quarters were largely controlled by the East, the Western All-Stars kept it continuously close. Which in basketball, especially NBA basketball, and even moreso all-star NBA basketball, means you can always make a run. CP3 came in later than we expected, coming out after both Iverson (the starter) and Nash. Unfortunately some people were booing these guys. I understand we all wanted CP in the rafters, but let’s keep it positive. This day is about all of these guys. (Ours just happen to be the best!) The cool thing was that though the PA didn’t unleash the trademark “Woo” that accompanies a CP score, the upper Nola crowds did it themselves. We were all doing it even on announced assists. I listened to a later telecast. You could hear it.

D West had an average game and proved he belonged there, but didn’t stand out, unfortunately. It was his first such game, however, and a huge honor. I think you could see he was not used to playing with these guys and wasn’t sure how to react sometimes. Byron’s Princeton system is more exact than most others, except for maybe the Lakers’ triangle O. But CP3 came through big time. He took over the fourth quarter and made it close when no one thought it would be. If pundits were calling it one of the best finishes ever, it was because of CP. MVP chants rained down and even the commentators across the board were saying had the West pulled it out, he probably would have gotten the nod. So despite the ultimate loss, it showed CP3 not only deserves to be an All-Star, but a legitimate MVP candidate.

The Saturday Skills Competition was awesome, albeit not the Hornets day to shine. Nonetheless, it was New Orleans itself which shined. The first event, Shooting Stars, featured four teams, each which had to make six shots in order, each further back than the former, culminating in a half court shot. No Hornets, as it featured a current NBA star, WNBA star, and NBA legend (retired) from San Antonio, Detroit, Chicago, and Phoenix. San Antonio won. And as it wasn’t said in ANY other outlet I saw, it was the WNBA player, Becky Hammon, who carried them in the first round, and fully pulled her part in the finals to win. That woman can shoot!

Next up was the Skills Challenge, featuring our very own someday-MVP, Chris Paul (picture above). There, competitors had to make a lay-up/dunk, dribble around several obstacles, make a serious of passes, shoot from the free throw line, pass again, and then sprint through more obstacles before making a final lay-up/dunk. Chris dazzled in the first round, to the delight of many Hornets fans, but unfortunately got ousted in the finals by the perfect (and record-breaking) performance by arch-nemesis, Deron Williams. Well guess what, we’ll see what happens on the 29th. Look to see CP3 rebound.

Next up was Peja in the 3-Point contest. Despite being a two-time champion in this event, he started off cold, missing from his usual money-spot in the corner. But then he got hot, passing several competitors, but missed the 2-point ball after making all the other four in the final rack, meaning he fell just below two other players, which proved his undoing, when last year’s champ, Jason Kapono blasted past everyone, knocking out Peja. Kapono went on to win the contest handily. Although we were disappointed, we dare the other five guys in the contest to do that with the game clock expiring and a seven footer in their face like Peja does. We know you’re still the best, Peja.

That left the dunk event, also with no Hornets. Boo. They tried to get Julian Wright in it, to no avail. As ticktock6 pointed out, the only bummer about this amazing event was that it was all gimmicks. So here is our shot out to Jamario Moon, who probably pulled out the most athletic dunk with his first round bounce-down jumping 360 catch and full bring back tomahawk slam that started it all. Dwight Howard, however, was the ultimate winner. And deservedly so.

Hypemeter: although the Hornets didn’t win any events, New Orleans won them all. And so we’re proud of that!

Err…or flag support?  Can we get TickTock6 in here for a grammar check?  Any way, heading into the All-Star Break here in New Orleans, the Hornets are guaranteed at least a share of the NBA’s Western Conference.  Outstanding!  And to top things off, our friend who stayed with us during Mardi Gras got us a Hornets flag as a thank you present!  Here’s the picture of it in our front window, proudly supporting our team.  (And although the pictures wouldn’t show it, it looks great at night too, with light shining through it from the apartment).    So bottom line, we’re hyped and the rest of Nola should be too!

Okay, with news of the Shaq to Phoenix and Pao to L.A. trades, it’s clear that everyone is restocking talent in the West. For one, I am not a proponent of a big trade by the Hornets. The only players I’d be willing to part with are underperformers Rasual Butler and Hilton Armstrong. I think they’re both great people, but to be on the best team, you have to perform at the highest level, something neither has done. Another consideration is their respective salaries. Is either a bargain right now? The problem is that neither has high trade value.

So what to do? Just ride it out? Personally, I would like to see the Hornets bring in Chris “Birdman” Anderson if he is reinstated by the NBA. And by all accounts (see this great article for current info), he has been an exemplary person since his ban from the league and likely deserves reinstatement. Word is Byron Scott loved him when he was here and is interested in bringing him in. Also, the Hornets have saved an extra roster spot all season, in case they wanted to bring another player in. Could they have been eyeing Birdman all along? The fact is, he is a high energy big man, who was successful in Scott’s system. The Hornets have first crack at him, since he received the ban while under contract to them, and he could be that special someone that gets the team over the edge and makes them champions.

The most common reason the gods destroyed or cursed mortals was for arrogance.  So I can only presume it a god thing that we finally lost.  The Hornets as of last night are still the best team in the Western Conference, and that is something to be proud of.  But I think Byron is a good enough coach and our players are cool enough to recognize that there is a long way left in the season.

There is a difference between the swagger of a Champion and the aura of cockiness that leads to getting careless.  Despite their gods-cursed head-to-head match-up, I’d reference the Lakers and Pistons of recent years.  The Lakers won three titles in a row.  They had the swagger of a Champion.  I watched them come back from 27 down in the fourth quarter against the Mavericks!  Then there are the Pistons.  They get one freak championship because the Lakers’ Karl Marlone was injured and Kobe and Shaq inexplicably couldn’t work together with a mediocre bench and then you have cockiness on the Pistons since, believing they’re the best, when they at best were the best in the East, which is like sixth best in the West.  So they got sloppy.  They continually are highly ranked but can’t make it back to the big game.

I’m happy to say that I believe that the Hornets are taking their success with humility.  As such, I expect the basketball gods not to destroy the Hornets.  Rather the opposite.  This season is looking like the magical run for the Hornets that it was for the Saints two years ago (their first year back in Nola).  So all of us here are looking forward to a long and deep post-season run!