Showing posts with label Spurs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spurs. Show all posts
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Western Semis, Game 1: Peja Heads
New Orleans 101 | San Antonio 82
Western Conference Semifinals: Game 1 [box score]
On any other day of the week, I'd be terrified to face the reigning champs in a playoff series. Even with home court advantage, the looming Spurs are a seasoned crew who frequently show up for big games and squash the dreams of many a player and fan. But somehow, Saturday night in the hive did not feature any anxiety about the fact that the Hornets were playing host to a team who's won 4 of the last 9 NBA titles. Instead, there was excitement: a distinguishable "buzz" was running through the crowd.
But why, you might ask. Was it the fact that the Spurs looked a little older and moved a little slower this April, than in others past? Was it that the Hornets had split the season series with the Spurs, with both of their victories having a 20+ point margin? Was it that the Hornet's had just won their first seven-game playoff series? Or that the last time they even played in the Conference Semis was in the Least? Was it that CP3 seemed utterly unstoppable against Dallas in the previous series with no signs of slowing up? Or was it the sea of yellow that graced the arena provided by the "Mardis Gras Gold" t-shirts that each fan was given (at the behest of Chris Paul)? Maybe it was the Peja on-a-stick that each fan waved wildly in the air?
What's not to love?
Truth be told, the above may have had something to do with it, but in all actuality the crowd was so loose and carefree because the game didn't actually start until 9:00pm. As such, the league inadvertently gave the Hornets an additional advantage by allowing its fan base to have an additional two hours to get "loose" before the game. And in New Orleans, we're at our best when we're 11 or 12 sheets to the wind.
So that was it. No anxiety in the fan base. Just pure excitement and pure energy.
And the Hornets fed off of this energy, jumping out to a quick 8-0 start. They then promptly relinquished the lead after the Spurs had their own little run of 10-2. The advantage stayed in San Antonio's hands, bouncing between 11 and 4, for the first 24 minutes. But after half-time, the Hornets came out full throttle and outscored the Spurs 56-33 to end the game with a 19 point victory.
Even with home court advantage, you've got to hand it to this crew. Byron wore his huevos on the outside, double-teaming Tim Duncan all night which led big Timmy to go 1-9 from the field and finish with a measly 5 points and 3 rebounds. In case you want some kind of reference point, here are Duncan's per game averages for the regular season: 19.3 points on almost 50% shooting with 11 boards.
Doubling Duncan meant risking a deluge of treys from San Antonio's very capable - albeit aged - jump shooters. Remarkably, it was Bruce Bowen who made us pay the most by dropping a team-high 17 points with 5 bombs from beyond the arc. But the Hornets stood firm and forced plenty of bad shots that eventually led to 16 and 17 point quarters in the second half.
On the offensive end, D.West proved to be unstoppable when the likes of Kurt Thomas (whom I like) and Fabricio Oberto (whom I hate) attempted to guard him. He finished the night with 30. CP's 17 point, 13 dime performance actually fell below most people's expectations (especially after he exploded against Dallas in game 1 of the first series), but additional help arrived via Peja, who gave everyone a reason to wave Peja-on-a-sticks by contributing 22 points (remarkably, though, only two of his buckets were treys, leaving the rest to slashing and creating off the dribble... it was nice to see some versatility in his game). Best of all, when Popovich implemented the Hack-a-Tyson defensive method late in the second, Chandler responded by sinking both free-throws.
The remarkable part of this game was actually the lack of flopping on the part of the Spurs. Manu fell a few times away from the play (but failed to draw any fouls), and if Oberto or Duncan made such a move, I was totally unaware of it... or it just didn't work. I expected to see more of that strategy since it has proved to be successful for them in the past. It also seems like a good way to get a younger team frustrated. There were a few skirmishes involving Oberto and whoever happened to be posterizing him at that moment, but none of them resulted in anything other than a loss of Fabricio's pride.
The only real run-in of note was yet another entry in the Paul-Bowen saga. Bowen committed a relatively physical foul on Paul near the perimeter that the fans were chalking up to be technical (like we always do). I don't even remember what the call was because of what happened next. As Bowen followed the ref, doing a perfect Duncan impression, Paul followed behind to drop in his two cents. And then, Paul took an elbow in the head from Bowen as he flailed about making his case to the ref... or did he? Did Paul fake it? It looked fishy, no doubt, and, in a wise move, the arena saw fit not to replay it. It all hearkened back to the incident that ended Bowen's NBA-leading consecutive game streak. The replay of that play shows Paul as the victim... but also a little as the instigator. Looks like our boys will be fighting fire with fire. It's like many a reporter has stated... don't be fooled by Paul's charm. He's got a fire inside all the same.
In the end, the "technical" didn't really matter. In the second half, that particular matchup was reduced to Paul lighting up Bowen and then staring him down each time Paul thought Bowen got too physical. The look was ostensibly as follows: "Keep it up. No amount of hips or elbows can stop me from owning you. Oh, and you hear all of those people? They love me and hate you... just like every single fan in this league that doesn't root for Utah" I am, of course, paraphrasing.
Stay tuned for tomorrow night's matchup in Game 2. We'll see if the Spurs make adjustments and if Byron can live up to his COY honors and out-adjust Pop.
Peace.
Western Conference Semifinals: Game 1 [box score]
On any other day of the week, I'd be terrified to face the reigning champs in a playoff series. Even with home court advantage, the looming Spurs are a seasoned crew who frequently show up for big games and squash the dreams of many a player and fan. But somehow, Saturday night in the hive did not feature any anxiety about the fact that the Hornets were playing host to a team who's won 4 of the last 9 NBA titles. Instead, there was excitement: a distinguishable "buzz" was running through the crowd.
But why, you might ask. Was it the fact that the Spurs looked a little older and moved a little slower this April, than in others past? Was it that the Hornets had split the season series with the Spurs, with both of their victories having a 20+ point margin? Was it that the Hornet's had just won their first seven-game playoff series? Or that the last time they even played in the Conference Semis was in the Least? Was it that CP3 seemed utterly unstoppable against Dallas in the previous series with no signs of slowing up? Or was it the sea of yellow that graced the arena provided by the "Mardis Gras Gold" t-shirts that each fan was given (at the behest of Chris Paul)? Maybe it was the Peja on-a-stick that each fan waved wildly in the air?
What's not to love?Truth be told, the above may have had something to do with it, but in all actuality the crowd was so loose and carefree because the game didn't actually start until 9:00pm. As such, the league inadvertently gave the Hornets an additional advantage by allowing its fan base to have an additional two hours to get "loose" before the game. And in New Orleans, we're at our best when we're 11 or 12 sheets to the wind.
So that was it. No anxiety in the fan base. Just pure excitement and pure energy.
And the Hornets fed off of this energy, jumping out to a quick 8-0 start. They then promptly relinquished the lead after the Spurs had their own little run of 10-2. The advantage stayed in San Antonio's hands, bouncing between 11 and 4, for the first 24 minutes. But after half-time, the Hornets came out full throttle and outscored the Spurs 56-33 to end the game with a 19 point victory.
Even with home court advantage, you've got to hand it to this crew. Byron wore his huevos on the outside, double-teaming Tim Duncan all night which led big Timmy to go 1-9 from the field and finish with a measly 5 points and 3 rebounds. In case you want some kind of reference point, here are Duncan's per game averages for the regular season: 19.3 points on almost 50% shooting with 11 boards.
Doubling Duncan meant risking a deluge of treys from San Antonio's very capable - albeit aged - jump shooters. Remarkably, it was Bruce Bowen who made us pay the most by dropping a team-high 17 points with 5 bombs from beyond the arc. But the Hornets stood firm and forced plenty of bad shots that eventually led to 16 and 17 point quarters in the second half.
On the offensive end, D.West proved to be unstoppable when the likes of Kurt Thomas (whom I like) and Fabricio Oberto (whom I hate) attempted to guard him. He finished the night with 30. CP's 17 point, 13 dime performance actually fell below most people's expectations (especially after he exploded against Dallas in game 1 of the first series), but additional help arrived via Peja, who gave everyone a reason to wave Peja-on-a-sticks by contributing 22 points (remarkably, though, only two of his buckets were treys, leaving the rest to slashing and creating off the dribble... it was nice to see some versatility in his game). Best of all, when Popovich implemented the Hack-a-Tyson defensive method late in the second, Chandler responded by sinking both free-throws.
The remarkable part of this game was actually the lack of flopping on the part of the Spurs. Manu fell a few times away from the play (but failed to draw any fouls), and if Oberto or Duncan made such a move, I was totally unaware of it... or it just didn't work. I expected to see more of that strategy since it has proved to be successful for them in the past. It also seems like a good way to get a younger team frustrated. There were a few skirmishes involving Oberto and whoever happened to be posterizing him at that moment, but none of them resulted in anything other than a loss of Fabricio's pride.
The only real run-in of note was yet another entry in the Paul-Bowen saga. Bowen committed a relatively physical foul on Paul near the perimeter that the fans were chalking up to be technical (like we always do). I don't even remember what the call was because of what happened next. As Bowen followed the ref, doing a perfect Duncan impression, Paul followed behind to drop in his two cents. And then, Paul took an elbow in the head from Bowen as he flailed about making his case to the ref... or did he? Did Paul fake it? It looked fishy, no doubt, and, in a wise move, the arena saw fit not to replay it. It all hearkened back to the incident that ended Bowen's NBA-leading consecutive game streak. The replay of that play shows Paul as the victim... but also a little as the instigator. Looks like our boys will be fighting fire with fire. It's like many a reporter has stated... don't be fooled by Paul's charm. He's got a fire inside all the same.
In the end, the "technical" didn't really matter. In the second half, that particular matchup was reduced to Paul lighting up Bowen and then staring him down each time Paul thought Bowen got too physical. The look was ostensibly as follows: "Keep it up. No amount of hips or elbows can stop me from owning you. Oh, and you hear all of those people? They love me and hate you... just like every single fan in this league that doesn't root for Utah" I am, of course, paraphrasing.
Stay tuned for tomorrow night's matchup in Game 2. We'll see if the Spurs make adjustments and if Byron can live up to his COY honors and out-adjust Pop.
Peace.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Hornets Fever
Chris Rose wrote a great article in the Times Pic about Hornets fever in the Crescent City. For those of you who need more cowbell, you should give it a read.
***
Also, somehow I missed this stat yesterday: the Hornets held the Spurs to 8 points in the fourth quarter. Yes, Popovich put in his scrubs for some of that time, but the starters were in for at least seven and a half of those minutes. It's not quite as cool as the Hawks holding Tim Duncan and company to 5 points in the first quarter earlier this season... wait, actually it is. Atlanta ended up losing. While we're covering things I missed, check out the Southwest Division Standings [as of 03.13.08]
HOU 44-20
SA 44-20
NO 43-20
DAL 42-23
MEM 5-872
Holy crap! I'm terrified/excited/antsy/ecstatic/hungry... what a feeling.
***
Also, somehow I missed this stat yesterday: the Hornets held the Spurs to 8 points in the fourth quarter. Yes, Popovich put in his scrubs for some of that time, but the starters were in for at least seven and a half of those minutes. It's not quite as cool as the Hawks holding Tim Duncan and company to 5 points in the first quarter earlier this season... wait, actually it is. Atlanta ended up losing. While we're covering things I missed, check out the Southwest Division Standings [as of 03.13.08]
HOU 44-20
SA 44-20
NO 43-20
DAL 42-23
MEM 5-872
Holy crap! I'm terrified/excited/antsy/ecstatic/hungry... what a feeling.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Routing the Champs
New Orleans 100 | San Antonio 75
[league standings]
Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! I feel like Irene Cara (or Jennifer Beals... whichever's funnier). I could dance right through my life. What an unbelievable game!
Picture this: two teams in a near dead heat for a home-court seed in the Wild, Wild West... in the same division. Team A has experience (as a team), an MVP, veterans, tough players, a brilliant coach, and [4] rings. Team B has gumption, an MVP-candidate, an underdog complex, a newfound sense of place, some of the loudest fans this side of the Oracle. Yes, San Antonio and New Orleans went toe-to-toe tonight. Neither team goes down without a fight. Actually, some might argue that all San Antonio does is pick fights. But that's not important.
Before I get into a detailed recap with some super fly analysis, I'd like to address the issue known as "The Spurs". Undoubtedly one of the most loathed teams in basketball, the Spurs have mastered a playing style that relies on efficiency, consistency, and tough physical play. Despite Manu and Parker's seeming flashiness, this is not a team that's after the spotlight. They're after the win. And they get it. Just look for the rings.
Unfortunately, their abilities as a team has spawned some remarkably malcontented fans. Hell, I used-to-be/kind-of-still-am one of them. I used to be a Suns fan, for crying out loud (for those of you who are confused about this, read this entry). But I have to say, they get worse than they deserve. This is because most of their critics are disgruntled fans who have the inability to see beyond the hard fouls to realize how good this team is. First off, they've been together forever and have an uncanny ability to play off of each other. They pass beautifully. Think the Suns without a clear passing leader like Nash. Everyone in San Antonio can move the ball. Add that to Duncan's unfairly criticized style and scoring ability, as well as Manu and Parker's penchant for high-flying (and often scoring) antics, and well, you might win a championship. You might even win 4.
I know, I know. You're all saying, "Lee, we know you. You hate the Spurs. You loathe them. You've threatened to kill the families of all the players, coaches, and towel boys in the past. How could you even think that last paragraph, let alone commit it to something in full view of the public?" And it's true. I don't like them. But the reason I don't like them is they play in a really physical manner that often goes unnoticed by the refs. It's a dirty style of play that can be frustrating as a fan of the opposing team since you feel as though your win column is not the only thing being threatened. Though they seem immovable at times, they can be beat. However, usually just when you think you might have a chance to beat them, one of two things happens:
1. The refs forget that fouls can be called on Duncan and that standing near him is not actually a foul.
2. One their lesser players throws a lovable superstar into a table, which then prompts caring teammates to be suspended because they stand up to see if their captain (oh captain) has been strewn into a dozen pieces all over the statisticians.
See, there's still some venom left. I just think it's unfair to hate on these guys because they're good at what they do. That is what we call being a "poor sport". That is not being a "fan". Let's move on to the game.
***
The first quarter featured the battle at the point with CP3 going head-to-head against Tony Parker (a good friend of his, oddly enough). Both guys were flying up and down the court, forcing lead changes with almost every possession. Parker finished the first with 13, Paul with 10.
In the second quarter, the Hornets start to pull away and the lead ceases to change hands for the rest of the game. Other players start contributing to the cause, but the highlights stay at the points with CP3 and Parker each totaling 18 for the half. The difference between the two? Assists. CP3 finished the half with 8. That was good for 7 more than Parker.
Things start to get ugly in the third. The refs had already proven that Duncan was infallible (he finished the night with 0 fouls) and that so much as looking at him funny would be cause for a foul, but they got really nasty with the whistle after the halftime. The Spurs were apparently concerned about Paul's scoring ability, so they rotated Bruce Bowen over to guard him. This resulted in many "overlooked" fouls and excessively unnecessary contact. The whole thing boiled over during a Hornets' offensive sequence when Bowen knocked the ball away from Paul. Both men (as well as Duncan) then attempted to recover the ball. In the process, Paul slips and falls while Bowen manages to straddle him and (inadvertently kick him more than once). Bowen fights the ball away from Paul, accidentally steps on him as he gives the ball to Duncan, then BOOM... foul on Chris Paul. Whaaaat? Do the math. It's ridiculous. This all follows (of course) several offensive sequences in which Bowen should at least been called for one foul... but alas, where have all the whistles gone? Oh, right we used them all to keep Duncan safe.
Now ordinarily I'd be bitter about such treatment from the refs (devoted fans will recall the entry from the Spur's first visit to NOLA this season), but not tonight. "Why", you ask? Because what the recap won't tell you is that for every ensuing San Antonio possession--and I mean EVERY--a deafening series of "boos" arose from the crowd. It was amazing. Everyone was booing at the top of their lungs. I didn't think it was going to hold out past the first few possessions after the incident, but it stayed strong until well after the scrubs entered the game. The jeering almost petered out at one point, but a ridiculous blocking foul was called on Chandler. (Tyson watched a botched San Antonio shot fly over his head toward the top of the key. He then turned to see Tim Duncan catch said miss. Tim Duncan then attempted to jump over Tyson and dunk while Tyson stood there, not having moved since the first shot. BOOM... foul on Tyson.)
After that, it was over. The Spurs were unable to make up any ground within the ever-widening gap, and Popovich smartly put in his scrubs with 4:15 to play in the fourth. It's the playoff race: you have to learn when to keep fighting and when to accept defeat. Over-working your players for a closer loss is totally unnecessary... damn, Greg Popovich knows what he's doing.
To close, CP3 put up magical numbers again (26 points, 17 assists) and David West made a strong return with 29 points and 10 boards. He appeared to be a little less trusting of his jumper than usual (which is weird because that was all he could practice while nursing his injury). In fact, he seemed to want to dribble off of every pass he fielded. Not quite the David of old, but effective enough for tonight. I'll be watching to see how this develops. And finally, JuJu appears to be heading towards the role of regular back-up. His performance was short of his recent outbursts, but it's nice to see that Byron is trusting him.
***
One quick stat and we're out of here to mentally prepare for the Grand Theft Spaniards on Friday.
Against the other nine teams vying for a playoff berth (that's right Portland, I'm not counting you out yet), the Hornets are 16-12. That's not terribly impressive, but it does show a winning percentage against the top tier.
Let's make it 17 on Friday.
[league standings]
Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! I feel like Irene Cara (or Jennifer Beals... whichever's funnier). I could dance right through my life. What an unbelievable game!
Picture this: two teams in a near dead heat for a home-court seed in the Wild, Wild West... in the same division. Team A has experience (as a team), an MVP, veterans, tough players, a brilliant coach, and [4] rings. Team B has gumption, an MVP-candidate, an underdog complex, a newfound sense of place, some of the loudest fans this side of the Oracle. Yes, San Antonio and New Orleans went toe-to-toe tonight. Neither team goes down without a fight. Actually, some might argue that all San Antonio does is pick fights. But that's not important.
Before I get into a detailed recap with some super fly analysis, I'd like to address the issue known as "The Spurs". Undoubtedly one of the most loathed teams in basketball, the Spurs have mastered a playing style that relies on efficiency, consistency, and tough physical play. Despite Manu and Parker's seeming flashiness, this is not a team that's after the spotlight. They're after the win. And they get it. Just look for the rings.
Unfortunately, their abilities as a team has spawned some remarkably malcontented fans. Hell, I used-to-be/kind-of-still-am one of them. I used to be a Suns fan, for crying out loud (for those of you who are confused about this, read this entry). But I have to say, they get worse than they deserve. This is because most of their critics are disgruntled fans who have the inability to see beyond the hard fouls to realize how good this team is. First off, they've been together forever and have an uncanny ability to play off of each other. They pass beautifully. Think the Suns without a clear passing leader like Nash. Everyone in San Antonio can move the ball. Add that to Duncan's unfairly criticized style and scoring ability, as well as Manu and Parker's penchant for high-flying (and often scoring) antics, and well, you might win a championship. You might even win 4.
I know, I know. You're all saying, "Lee, we know you. You hate the Spurs. You loathe them. You've threatened to kill the families of all the players, coaches, and towel boys in the past. How could you even think that last paragraph, let alone commit it to something in full view of the public?" And it's true. I don't like them. But the reason I don't like them is they play in a really physical manner that often goes unnoticed by the refs. It's a dirty style of play that can be frustrating as a fan of the opposing team since you feel as though your win column is not the only thing being threatened. Though they seem immovable at times, they can be beat. However, usually just when you think you might have a chance to beat them, one of two things happens:
1. The refs forget that fouls can be called on Duncan and that standing near him is not actually a foul.
2. One their lesser players throws a lovable superstar into a table, which then prompts caring teammates to be suspended because they stand up to see if their captain (oh captain) has been strewn into a dozen pieces all over the statisticians.
See, there's still some venom left. I just think it's unfair to hate on these guys because they're good at what they do. That is what we call being a "poor sport". That is not being a "fan". Let's move on to the game.
***
The first quarter featured the battle at the point with CP3 going head-to-head against Tony Parker (a good friend of his, oddly enough). Both guys were flying up and down the court, forcing lead changes with almost every possession. Parker finished the first with 13, Paul with 10.
In the second quarter, the Hornets start to pull away and the lead ceases to change hands for the rest of the game. Other players start contributing to the cause, but the highlights stay at the points with CP3 and Parker each totaling 18 for the half. The difference between the two? Assists. CP3 finished the half with 8. That was good for 7 more than Parker.
Things start to get ugly in the third. The refs had already proven that Duncan was infallible (he finished the night with 0 fouls) and that so much as looking at him funny would be cause for a foul, but they got really nasty with the whistle after the halftime. The Spurs were apparently concerned about Paul's scoring ability, so they rotated Bruce Bowen over to guard him. This resulted in many "overlooked" fouls and excessively unnecessary contact. The whole thing boiled over during a Hornets' offensive sequence when Bowen knocked the ball away from Paul. Both men (as well as Duncan) then attempted to recover the ball. In the process, Paul slips and falls while Bowen manages to straddle him and (inadvertently kick him more than once). Bowen fights the ball away from Paul, accidentally steps on him as he gives the ball to Duncan, then BOOM... foul on Chris Paul. Whaaaat? Do the math. It's ridiculous. This all follows (of course) several offensive sequences in which Bowen should at least been called for one foul... but alas, where have all the whistles gone? Oh, right we used them all to keep Duncan safe.
Now ordinarily I'd be bitter about such treatment from the refs (devoted fans will recall the entry from the Spur's first visit to NOLA this season), but not tonight. "Why", you ask? Because what the recap won't tell you is that for every ensuing San Antonio possession--and I mean EVERY--a deafening series of "boos" arose from the crowd. It was amazing. Everyone was booing at the top of their lungs. I didn't think it was going to hold out past the first few possessions after the incident, but it stayed strong until well after the scrubs entered the game. The jeering almost petered out at one point, but a ridiculous blocking foul was called on Chandler. (Tyson watched a botched San Antonio shot fly over his head toward the top of the key. He then turned to see Tim Duncan catch said miss. Tim Duncan then attempted to jump over Tyson and dunk while Tyson stood there, not having moved since the first shot. BOOM... foul on Tyson.)
After that, it was over. The Spurs were unable to make up any ground within the ever-widening gap, and Popovich smartly put in his scrubs with 4:15 to play in the fourth. It's the playoff race: you have to learn when to keep fighting and when to accept defeat. Over-working your players for a closer loss is totally unnecessary... damn, Greg Popovich knows what he's doing.
To close, CP3 put up magical numbers again (26 points, 17 assists) and David West made a strong return with 29 points and 10 boards. He appeared to be a little less trusting of his jumper than usual (which is weird because that was all he could practice while nursing his injury). In fact, he seemed to want to dribble off of every pass he fielded. Not quite the David of old, but effective enough for tonight. I'll be watching to see how this develops. And finally, JuJu appears to be heading towards the role of regular back-up. His performance was short of his recent outbursts, but it's nice to see that Byron is trusting him.
***
One quick stat and we're out of here to mentally prepare for the Grand Theft Spaniards on Friday.
Against the other nine teams vying for a playoff berth (that's right Portland, I'm not counting you out yet), the Hornets are 16-12. That's not terribly impressive, but it does show a winning percentage against the top tier.
Let's make it 17 on Friday.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Close, but no cigar (no love, either)
San Antonio 97 | New Orleans 85
One thing I vowed to never do when I started this blog was to blame a loss on poor officiating, and I can tell you that the Hornets home loss to the Spurs last night really had me rethinking such a seemingly short-sighted notion. Truthfully, I can't blame the loss on the officials. We shot anemic percentages from behind the arc and from the line (27% and 64% respectively), Peja had better odds of hitting the fans than the rim, and Tony Parker/Tim Duncan duo shot 65% from the field and finished with a combined 51 points. Despite those numbers the game was back and forth for most of the first half, with the Hornets trailing between 5 and 25 points in the second half (at any given point). My biggest problem wasn't so much the way the Hornets played (although "off" would be a decent descriptor), but rather that Byron Scott benched our starters for most of the fourth quarter. It made zero sense. Granted, we had an awful third quarter, but when we brought the score to within 10, all of our star power went missing. And for what reason? My buddy, Curry, and I knew the game was over when the score gap starting getting wider in the final two or three minutes and Byron Scott saw fit to put in Uncle Bowen. Victory seemed so close yet so far away.
I would like to at least offer a brief description of the terrible officiating that I do believe contributed to the Hornet's loss. Interestingly enough, the Spurs had 2 more personal fouls as a team than the Hornets; however, theirs went mostly to marginal players and poor shooters. Who cares if Fabricio Oberto has 4 fouls and has to be benched? What killed me was that Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were invincible with the ball in hand. Seriously. I mean, I almost advocated punching Manu on fastbreaks because he was going to get the call anyway, so why not at least give him a real reason to flop. He had zero (0) personal fouls. 0. It was disgusting. And Duncan? He's even worse. Despite having 3 fouls, he managed to be the cause of so many Hornets fouls by throwing that ol' hip of his around. Never seems to fail. Especially when he's being guarded by a hotheaded Tyson Chandler who's trying to keep his cool.
I still can't get on the Duncan bandwagon. Everyone says he's the nicest guy, but I don't buy it. It could be my general disdain for all things Spurs, it could be that I am a converted Suns fan, it could be that I just can't stand to watch them get every call in their favor. My friend Sam has claimed for years that Duncan is the best player in the league, and you'd be hard pressed to argue against it. But I still can't stand him. You know what, it's probably because even though he makes all of his shots, his turnaround-kiss-off-the-glass-that-looks-remarkably-like-Shaq's-freethrow is annoying. I always see that shot and think, there's no way that's going in. Always wrong.
Anyway, before I depart, it is worth noting that the Hornets did start 4-0 with a big win over Denver and an unbelievable record-setting night against the Lakers. A hard fought game in Portland (without technical fouling Tyson for the second half) ended with the Hornets only three points behind. All in all, we're playing solid. Peja seems a bit streaky, and Byron is making odd coaching decisions, but we're still 4-2. After all, it could be worse. Ask Ken Mauer tomorrow how much worse it could be when I send someone to find him in a dark alley. See you next week.
One thing I vowed to never do when I started this blog was to blame a loss on poor officiating, and I can tell you that the Hornets home loss to the Spurs last night really had me rethinking such a seemingly short-sighted notion. Truthfully, I can't blame the loss on the officials. We shot anemic percentages from behind the arc and from the line (27% and 64% respectively), Peja had better odds of hitting the fans than the rim, and Tony Parker/Tim Duncan duo shot 65% from the field and finished with a combined 51 points. Despite those numbers the game was back and forth for most of the first half, with the Hornets trailing between 5 and 25 points in the second half (at any given point). My biggest problem wasn't so much the way the Hornets played (although "off" would be a decent descriptor), but rather that Byron Scott benched our starters for most of the fourth quarter. It made zero sense. Granted, we had an awful third quarter, but when we brought the score to within 10, all of our star power went missing. And for what reason? My buddy, Curry, and I knew the game was over when the score gap starting getting wider in the final two or three minutes and Byron Scott saw fit to put in Uncle Bowen. Victory seemed so close yet so far away.
I would like to at least offer a brief description of the terrible officiating that I do believe contributed to the Hornet's loss. Interestingly enough, the Spurs had 2 more personal fouls as a team than the Hornets; however, theirs went mostly to marginal players and poor shooters. Who cares if Fabricio Oberto has 4 fouls and has to be benched? What killed me was that Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were invincible with the ball in hand. Seriously. I mean, I almost advocated punching Manu on fastbreaks because he was going to get the call anyway, so why not at least give him a real reason to flop. He had zero (0) personal fouls. 0. It was disgusting. And Duncan? He's even worse. Despite having 3 fouls, he managed to be the cause of so many Hornets fouls by throwing that ol' hip of his around. Never seems to fail. Especially when he's being guarded by a hotheaded Tyson Chandler who's trying to keep his cool.
I still can't get on the Duncan bandwagon. Everyone says he's the nicest guy, but I don't buy it. It could be my general disdain for all things Spurs, it could be that I am a converted Suns fan, it could be that I just can't stand to watch them get every call in their favor. My friend Sam has claimed for years that Duncan is the best player in the league, and you'd be hard pressed to argue against it. But I still can't stand him. You know what, it's probably because even though he makes all of his shots, his turnaround-kiss-off-the-glass-that-looks-remarkably-like-Shaq's-freethrow is annoying. I always see that shot and think, there's no way that's going in. Always wrong.
Anyway, before I depart, it is worth noting that the Hornets did start 4-0 with a big win over Denver and an unbelievable record-setting night against the Lakers. A hard fought game in Portland (without technical fouling Tyson for the second half) ended with the Hornets only three points behind. All in all, we're playing solid. Peja seems a bit streaky, and Byron is making odd coaching decisions, but we're still 4-2. After all, it could be worse. Ask Ken Mauer tomorrow how much worse it could be when I send someone to find him in a dark alley. See you next week.
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