| Video: Chris Paul NBA Playoffs promo |
Thanks to Hornets Beat over at NOLA.com for posting and sharing.
Showing posts with label CP3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CP3. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2009
CP Playoff Commercial: Sneak Peak
Thanks to Hornets Beat over at NOLA.com for posting and sharing.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Head-to-Head: CP3 vs DW8
Thousands upon thousands of words have been devoted to the CP3/D Will debate, and truthfully, it's likely we won't see the death of this subject until one of the two hoists the Larry O'Brien trophy. Until that fateful day arrives, we will continue to argue, debate, punch, kick, and bite in this oft polarizing argument.
The reason I'm chiming in today is because J.A. Adande wrote something that caught my attention a few days ago:
Hmmm. Interesting. As of today, the Jazz are 41-25 and the Hornets are 41-24. I suppose he could be referencing the Jazz's recent winning streak of 11, but both teams are 8-2 over their last 10, so I'm not sure that really settles anything.
On the other hand, if the Hornets were doing worse (record-wise) than the Jazz, how could you penalize Paul for this? Most of our losses this season have resulted from a thin bench and declining numbers from a few of our starters (none of whom are named Paul, Chris). Is there really an argument for CP being the inferior player if he's stuck on a team with significantly less depth? I'm not sure there is.
It's Adande's second statement that really prompted this post. For most fans of either team, it's generally accepted that Deron outperforms Chris when the Jazz square off against the Hornets, but, despite the fact this has become "common knowledge," I've never actually seen any numbers that back up the argument.
Is there really a sharp drop in Chris' (or Deron's) production? Or are we maybe remembering a handful of only the most recent contests that may have favored Deron? Let's star by looking at these guys career stats. Then, we'll look at some composite stats for the 12 games in which these guys have faced off*:
Career per game totals
Head to Head per game totals
Difference in production per game
A quick look at the tables reveals that almost all of Paul's statistical contributions see a drop (the exception being FT attempted and FT%), while Williams' numbers seem to shift in both directions. What's interesting is that I wouldn't call either stat line from the head-to-heads amazing (which both players are) or terrible (which both players are not). It seems that they both affect the other's numbers pretty significantly, and why not? After all, they're pretty worthy adversaries.
The real story that these numbers tell is that Williams' size (he's got 3 inches and 30 pounds on Paul) and the Jazz's strong interior defense give him an edge over Paul. The former allows Deron to penetrate in the paint much easier, prompting an increase in points and FG% (and likely explaining the drop in AST). Similarly, the size advantage (and the defensively superior Jazz) prevent Paul from effectively running the pick and roll for easy floaters or even kick-outs to the the open man during a double-team. As a result, we see a sharp drop in points and FG% from Paul. Though he is able to make up some of his scoring ground by going to the stripe much more often – another instance of the Jazz's aggression in the paint – it's hard to argue that Paul performs at the same level against this team as he does against the rest of the league.
From these tables, we might assume that Williams is in fact the better player, since beating your opponent head-on seems to be the ultimate competition. But the problem with that assumption is that it ignores one pretty crucial fact: the Jazz are better than the Hornets. Plain and simple. Their starters match up well against the Bees and their bench is something like a gajillion times better than ours. As a result, Paul is forced to carry the load for a team of under-achievers and gets burned because he's matching up against a larger version of himself.
So there you have it: we've seen that Paul is probably the better individual player**, but that's not much consolation to Hornets fans who have watched their team go 2-10*** in the games featuring both point guards. It will be even less of a consolation if we draw them in the playoffs.
In sum, both of these guys are phenomenal basketball players, and they're both a pleasure to watch (yes, I secretly enjoy watching Williams). But they will continue to be locked into this debate until someone is able to assemble a better team around Paul. Let's just hope that team is the Hornets.
--
* Unfortunately, the above tables ignore pace, something that might swing the results more to CP's favor, since he has amassed his per game stats playing a much slower game than Deron's Jazz ever play. While the disparities between career and h2h might have been a little less significant if we accounted for pace, it probably would not be enough to change the story.
** My cohort from At the Hive did a pretty thorough examination of both players and their career numbers. Call it biased if you want, but it's a pretty irrefutable argument that Paul is the better player.
*** Though our record sucks against the Jazz, it's worth noting that both times we've played Utah on the road this year, it was a back-to-back with the Lakers as the previous night's opponent. At the Staples Center. Thanks, David Stern.
--
If you're interested, check out the Basketball-Reference info I used on Paul and on Williams for the tables. You can also download a pdf of the spreadsheet I used to compile the totals and averages.
The reason I'm chiming in today is because J.A. Adande wrote something that caught my attention a few days ago:
I like Paul as much as the next guy... But it's hard to ignore what Williams and the Jazz have done. And you can't forget the way Williams has dominated Paul in their head-to-head matchups.
Hmmm. Interesting. As of today, the Jazz are 41-25 and the Hornets are 41-24. I suppose he could be referencing the Jazz's recent winning streak of 11, but both teams are 8-2 over their last 10, so I'm not sure that really settles anything.
On the other hand, if the Hornets were doing worse (record-wise) than the Jazz, how could you penalize Paul for this? Most of our losses this season have resulted from a thin bench and declining numbers from a few of our starters (none of whom are named Paul, Chris). Is there really an argument for CP being the inferior player if he's stuck on a team with significantly less depth? I'm not sure there is.
It's Adande's second statement that really prompted this post. For most fans of either team, it's generally accepted that Deron outperforms Chris when the Jazz square off against the Hornets, but, despite the fact this has become "common knowledge," I've never actually seen any numbers that back up the argument.
Is there really a sharp drop in Chris' (or Deron's) production? Or are we maybe remembering a handful of only the most recent contests that may have favored Deron? Let's star by looking at these guys career stats. Then, we'll look at some composite stats for the 12 games in which these guys have faced off*:
Career per game totals
| PTS | FGM | FG% | FTM | FT% | REB | AST | STL | TO | |
| PAUL | 18.9 | 6.7 | 46.6 | 4.8 | 84.4 | 4.7 | 9.8 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| WILLIAMS | 15.9 | 6.0 | 46.6 | 3.0 | 78.6 | 2.9 | 8.5 | 1.0 | 2.9 |
Head to Head per game totals
| PTS | FGM | FG% | FTM | FT% | REB | AST | STL | TO | |
| PAUL | 12.5 | 5.1 | 40.7 | 5.0 | 85.7 | 3.0 | 8.7 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
| WILLIAMS | 16.1 | 6.4 | 53.5 | 2.0 | 70.6 | 3.2 | 8.0 | 0.8 | 3.1 |
Difference in production per game
| PTS | FGM | FG% | FTM | FT% | REB | AST | STL | TO | |
| PAUL | -5.4 | -1.6 | -5.9 | +0.2 | +1.2 | -1.7 | -1.1 | -0.1 | 0 |
| WILLIAMS | +1.1 | +0.4 | +6.9 | -1.0 | -8.6 | +0.3 | -0.5 | -0.2 | +0.2 |
A quick look at the tables reveals that almost all of Paul's statistical contributions see a drop (the exception being FT attempted and FT%), while Williams' numbers seem to shift in both directions. What's interesting is that I wouldn't call either stat line from the head-to-heads amazing (which both players are) or terrible (which both players are not). It seems that they both affect the other's numbers pretty significantly, and why not? After all, they're pretty worthy adversaries.
The real story that these numbers tell is that Williams' size (he's got 3 inches and 30 pounds on Paul) and the Jazz's strong interior defense give him an edge over Paul. The former allows Deron to penetrate in the paint much easier, prompting an increase in points and FG% (and likely explaining the drop in AST). Similarly, the size advantage (and the defensively superior Jazz) prevent Paul from effectively running the pick and roll for easy floaters or even kick-outs to the the open man during a double-team. As a result, we see a sharp drop in points and FG% from Paul. Though he is able to make up some of his scoring ground by going to the stripe much more often – another instance of the Jazz's aggression in the paint – it's hard to argue that Paul performs at the same level against this team as he does against the rest of the league.
From these tables, we might assume that Williams is in fact the better player, since beating your opponent head-on seems to be the ultimate competition. But the problem with that assumption is that it ignores one pretty crucial fact: the Jazz are better than the Hornets. Plain and simple. Their starters match up well against the Bees and their bench is something like a gajillion times better than ours. As a result, Paul is forced to carry the load for a team of under-achievers and gets burned because he's matching up against a larger version of himself.
So there you have it: we've seen that Paul is probably the better individual player**, but that's not much consolation to Hornets fans who have watched their team go 2-10*** in the games featuring both point guards. It will be even less of a consolation if we draw them in the playoffs.
In sum, both of these guys are phenomenal basketball players, and they're both a pleasure to watch (yes, I secretly enjoy watching Williams). But they will continue to be locked into this debate until someone is able to assemble a better team around Paul. Let's just hope that team is the Hornets.
--
* Unfortunately, the above tables ignore pace, something that might swing the results more to CP's favor, since he has amassed his per game stats playing a much slower game than Deron's Jazz ever play. While the disparities between career and h2h might have been a little less significant if we accounted for pace, it probably would not be enough to change the story.
** My cohort from At the Hive did a pretty thorough examination of both players and their career numbers. Call it biased if you want, but it's a pretty irrefutable argument that Paul is the better player.
*** Though our record sucks against the Jazz, it's worth noting that both times we've played Utah on the road this year, it was a back-to-back with the Lakers as the previous night's opponent. At the Staples Center. Thanks, David Stern.
--
If you're interested, check out the Basketball-Reference info I used on Paul and on Williams for the tables. You can also download a pdf of the spreadsheet I used to compile the totals and averages.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Next Magic Johnson?
Is Chris Paul as a good (or better) of a point guard as Magic Johnson?
John Hollinger addresses this question one of his latest PER Diems, and he seems to think that the answer is probably "yes." (Though Dave Berri did say it first.) Hollinger admits that both players come from remarkably different eras of play, but this doesn't deter him from making a case for Paul:
Yes, it's easier for a small guard to dominate today's game than it was for John Stockton and Isiah Thomas to dominate in the '80s, and it's true that we don't know whether Paul will have the longevity that the players above enjoyed.
Nonetheless, compare Paul's first four seasons to the first four seasons of any point guard from the postmerger era, and one conclusion becomes evident really fast: The only player who can even plausibly compare to him is Magic Johnson.
This suggestion will obviously set off a bomb of "no ways" and "impossibles" and "don't even bothers" from Laker fans everywhere, but I have yet to find anyone who has written a comprehensive defense of Magic. In fact, most fans think the suggestion is so outrageous that they would rather just dismiss the discussion as opposed to engaging in it.
Fans like J.A. Adande. Mr. Adande not only disagrees with the comparison, but his sole remark on the subject was a terse dismissal of the argument (in his "CP3 vs D Will" article). Here's the mini-rant on why it is "sacrilege" to compare Paul (or anyone probably) to Magic Johnson:
Tell any aspirants to the throne to fill in at center in a Finals game, win five championships and set the career assists record ... maybe after all that we can hold a discussion.
So, apparently CP is out of the running to ever fill Magic's shoes since he probably won't be playing center anytime soon. Never mind the fact that Magic has the height edge by 8 inches (that's right, Magic was a 6'8" point guard) and Paul is probably finished growing. (I suppose it also doesn't matter that Paul, despite his height, is averaging over 5 rebounds a game this season which is only 2 off from Magic's career average.)
But what if we took height out of the argument? Now Paul has to win at least 5 rings and break the assists record. Let's be honest here, the former is not happening. Though I expect Paul will retire with at least 1 ring, he probably won't amass 5. I think it's worth mentioning, though, that Paul doesn't have the same squad of legends playing with him. Who would you rather: Kareem, Worthy, and McAdoo or West, Chandler, and Peja? Neither option is terrible, but the Showtime crew is light years ahead of the Bees.
Ok, so he's too short and he won't win 5 championships. What's left? Oh yeah, the assists record. This is probably the most ridiculous statement of all. While it's no small feat that Magic broke the assists record (his 10,141 edged out the Big O's 9,887), it's preposterous to suggest that Paul has to accomplish the same feat in order to be considered on Magic's level. This is primarily due to the fact that a man named John Stockton came in and beat out Magic's record by 50%. Magic's total: 10,141. Stockton's: 15,806. So now, CP has to amass almost 16K assists just to be in the discussion.
While I agree that putting Paul on the same level as Magic is a bit premature, I don't think it's even remotely sacrilege to make comparisons. Dave Berri said it best:
Chris Paul in 2008-09 compares favorably to Magic Johnson. And that is a point I would emphasize. Chris Paul is developing into one of the all-time great players in NBA history. It’s not a stretch to start thinking of him in terms of players like Magic, MJ, and Bird. Yes, Paul is that good.
"Developing" is the key word in that sentence. Mr. Adande should just be happy that a point guard as exciting as CP (and possibly the most exciting since Magic) is in the league right now. Not to mention that he gets to watch that player's "development" unfold. He should also try watching more than 2 or 3 Hornets' games a season. It might help.
***
Ok, so having the best point guard in the league (and arguably ever) is a small consolation if this team can't bring home a championship. These arguments that circulate through the blogosphere are ostensibly meaningless since we really have no way of be 100% certain about something as subjective as how "good" a player is/was, never mind the fact that some of these comparisons are made between players who were stars in totally different eras.
In the end, these discussions are just a way of biding our time until our respective teams take home a championship. We don't like to admit it, but it's the truth all the same.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Highlight of the Season
Ladies and gentlemen, this is air traffic control. We regret to inform you that while the JET may in fact be on the runway, he has been grounded due to the awesomeness that is Chris Paul. Thank you for your understanding.
Roger that. Over and out.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Chris Paul Is Apparently Awesome
If you haven't heard of Dave Berri, please check out his amazing blog which houses his ongoing research, the grounds of which were firmly laid in his fantastic book, The Wages of Wins. For those of you who follow basketball and feebly attempt to make heads or tails out of statistical significance (one of my favorite pastimes), Dave is a godsend who always has a very interesting take on the world of sports.
Similar to other more experimental statisticians like Dean Oliver and John Hollinger, Berri has devised his own method of determining player value. His is known as "wins produced." I couldn't find a breakdown of the stat online, but the basic premise is that by applying a certain juju to the statistics of any NBA player, Berri computes the amount of wins that said player will produce. He often presents the statistic as a wins per 48 minutes (WP48). For the purposes of comparison, an average NBA player posts a .100 WPA.
Interestingly enough (though certainly not surprising), CP3 ranks among the highest in the league when it comes to wins produced. In fact, in Berri's recent midseason analysis of the Hornets, he details just how special Paul and his contributions truly are to this team:
Not surprisingly, Berri attributes the Hornets' general struggles to the lack of rebounding by both West and Chandler. As suggested above, Paul's production has actually increased, so if West and Chandler see a return to form over the second half of the season the Hornets could be looking at a true return (or entry?) into the NBA's elite. Here's to hoping.
Additionally, Berri takes the time to compare Paul to another great point guard:
Quite a statement, indeed. True, us Hornets' fans have been hawking this point for quite some time, but it's nice to see other folks recognizing what's lying in plain sight.
Who knows, perhaps a rejuvenated front-court and a strong second half will put the Hornets back on top in the West. If not, though, we can always rest easy knowing that our insanely awesome point guard will not rest until he has reached that zenith. And the scary part is that he might just be good enough to do it all by himself.
***
In case you have any interest, check out Berri's midseason reports for the remaining 29 teams, and be sure to check the blog next week as he's promised a league-wide analysis for the halfway point.
In case you missed it, At the Hive did a Hornets-themed interview with Berri before the season.
And while we're shouting out to cool stuff on the interwebs, be sure to swing by Hornets 24/7 for a cool article about the Hornet's shot charts through the halfway point.
Peace out.
Similar to other more experimental statisticians like Dean Oliver and John Hollinger, Berri has devised his own method of determining player value. His is known as "wins produced." I couldn't find a breakdown of the stat online, but the basic premise is that by applying a certain juju to the statistics of any NBA player, Berri computes the amount of wins that said player will produce. He often presents the statistic as a wins per 48 minutes (WP48). For the purposes of comparison, an average NBA player posts a .100 WPA.
Interestingly enough (though certainly not surprising), CP3 ranks among the highest in the league when it comes to wins produced. In fact, in Berri's recent midseason analysis of the Hornets, he details just how special Paul and his contributions truly are to this team:
From Table One we see that Paul - after 41 games in 2008-09 - has already produced 15.9 wins. In 2007-08, only ten players produced more wins for the entire season (and one of these was Paul). If Paul continues at this pace in 2008-09 he will finish with 31.8 Wins Produced. And if he eclipses the 30 win mark he will be first player to do this since Kevin Garnett (30.7 wins) did this in 2002-03.
Not surprisingly, Berri attributes the Hornets' general struggles to the lack of rebounding by both West and Chandler. As suggested above, Paul's production has actually increased, so if West and Chandler see a return to form over the second half of the season the Hornets could be looking at a true return (or entry?) into the NBA's elite. Here's to hoping.
Additionally, Berri takes the time to compare Paul to another great point guard:
Chris Paul in 2008-09 compares favorably to Magic Johnson. And that is a point I would emphasize. Chris Paul is developing into one of the all-time great players in NBA history. It’s not a stretch to start thinking of him in terms of players like Magic, MJ, and Bird. Yes, Paul is that good.
Quite a statement, indeed. True, us Hornets' fans have been hawking this point for quite some time, but it's nice to see other folks recognizing what's lying in plain sight.
Who knows, perhaps a rejuvenated front-court and a strong second half will put the Hornets back on top in the West. If not, though, we can always rest easy knowing that our insanely awesome point guard will not rest until he has reached that zenith. And the scary part is that he might just be good enough to do it all by himself.
***
In case you have any interest, check out Berri's midseason reports for the remaining 29 teams, and be sure to check the blog next week as he's promised a league-wide analysis for the halfway point.
In case you missed it, At the Hive did a Hornets-themed interview with Berri before the season.
And while we're shouting out to cool stuff on the interwebs, be sure to swing by Hornets 24/7 for a cool article about the Hornet's shot charts through the halfway point.
Peace out.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
You Got Dunked On
Are you ready for your productivity at work to drop below zero? Cause once you take a look at this blog, You Got Dunked On, your life will never be the same.
The right hand column features a clickable list of dunkers featured on the site. Unfortunately, you can't separate the videos by dunkees, but an initial look places Jermaine O'Neal at the top of the "most often posterized" standings.
Oh, and in case anyone forgot, this happened:
For real, yo.
Peace.
The right hand column features a clickable list of dunkers featured on the site. Unfortunately, you can't separate the videos by dunkees, but an initial look places Jermaine O'Neal at the top of the "most often posterized" standings.
Oh, and in case anyone forgot, this happened:
For real, yo.
Peace.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
CP3 on E:60
Note: apparently, ESPN took down this video. I'll try to relink it if I can find it somewhere else.
Friday, July 4, 2008
WE GOT HIM!
Yesterday it was announced that CP3 and the Hornets came to an agreement over a contract extension. It's a three year deal (with a player's option for a fourth). The package is worth 68 million... money well spent. The CP3 era is here. Bandwagonners, we are accepting fan applications.
ESPN has the rest of the details.
peace.
ESPN has the rest of the details.
peace.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
5 or 3? That is the Question for CP3.
According to article by John Reid of the Times Pic, it appears as though the question of whether or not the Hornets resign CP3 is no longer an "if". Rather, Paul seems to be wavering between signing a 3 year, $60 million deal or a 5 year, $80 million deal.
Which shall he choose? I don't care (actually, I do: I'd love for him to take the 5 year deal). The reason I don't care? D. West and Peja have 3 years remaining in their contract and Tyson has two. That means that there are at least 3 years remaining in the Hornet's new era of contention (for those of you worried about my math, we will absolutely be resigning Tyson is CP is still around... the two complete each other).
***
Now then. I shall react to Curry's free agency rundown.
PLEASE GOD DON'T LET BOWER SIGN KWAME BROWN OR DeSAGANA DIOP! AND I DON'T CARE IF JASON WILLIAMS HAS A RING! SO DOES MARK MADSEN! PLEASE GOD, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE!
Sorry. Actually, unless we can land Carl Landry, I say the Bees should focus on wingmen or point guards, hopefully nabbing Sessions, Gordon, or Maggette. These guys really would be excellent additions to the crew we already have. Never mind that one of the under-reported stories the last season was the over-use of CP. The blame for that lies both in Byron and Chris' court (and you could hardly argue with the results until the playoff), but with a more consistent backup crew for the 1 and 2 slots, CP might feel less pressure to win everything by himself.
Meanwhile, Byron could try whipping Hilton into shape the same way he made a bruiser out of Tyson. Scott threatened to fine and bench Chandler every time he caught an offensive rebound and kicked it back out. Either get the second chance points or die trying.
Go Team.
Which shall he choose? I don't care (actually, I do: I'd love for him to take the 5 year deal). The reason I don't care? D. West and Peja have 3 years remaining in their contract and Tyson has two. That means that there are at least 3 years remaining in the Hornet's new era of contention (for those of you worried about my math, we will absolutely be resigning Tyson is CP is still around... the two complete each other).
***
Now then. I shall react to Curry's free agency rundown.
PLEASE GOD DON'T LET BOWER SIGN KWAME BROWN OR DeSAGANA DIOP! AND I DON'T CARE IF JASON WILLIAMS HAS A RING! SO DOES MARK MADSEN! PLEASE GOD, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE!
Sorry. Actually, unless we can land Carl Landry, I say the Bees should focus on wingmen or point guards, hopefully nabbing Sessions, Gordon, or Maggette. These guys really would be excellent additions to the crew we already have. Never mind that one of the under-reported stories the last season was the over-use of CP. The blame for that lies both in Byron and Chris' court (and you could hardly argue with the results until the playoff), but with a more consistent backup crew for the 1 and 2 slots, CP might feel less pressure to win everything by himself.
Meanwhile, Byron could try whipping Hilton into shape the same way he made a bruiser out of Tyson. Scott threatened to fine and bench Chandler every time he caught an offensive rebound and kicked it back out. Either get the second chance points or die trying.
Go Team.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The Recap: a Glorious Season Comes to an End
I would first like to apologize for my absence. I had to impose an ESPN ban on myself for the past week in order to effectively get over the end of the season. But now I'm outside the tunnel and feeling good… I can now enjoy sports again without ripping the nearest pillow to shreds. So... recap, anyone?
The Man and his Mentor.
To help me sum up the fantastic ride that was the Hornets' season, permit me to call on the golden-age rapper Whodini's "Magic Wand".
Hey y'all, we'll be back again
So tell all your friends
Good things don't always come to an end
This is, in so many words, a great encapsulation of the last six months. I could wax philosophic for paragraphs on end about how awesome this season has been, but I've opted for something that should be more fun and completely expose me for the compulsively organized individual I am. For your enjoyment, I've decided to recap the season High Fidelity style. I will now blast some mad tunes while I channel John Cusack's character. Let's get started.
***
Top 5 Games of the season:
1. Dec 1, 2007 [New Orleans 112 | Dallas 108]:
Peja hits a trey at the buzzer to send the game to OT. Hornets take care of business, outscoring Dallas by 4 in the extra quarter.
2. Jan 28, 2008 [New Orleans 117 | Denver 93]:
On their way to a dominating route of the Melo-less Nuggets, the Bees hold Marcus Camby to something like 5% of his normal nightly contributions and make AI do all the work. More importantly, this was the first game in which we heard the "MVP" chants fill the arena. Goosebumps all around.
3. Feb 20, 2008 [New Orleans 104 | Dallas 93]
Dallas comes to town for their first game after completing a blockbuster deal in which Cuban mortgaged the Maverick's future for the likes of Jason Kidd. While it was no surprise that this new mix of players couldn't take a game on our court, no one could have predicted Chris Paul's unbelievable performance (see number 3 in the next list). By the way, Jason Kidd's agility owes CP's agility like thirty grand.
4. Mar 12, 2008 [New Orleans 100 | San Antonio 75]
After failing pretty miserably against this team in NOLA earlier in the season, the Hornets bounce back and route the reigning champs. An entire quarter of booing (after some poor officiating) led to an 8 point effort in the fourth from the Spurs, allowing the Hornets to bounce back from a 7 point deficit. It was an even bigger victory for us when include the amount of attention and head-turning it prompted from the media.
5. Mar 22, 2008 [New Orleans 113 | Boston 106]
If the heads hadn't been turned by this time, all eyes would soon be on the Hornets after the Celtics came to town. After shutting down the Spurs and Lakers at home, the Hornets' played host to this year's media darling. After a shaky start, the New Orleans came back to win in a scintillating fourth quarter as they outscored the Celtics 32 to 17.
Top 5 Individual performances by players named Chris Paul:
1. Jan 28, 2008 [New Orleans 117 | Denver 93]
23 points, 17 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block
2. Feb 6, 2008 [New Orleans 132 | Phoenix 130]
42 points on 55% shooting, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 8 steals, and 1 turnover in 50 minutes of play. Damn, son.
3. Feb 20, 2008 [New Orleans 104 | Dallas 93]
31 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 9 steals, and 1 turnover
4. Apr 22, 2008 [New Orleans 127 | Dallas 103
32 points, 17 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals (Dallas series, game 2)
5. Apr 29, 2008 [New Orleans 99 | Dallas 94]
24 points, 15 assists, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 0 turnovers (Dallas series, Game 4)
Top 5 Individual performances by players not named Chris Paul:
1. Nov 6, 2008 [New Orleans 118 | Los Angeles Lakers 104]
Peja: 36 points, 10-13 beyond the arc, 5 rebounds, 1 block
2. Jan 4, 2008 [New Orleans 116 | Golden State 104]
Tyson: 22 points, 22 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
3. Mar 5, 2008 [New Orleans 116 | Atlanta 101]
JuJu: 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists.
Jump on it, JuJu. Jump on it.
This game is less important for the numbers, but rather it marked our first of many "Holy crap! Julian Wright is going to be awesome!" moments. My buddy Nat had this revelation the other day: "Julian Wright is really good. He could be as good as Ron Artest… you know, minus the crazy". Additionally, he had two highlight dunks and danced like a fiend to The Sugarhill Gang's "Apache". Read about it or watch the highlights.
4. Mar 25, 2008 [New Orleans 114 | Indiana 106]
D.West: 35 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 3 steals
5. May 13, 2008 [New Orleans 101 | San Antonio 79]
D.West: 38 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals (San Antonio series, Game 5). A god among men.
Top 5 Moments of the playoffs:
1. What's playoff experience?
Every single analyst in the country had the Hornets either losing to the Mavs or pulling off a close win in a game seven. This seeming lack of faith was justified at the Hornets' lack of playoff experience. That statement remained true for roughly 24 minutes, or the first half of Game 1 against Dallas. After that, the Hornets exploded and never looked back, taking the series in 5 games. CP averaged 25 points, 12 assists, and 1 turnover during that stretch.
Where playoff experience is optional happens.
2. West owns Dirk's pride.
After taking an elbow from the reigning MVP, D.West gets in the big German's face, tells him he "only gets to do that once", and then taps his cheek. Dirk's response? Fear.
3. Where the savior destroys hope happens.
Game 4 versus Dallas. The Mavs are about to lose on their own turf and go down 3-1 in the series. Out of bitter frustration, the man who was sent in to save them all, commits a tasteless, flagrant foul. When Jason Kidd, pulled Pargo down by the neck on a fast break late in the game, the Dallas season was effectively over. Read more in this entry.
4. Stop the Flop.
Dirk had been flopping all throughout the series (so much so that Nat suggested that "maybe falling is just part of his shooting motion"). After 5 games, the Hornets' fans had had enough. During a Dirk and-one, a fan's sign prompted the entire arena to chant "Stop the flop!" at the top of their lungs during every single Dallas free-throw until the end of the game.
5. Love, even in a loss.
In the final minutes of Game 7 against the Spurs, after Pargo missed an open trey that would have tied the game, Chris gathered his sixth foul on the other end of the court and promptly went to the bench. As fans, we recognized that moment as the end of our season, despite the ninety some-odd seconds remaining on the clock. As Chris reached the bench, the entire arena stood up and cheered louder than I've ever heard them. Instead of being bitter, there was a feeling of love and gratitude flowing through the building. It was a hell of a way to thank the guys while simultaneously drawing attention away from the Spurs' victory.
Top 5 Ways to make myself feel better after getting booted from the playoffs:
1. We took the defending champs to game seven.
I don't care that we were the two seed: the defending champs are always the defending champs (unless they're from Miami). Let's face it, the Spurs ARE a freaking dynasty. They've won 4 of the last 9 championships, and their big 3 have played in over 100 playoff games together. That's more than an entire season of just playoffs. This team is incredible and we took them to seven games.
2. We won the Southwest Division.
We won our first divisional championship this season, outperforming what is easily the hardest and deepest division in the league — and that's including the likes of Memphis. Though (as we found out) the regular season means nothing in the playoffs, it's still nice to finally have a divisional championship under our belt (and a banner hanging from our rafters).
Where earning respect happens.
3. The nucleus is returning.
Here's a list of the young talent that is returning next year: Chris Paul (23), David West (27), Tyson Chandler (25), Jannero Pargo (28), Julian Wright (21), Hilton Armstrong (23), and whoever the hell we draft next month. Peja is the oldest of the crew, but he only recently cracked 30 on the odometer (he'll be 31 on June 9th).
4. We have Jeff Bower.
In hindsight, that trade with the rockets was not the greatest move ever. Though Bonzi performed really well during the regular season, he all but disappeared in the playoffs (that was partly Byron's fault, but we'll save that for another day). Plus, I'm not even sure that Mike "Shoes" James even traveled with the team after the regular season ended. Regardless, Bower is a genius of GM in league so full of ineptness. Though drafting Paul was a no-brainer, Bower built this team from the ground up after Baron Davis' oscar-worthy portrayal of Vince Carter destroyed the franchise back in 2004.
5. Home Court Advantage for ALL of next season.
I will concede, despite many posts arguing to the contrary, that we had embarrassingly low attendance until mid-January. Home court advantage was really hard to come by (especially considering that when people did show up, it was often to see the other team's superstar). However, the Hornets still won 56 games. Imagine how many more they could win if the fans showed up for an entire season. Now that we have our own superstar, we won't have to wait too long to find out.
Top 5 Songs to listen to while writing a blog entry about basketball:
1. "Harder, Faster Stronger" by Daft Punk
2. "Basketball" by Kurtis Blow
3. "Inside Game" by Royal Trux
4. "Rock Box" by Run D.M.C.
5. "Rebel Without a Pause" by Public Enemy
***
All in all, who could have asked for a better season? Ok, maybe the whiny Boston fan-base, but I sure couldn't have. For a small market team, nothing could have beaten the credibility and exposure we were able to [slowly] amass over the past six months. I mean, how many people get to say, "Hey, I got to watch [insert name of athlete who becomes god-like and joins pantheon of icons in his sport] transcend to greatness. Yeah, I had season tickets. Yeah, I was there before anyone thought to look…" how awesome is that?
This year was the beginning of something great, not the end. The old powerhouses in the West are slowly succumbing to age. Their time has past. A new era is being ushered in. An era in which the likes of young guns are out to make a name for themselves. The wild, wild west is about to get a bit wilder. And look for the Hornets to be wielding a young point guard hungry for victory.
***
Thanks for sticking it out with us all season. Just so you know, we'll be continuing to post during the off-season, so be sure to check back periodically. I expect Curry to post a season recap in the near future, but also be looking for a draft preview as well as the Hometown Hornets' official draft day live blog, in which Curry and I will go head-to-head predicting picks while consuming alcohol... admit it, you're excited. Of course, we may not make it to the second round. Stay tuned!
Peace.
(Quick thank you to hornets.com. All of the images from this post (minus Kurtis Blow) can be found in their online photo gallery along with hundreds of others from the entire season.)
The Man and his Mentor.To help me sum up the fantastic ride that was the Hornets' season, permit me to call on the golden-age rapper Whodini's "Magic Wand".
Hey y'all, we'll be back again
So tell all your friends
Good things don't always come to an end
This is, in so many words, a great encapsulation of the last six months. I could wax philosophic for paragraphs on end about how awesome this season has been, but I've opted for something that should be more fun and completely expose me for the compulsively organized individual I am. For your enjoyment, I've decided to recap the season High Fidelity style. I will now blast some mad tunes while I channel John Cusack's character. Let's get started.
***
Top 5 Games of the season:
1. Dec 1, 2007 [New Orleans 112 | Dallas 108]:
Peja hits a trey at the buzzer to send the game to OT. Hornets take care of business, outscoring Dallas by 4 in the extra quarter.
2. Jan 28, 2008 [New Orleans 117 | Denver 93]:
On their way to a dominating route of the Melo-less Nuggets, the Bees hold Marcus Camby to something like 5% of his normal nightly contributions and make AI do all the work. More importantly, this was the first game in which we heard the "MVP" chants fill the arena. Goosebumps all around.
3. Feb 20, 2008 [New Orleans 104 | Dallas 93]
Dallas comes to town for their first game after completing a blockbuster deal in which Cuban mortgaged the Maverick's future for the likes of Jason Kidd. While it was no surprise that this new mix of players couldn't take a game on our court, no one could have predicted Chris Paul's unbelievable performance (see number 3 in the next list). By the way, Jason Kidd's agility owes CP's agility like thirty grand.
4. Mar 12, 2008 [New Orleans 100 | San Antonio 75]
After failing pretty miserably against this team in NOLA earlier in the season, the Hornets bounce back and route the reigning champs. An entire quarter of booing (after some poor officiating) led to an 8 point effort in the fourth from the Spurs, allowing the Hornets to bounce back from a 7 point deficit. It was an even bigger victory for us when include the amount of attention and head-turning it prompted from the media.
5. Mar 22, 2008 [New Orleans 113 | Boston 106]
If the heads hadn't been turned by this time, all eyes would soon be on the Hornets after the Celtics came to town. After shutting down the Spurs and Lakers at home, the Hornets' played host to this year's media darling. After a shaky start, the New Orleans came back to win in a scintillating fourth quarter as they outscored the Celtics 32 to 17.
Top 5 Individual performances by players named Chris Paul:
1. Jan 28, 2008 [New Orleans 117 | Denver 93]
23 points, 17 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block
2. Feb 6, 2008 [New Orleans 132 | Phoenix 130]
42 points on 55% shooting, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 8 steals, and 1 turnover in 50 minutes of play. Damn, son.
3. Feb 20, 2008 [New Orleans 104 | Dallas 93]
31 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 9 steals, and 1 turnover
4. Apr 22, 2008 [New Orleans 127 | Dallas 103
32 points, 17 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals (Dallas series, game 2)
5. Apr 29, 2008 [New Orleans 99 | Dallas 94]
24 points, 15 assists, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 0 turnovers (Dallas series, Game 4)
Top 5 Individual performances by players not named Chris Paul:
1. Nov 6, 2008 [New Orleans 118 | Los Angeles Lakers 104]
Peja: 36 points, 10-13 beyond the arc, 5 rebounds, 1 block
2. Jan 4, 2008 [New Orleans 116 | Golden State 104]
Tyson: 22 points, 22 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
3. Mar 5, 2008 [New Orleans 116 | Atlanta 101]
JuJu: 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists.
Jump on it, JuJu. Jump on it.This game is less important for the numbers, but rather it marked our first of many "Holy crap! Julian Wright is going to be awesome!" moments. My buddy Nat had this revelation the other day: "Julian Wright is really good. He could be as good as Ron Artest… you know, minus the crazy". Additionally, he had two highlight dunks and danced like a fiend to The Sugarhill Gang's "Apache". Read about it or watch the highlights.
4. Mar 25, 2008 [New Orleans 114 | Indiana 106]
D.West: 35 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 3 steals
5. May 13, 2008 [New Orleans 101 | San Antonio 79]
D.West: 38 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals (San Antonio series, Game 5). A god among men.
Top 5 Moments of the playoffs:
1. What's playoff experience?
Every single analyst in the country had the Hornets either losing to the Mavs or pulling off a close win in a game seven. This seeming lack of faith was justified at the Hornets' lack of playoff experience. That statement remained true for roughly 24 minutes, or the first half of Game 1 against Dallas. After that, the Hornets exploded and never looked back, taking the series in 5 games. CP averaged 25 points, 12 assists, and 1 turnover during that stretch.
Where playoff experience is optional happens.2. West owns Dirk's pride.
After taking an elbow from the reigning MVP, D.West gets in the big German's face, tells him he "only gets to do that once", and then taps his cheek. Dirk's response? Fear.
3. Where the savior destroys hope happens.
Game 4 versus Dallas. The Mavs are about to lose on their own turf and go down 3-1 in the series. Out of bitter frustration, the man who was sent in to save them all, commits a tasteless, flagrant foul. When Jason Kidd, pulled Pargo down by the neck on a fast break late in the game, the Dallas season was effectively over. Read more in this entry.
4. Stop the Flop.
Dirk had been flopping all throughout the series (so much so that Nat suggested that "maybe falling is just part of his shooting motion"). After 5 games, the Hornets' fans had had enough. During a Dirk and-one, a fan's sign prompted the entire arena to chant "Stop the flop!" at the top of their lungs during every single Dallas free-throw until the end of the game.
5. Love, even in a loss.
In the final minutes of Game 7 against the Spurs, after Pargo missed an open trey that would have tied the game, Chris gathered his sixth foul on the other end of the court and promptly went to the bench. As fans, we recognized that moment as the end of our season, despite the ninety some-odd seconds remaining on the clock. As Chris reached the bench, the entire arena stood up and cheered louder than I've ever heard them. Instead of being bitter, there was a feeling of love and gratitude flowing through the building. It was a hell of a way to thank the guys while simultaneously drawing attention away from the Spurs' victory.
Top 5 Ways to make myself feel better after getting booted from the playoffs:
1. We took the defending champs to game seven.
I don't care that we were the two seed: the defending champs are always the defending champs (unless they're from Miami). Let's face it, the Spurs ARE a freaking dynasty. They've won 4 of the last 9 championships, and their big 3 have played in over 100 playoff games together. That's more than an entire season of just playoffs. This team is incredible and we took them to seven games.
2. We won the Southwest Division.
We won our first divisional championship this season, outperforming what is easily the hardest and deepest division in the league — and that's including the likes of Memphis. Though (as we found out) the regular season means nothing in the playoffs, it's still nice to finally have a divisional championship under our belt (and a banner hanging from our rafters).
Where earning respect happens.3. The nucleus is returning.
Here's a list of the young talent that is returning next year: Chris Paul (23), David West (27), Tyson Chandler (25), Jannero Pargo (28), Julian Wright (21), Hilton Armstrong (23), and whoever the hell we draft next month. Peja is the oldest of the crew, but he only recently cracked 30 on the odometer (he'll be 31 on June 9th).
4. We have Jeff Bower.
In hindsight, that trade with the rockets was not the greatest move ever. Though Bonzi performed really well during the regular season, he all but disappeared in the playoffs (that was partly Byron's fault, but we'll save that for another day). Plus, I'm not even sure that Mike "Shoes" James even traveled with the team after the regular season ended. Regardless, Bower is a genius of GM in league so full of ineptness. Though drafting Paul was a no-brainer, Bower built this team from the ground up after Baron Davis' oscar-worthy portrayal of Vince Carter destroyed the franchise back in 2004.
5. Home Court Advantage for ALL of next season.
I will concede, despite many posts arguing to the contrary, that we had embarrassingly low attendance until mid-January. Home court advantage was really hard to come by (especially considering that when people did show up, it was often to see the other team's superstar). However, the Hornets still won 56 games. Imagine how many more they could win if the fans showed up for an entire season. Now that we have our own superstar, we won't have to wait too long to find out.
Top 5 Songs to listen to while writing a blog entry about basketball:
1. "Harder, Faster Stronger" by Daft Punk
2. "Basketball" by Kurtis Blow
3. "Inside Game" by Royal Trux
4. "Rock Box" by Run D.M.C.
5. "Rebel Without a Pause" by Public Enemy
***
All in all, who could have asked for a better season? Ok, maybe the whiny Boston fan-base, but I sure couldn't have. For a small market team, nothing could have beaten the credibility and exposure we were able to [slowly] amass over the past six months. I mean, how many people get to say, "Hey, I got to watch [insert name of athlete who becomes god-like and joins pantheon of icons in his sport] transcend to greatness. Yeah, I had season tickets. Yeah, I was there before anyone thought to look…" how awesome is that?
This year was the beginning of something great, not the end. The old powerhouses in the West are slowly succumbing to age. Their time has past. A new era is being ushered in. An era in which the likes of young guns are out to make a name for themselves. The wild, wild west is about to get a bit wilder. And look for the Hornets to be wielding a young point guard hungry for victory.
***
Thanks for sticking it out with us all season. Just so you know, we'll be continuing to post during the off-season, so be sure to check back periodically. I expect Curry to post a season recap in the near future, but also be looking for a draft preview as well as the Hometown Hornets' official draft day live blog, in which Curry and I will go head-to-head predicting picks while consuming alcohol... admit it, you're excited. Of course, we may not make it to the second round. Stay tuned!
Peace.
(Quick thank you to hornets.com. All of the images from this post (minus Kurtis Blow) can be found in their online photo gallery along with hundreds of others from the entire season.)
Friday, May 9, 2008
The Links, vol. 4
Western Semis, Game 5. Last night was nothing short of amazing. Curry will post a recap, but I do have to interject with one thought: DAVID WEST IS A GOD AMONG MEN. He played through injury and owned anyone in a San Antonio uniform who got near him. Kicked ass and took names. Wow. I just went from six to midnight. Before this gets anymore inappropriate, let's move on to the links.
1. In case you were looking for an easy-to-understand, fairly well designed overview of every one of Chris Paul's dimes this season, well look no further. The Times Pic has you covered. Just click the image below to get a closer view... then enjoy the awesomeness of CP3.
2. Chris made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
3. The crew at Ball Don't Lie did coverage of Game 5 with a live blog. Funny stuff. I promise.
4. The guys at Basketbawful had a pretty fantastic entry in their daily "Worst of the Night" column. So who made the list of worst on the night?
Anybody who guarded David West: Holy Moses. West was so hot last night that I got first degree burns from just watching him destroy any and every Spur who dared to defend him. Tim Duncan included. West finished with 38 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocked shots. If you thought Fabricio Oberto was ugly before, imagine what he looks like now that West scorched his eyebrows off.
5. Even the perennial whiners in San Antonio are impressed by David West. Check out this article in the San Antonio Press full of well-deserved love.
6. I heart John Hollinger and his numbers and stuff. Read article.
7. Cool video, courtesy of ESPN, about CP paying tribute to his grandfather. The number 61 will never be the same.
8. Funny post from ESPN the mag about Ric "WOOOOOOO!" Flair.
9. Check it. Great interview with JuJu from TrueHoop.
10. Page 2 feature on Chris "Birdman" Andersen's improbable (albeit insane) journey to the NBA, to drugs, to suspension, and back again. Worth the read.
11. So, this last link is sort of unrelated, but you'll just have to deal. A member of my beloved Cardinals (at least for part of his career... the good part) is hanging up the spikes. That's actually only partially true, but unless the Cubs (BOOOOOOO) sign him to a a one-year deal, Jim Edmonds may be finished with Major League Baseball. Check out this fantastic Page 2 article that recaps his (almost historic) numbers. Thanks for the memories, Jim.
1. In case you were looking for an easy-to-understand, fairly well designed overview of every one of Chris Paul's dimes this season, well look no further. The Times Pic has you covered. Just click the image below to get a closer view... then enjoy the awesomeness of CP3.
2. Chris made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
3. The crew at Ball Don't Lie did coverage of Game 5 with a live blog. Funny stuff. I promise.
4. The guys at Basketbawful had a pretty fantastic entry in their daily "Worst of the Night" column. So who made the list of worst on the night?
Anybody who guarded David West: Holy Moses. West was so hot last night that I got first degree burns from just watching him destroy any and every Spur who dared to defend him. Tim Duncan included. West finished with 38 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocked shots. If you thought Fabricio Oberto was ugly before, imagine what he looks like now that West scorched his eyebrows off.
5. Even the perennial whiners in San Antonio are impressed by David West. Check out this article in the San Antonio Press full of well-deserved love.
6. I heart John Hollinger and his numbers and stuff. Read article.
7. Cool video, courtesy of ESPN, about CP paying tribute to his grandfather. The number 61 will never be the same.
8. Funny post from ESPN the mag about Ric "WOOOOOOO!" Flair.
9. Check it. Great interview with JuJu from TrueHoop.
10. Page 2 feature on Chris "Birdman" Andersen's improbable (albeit insane) journey to the NBA, to drugs, to suspension, and back again. Worth the read.
11. So, this last link is sort of unrelated, but you'll just have to deal. A member of my beloved Cardinals (at least for part of his career... the good part) is hanging up the spikes. That's actually only partially true, but unless the Cubs (BOOOOOOO) sign him to a a one-year deal, Jim Edmonds may be finished with Major League Baseball. Check out this fantastic Page 2 article that recaps his (almost historic) numbers. Thanks for the memories, Jim.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
The Links, vol. 3
Hello all. In case you want a recap of Game 2 versus the Spurs complete with witty banter and intelligent observations... well, you'll just have to wait. Curry's on top of that task. My task: to provide you with another set of wonderful Hornets-related links that will allow you to waste countless hours on this here internets thing. I do want to mention that Game 2 was pretty awesome. I keep getting this sense of "is this really happening or is the endless cup of beer I'm consuming prompting some kind of illusion?" Turns out, it's all very real... and very amazing. Even Page 2's subhead on Tuesday had a reaction: Page 2 ... WHERE PAUL IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD IN SAN ANTONIO. Amazing. On to the links.
1. In case anyone is wondering how our owner has assembled this remarkable squad with a fraction of the budget of other teams, the answer is simple: Jeff Bower. Not a man of many words (I had a brief conversation with him earlier this year before the trade deadline), Mr. Bower appears to be beyond competent in the front office. NBA.com has the story.
2. Happy Birthday CP3!. ESPN the mag honored CP on his 23rd birthday (which was yesterday) with a batch of cool links spanning from high school to his total domination of the NBA. Had to include the Sportscenter commcerial he did after landing the ROY:
3. Man, the love just keeps on coming. Chris is named to the First Team All-NBA. In fact, he finished an extremely close second to Kobe in total votes received. Somehow, though, the league (or whoever gets a vote) managed to overlook D.West. He definitely deserves to be there more than Carlos Boozer, if only for Boozer's lackluster April (and playoffs).
4. J.A. Adande continues to drink the CP3 Kool-Aid. Pretty awesome article about what he calls "CP3's mean streak".
5. Chris continues to impress everyone. Check out this feature from the latest victim: Mr Eric Neel. The quote below sums up his fascination quite well:
[H]e's someone we can view as a symbol, a turning of some historic page, a bellwether signaling the end of one era (that belonged to Kidd and Steve Nash) and the beginning of another.
6. Air Jordan tribute video to CP. Sweet.
7. Another entry from the mag. This one pits Jannero Pargo against Tyson Chandler's wife, Kim, to see who knows the Chairman of the Boards better. The best friend against the love of his life. Watch the video to see who wins.
8. Need something to help pass the antsy-ridden hours leading up to each game? Check out this nifty flash game. Fleur-de-Bee... ENGAGE!
9. One final entry. I managed to get on DJ Gallo's chat the other day (on espn.com). He's more of a satirist than a journalist, but you should check out the chat anyway; it's pretty funny. In case you aren't an "insider" at espn, I took the liberty of reproducing the part of the chat where he answers my question:
Lee (New Orleans): San Antonio was unable to overcome the Hornets by playing a surprisingly clean Game 1. Think they'll return to the regular flop-o-rama to try and take Game 2?
DJ Gallo: They are legendary floppers. But I doubt it. Chris Paul has made it clear that if one Spurs player flops, it's going to be crotch-punches all around. Even Popovich will get one.
Peace.
1. In case anyone is wondering how our owner has assembled this remarkable squad with a fraction of the budget of other teams, the answer is simple: Jeff Bower. Not a man of many words (I had a brief conversation with him earlier this year before the trade deadline), Mr. Bower appears to be beyond competent in the front office. NBA.com has the story.
2. Happy Birthday CP3!. ESPN the mag honored CP on his 23rd birthday (which was yesterday) with a batch of cool links spanning from high school to his total domination of the NBA. Had to include the Sportscenter commcerial he did after landing the ROY:
3. Man, the love just keeps on coming. Chris is named to the First Team All-NBA. In fact, he finished an extremely close second to Kobe in total votes received. Somehow, though, the league (or whoever gets a vote) managed to overlook D.West. He definitely deserves to be there more than Carlos Boozer, if only for Boozer's lackluster April (and playoffs).
4. J.A. Adande continues to drink the CP3 Kool-Aid. Pretty awesome article about what he calls "CP3's mean streak".
5. Chris continues to impress everyone. Check out this feature from the latest victim: Mr Eric Neel. The quote below sums up his fascination quite well:
[H]e's someone we can view as a symbol, a turning of some historic page, a bellwether signaling the end of one era (that belonged to Kidd and Steve Nash) and the beginning of another.
6. Air Jordan tribute video to CP. Sweet.
7. Another entry from the mag. This one pits Jannero Pargo against Tyson Chandler's wife, Kim, to see who knows the Chairman of the Boards better. The best friend against the love of his life. Watch the video to see who wins.
8. Need something to help pass the antsy-ridden hours leading up to each game? Check out this nifty flash game. Fleur-de-Bee... ENGAGE!
9. One final entry. I managed to get on DJ Gallo's chat the other day (on espn.com). He's more of a satirist than a journalist, but you should check out the chat anyway; it's pretty funny. In case you aren't an "insider" at espn, I took the liberty of reproducing the part of the chat where he answers my question:
Lee (New Orleans): San Antonio was unable to overcome the Hornets by playing a surprisingly clean Game 1. Think they'll return to the regular flop-o-rama to try and take Game 2?
DJ Gallo: They are legendary floppers. But I doubt it. Chris Paul has made it clear that if one Spurs player flops, it's going to be crotch-punches all around. Even Popovich will get one.
Peace.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
There Can Only Be One
The league has put out four of these for the playoffs. According to the Times Pic the team that created these are the very same ones who brought us Little Miss Sunshine It's a pretty creative campaign, and the commercials a really cool, if not a tad unsettling (I mean, Kobe and Shaq blink at the same time, for crying out loud). You can find the other ones at youtube.com by searching "there can only be one".
But, of course, I can't just put a link in for the CP3 one. I 've got to show some love. So, without further ado, enjoy.
But, of course, I can't just put a link in for the CP3 one. I 've got to show some love. So, without further ado, enjoy.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
CP34MVP
For those of you who can't get enough of the Crescent City stroking Chris Paul, now's your chance to wear your pride. Thanks to the genius of CafePress (and a little design ingenuity on my part) you can now be a part of the greatest comeback in NBA history.
Purchase the CP34MVP shirt and wear it everywhere. Wear it to work, to school, to sleep, to bars, to weddings, to galas, to prom, and even to games! Seriously, how can you go wrong? Answer: you can't. There is no markup and no one is making a dime on this (except for the cafepress people who host it). So spread the word on CP34MVP nation-wide... oh, we are going global with this, baby.
16 dollars? That's a bigger steal than the 2.73 Chris gets every game!
The Hornets have also launched CP3MVP.com. Coincidence?... yeah, probably. But it is a cool site, plus they're offering an insane gift package for whoever makes the best short video about why CP3 deserves the award. All you have to do is upload your entries to their myspace page. Hmmmmm... I need to join myspace... and think of an idea...
***
In the totally unrelated world of links, check out John Hollinger's extremely flattering article about the Hornets quiet rise to the top of the Western Conference (as of posting we are the 1 seed since we own the tie-break with the Lakers).
And finally, there was a great article via Yahoo! that is setting the stage to make the late, great "Pistol" Pete Maravich the Chuck Norris of the NBA.
Pistol Pete's chest pass wound up being our best attack during the Vietnam War. It's too bad he never had to pass.
***
Coming your way: commentary/recap/poor attempt at humor for the Hornet's big W against the Rockets last night. Peace.
Purchase the CP34MVP shirt and wear it everywhere. Wear it to work, to school, to sleep, to bars, to weddings, to galas, to prom, and even to games! Seriously, how can you go wrong? Answer: you can't. There is no markup and no one is making a dime on this (except for the cafepress people who host it). So spread the word on CP34MVP nation-wide... oh, we are going global with this, baby.
16 dollars? That's a bigger steal than the 2.73 Chris gets every game!The Hornets have also launched CP3MVP.com. Coincidence?... yeah, probably. But it is a cool site, plus they're offering an insane gift package for whoever makes the best short video about why CP3 deserves the award. All you have to do is upload your entries to their myspace page. Hmmmmm... I need to join myspace... and think of an idea...
***
In the totally unrelated world of links, check out John Hollinger's extremely flattering article about the Hornets quiet rise to the top of the Western Conference (as of posting we are the 1 seed since we own the tie-break with the Lakers).
And finally, there was a great article via Yahoo! that is setting the stage to make the late, great "Pistol" Pete Maravich the Chuck Norris of the NBA.
Pistol Pete's chest pass wound up being our best attack during the Vietnam War. It's too bad he never had to pass.
***
Coming your way: commentary/recap/poor attempt at humor for the Hornet's big W against the Rockets last night. Peace.
Friday, February 29, 2008
The CP3 Widget
Just search "CP3" or "widget" on the blog to get a quick view at his stats. And, of course, the team widget is always at the bottom.
Also, I need to clear up a few mistakes from the last post before tonight's game against Utah. I apparently lack the ability to read numbers of any kind, as CP3's actual stats versus the D.Will and the Jazz are as follows:
Paul has also struggled in his career against Utah, averaging just 13.8 points and 8.1 assists and shooting 37.9 percent in eight career games, as New Orleans has gone 1-7. He struggled with foul trouble and had just six points and six assists in a 110-88 loss in Salt Lake City on Feb. 4, the Hornets' fourth straight loss to the Jazz - all by double digits.
Special thanks to nba.com for clearing that up. So, that looks pretty bleak from Paul's standpoint, but there is hope yet. It's been awhile since the Jazz have played a good Hornets team in the city of New Orleans and (again, thanks to nba.com) The Hornets are 29-8 this season when [Paul] has at least 10 assists.
Alright, enough talk. Let's do this.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Air Jordan: CP
It's official. CP3 has his own shoe now. It's designed to reflect CP3's love of basketball and bowling (apparently he and JuJu light up the lanes in their spare time). It's set to be released on March first and will retail for $115. Not bad, but I think I'll ebay it before I drop into footlocker. Actually, I'll probably pass. I'm sure there's a rule somewhere about being an adult and being white and not being allowed to purchase the shoe of your favorite player. Of course, when they release the teal and purple version, all bets are off.
(This pic came from the official Air Jordan site.)
Get ready, folks. He's coming... he's coming... he's coming...
(This pic came from the official Air Jordan site.)
Get ready, folks. He's coming... he's coming... he's coming...
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