Game 65: Hive Five
by atthehive on Mar 14, 2009 10:17 PM CDT
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17 comments
We didn't lose this game because we were tired, because we got unlucky on jump shots, because of whatever other excuse you want to dig up.
We lost this game because we are not very good at basketball.
This team is a pathetic shell of what it was last year, from Tyson Chandler to David West to Peja Stojakovic. And I truly feel sorry for Chris Paul.
We were completely exposed tonight. Sure, we might go out and play a hell of a game against the Rockets on Monday. That wouldn't change the fact that Ryan Bowen and Devin Brown are the first guys off our bench. That wouldn't change the fact that James Posey is playing like what we feared he'd turn into four years down the road. This embarrassing loss might "fire" up the guys to go and beat Houston on Monday, but who cares?
Seriously, who cares? Winning in the playoffs is about longevity, not taking out a bunch of pent-up anger and frustration in a single game.
That 7 game win streak we were on? It was a bunch of lucky, flukey, barely-holding-on string of games that everyone interpreted as "the Hornets are back!". No, no we're not. We're absolutely not.
At the end of all this, odds are still good that we end up with a 5, 4, or 3 seed. We could still draw a Denver in the first round and rouse a little bit of excitement. Maybe even put a little scare into a 2nd round opponent like the Spurs.
But ultimately, tonight confirms that this is a tragically flawed team. It's Chris Paul, David West (depending on whether he's decided to show up that night), and a bunch of players that either under-achieve or flat out suck.
You might call this overreaction. There are 17 games left. There's time for TC and Posey and everyone else to "find themselves." There's tough schedules remaining for other playoff teams.
But you know what? Who cares? Who cares if we beat up on the Thunder and the Grizzlies and the Knicks? What, so we can get a shiny little 3rd seed out of it? So we can get home court and convince ourselves that everything will end well?
Playoff success is heavily contingent upon depth. We have less depth than a puddle of mud in the middle of the Sahara Desert. If we can't win a simple back-to-back against Milwaukee and Chicago in March, why would we logically stand any chance in a 2 games in 3 days affair with the Lakers? Or the Jazz? Or the Blazers? Or anyone?
I was on the verge of writing this very post literally ten times in the last few weeks. After wins, after losses. That, to me, is what exempts it from the overreaction label.
It's easy to sit back and call this "one of those games." Sure, but when was the last time the Lakers were down 30 to a fringe Eastern playoff team? When was the last time the Cavaliers turned a professional NBA game into a three point shooting drill for Ben Gordon?
It pains me to say it, but true contenders don't fail so spectacularly, even on their worst days.
Who was it that said, "Hope springs eternal"? Somebody better let him know he was wrong.
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Everytime the bench comes in...
the starters have to regain the lead. The Bulls went on a 21-2 run against the Hornets. How the hell are players so incompetent that they would let the other team score 21 points in half a quarter? Ryan Bowen is useless. Hilton Armstrong is useless. Antonio Daniels is useless. And Scott puts these guys in to start a quarter?
The Hornets need restructuring this off season. The sole purpose of the Hornets bench is to lose leads and contribute absolutely nothing else. It’s almost like they are playing for another team. Daniels can’t run the offense for shit, and they always wind up taking horrible shots or turning the ball over.
by redzero on Mar 14, 2009 11:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
It’s almost like they are playing for another team.
This is what the bulls announcers said! How sad is this.
by RonD on Mar 14, 2009 11:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They are right. Last year, the bench was far more productive, even though that isn’t saying much. This year, the bench’s horrible play is impossible to not notice. The bench has seven points against the Hawks, with 5 of those coming from Posey—who was the only one who scored in that 21-2 run.
Good lord, these people are supposed to be professional basketball players. But it seems like they are unworthy even for garbage time. They play no defense, and they play no offense. The only thing they excel at is fouls and turnovers.
by redzero on Mar 15, 2009 12:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And to add to all that
Peja is feeling sharp pains from his back to his legs. Not good at all. I don’t know how affective he will be.
What bothered me the most was this helpless look and demeanor they had. When you are down you fight. I didn’t see fight in anyone other than #3. No one could separate themselves from their defender. I mean woe, the bulls are not the Spurs or Celtics.
The bench is horrible. I’m so mad at Hilton when he’s on the floor. I just want to hit him on the head with my remote. His deer in headlights look is old. He can’t rebound worth crap. I mean how are you always out of position. You can’t body up somebody?
There’s just so many things but all have been said all year. I’m getting to the point where I just shake my head and shrug my shoulders at the way they play.
by RonD on Mar 14, 2009 11:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Hilton is too big to do absolutely nothing during an entire game. It’s like he isn’t even on the court.
by redzero on Mar 14, 2009 11:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Can someone send this to the players?
Like seriously they need to know the fans do not have their backs when they play like…well when they play like me!!!
Now that’s a good indicator of how bad they are.
New Orleans Hornets: The most inconsistent team in the NBA.
by Grayson on Mar 15, 2009 1:13 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
can someone tell bower to read.
we need serious retooling this off season. sigh…. all the " the hornets are the top contenders against the lakers" at the start of the season is gone. GONE!!!
maybe everybody was hoping for the best, maybe we should have looked at the worst also.
damn, i hate hilton, why did you have to pick up his 2 year option?!
i thought daniels would provide us with veteran savvy, instead his nothing more than an expiring contract next year. sigh.
i really thought d. brown would provide us with something, anything. defense, bench leadership, scoring( he was a san antonio legend!). instead he provides us with nothing!! don’t resign unless we are SUPER DESPERATE.
for bowen and peterson to excel, he needs NBA players around him. not players who are d leaguers.
ely and marks are basically the same thing, old washed up big men who need compassion and pity.
lastly, for all posey’s playoff brilliance, his better of playing spot minutes( maybe 15 to 20 minutes) in the second half than be our go to guy when the bench comes in. seriously, posey for sixth man?! let’s get serious.
to help appease for all this i will mention hornets bright spots.
we have chris paul, only 23. we still have DX, only 29 and reasonable contract for his talent. TC is still only 26, and with proper tutelage( PJ Brown?) he may become better than what he is right now. maybe even a marcus camby type. JuJu is starting to learn how to play. Phoenix is Phoenix. and Peja, well if the contract were somewhere between 2 million, he’d be fine with the team, but he has 12 mil contract damn…
here’s to hoping we get something good out of our 2009 draft. a mareese speights, mario chalmers, gilbert arenas( what?!haha), manu ginobili( what again?! haha) find. please god. please!!!
by nikkoewan on Mar 15, 2009 2:13 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Everyone's got to calm down.
It seems like the Hornets don’t play with much passion against these weak eastern conference teams like the Bulls and Bucks. We do, however, ALWAYS bring it against San Antonio and Los Angeles and are most of the time in the game within the last two minutes. Everyone plays with heart and passion against them (Posey anyone?!) and that’s what we need. Now I know players are expected to play with energy in every game, but I’m just glad they ALWAYS bring it against the teams we’re going to see in the playoffs. I haven’t given up AT ALL because I know what my team is capable of when we play at full strength. We’re still not at full strength which is hurting our team. Even when Peja’s out there hitting the side of the backboard, teams still have to guard him because of his ability to hit about 10 in a row. He spaces the court unlike a tired Posey or JuJu. TC’s been great since he came back and D-West has been better on the glass. Oh yeah, we have CP3 who single handedly makes us one of the top 3 in the West. Just wait till everyone is together for just a couple of games and then we’ll see. D-West has been beastly and that’s with NOBODY spacing the floor. Posey knows how to pace himself and he plays like a star in the clutch games. He is the only guy who can guard Kobe one on one. Same with Chandler and Duncan. Nobody in the West can guard those two guys one on one (maybe Houston with Duncan). Now we shouldn’t give up because I know the players haven’t and I know I haven’t. Yesterday we had a bad shooting night and that’s possibly because our guys are getting tired from playing 40 plus minutes EVERY SINGLE GAME! We did not make one three pointer yesterday. That never happens. Well anyways we’ll see what happens when we’re at full strength and if we still can’t get it together, well then we need some retooling (NOT CHANDLER OR WEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Devin Brown is a basketball God!
by chandlerfan6 on Mar 15, 2009 10:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed with Chanderfan6.
We know our formula for winning. Two stars on, one shooter on. Last night CP was the only one on. That means loss. Had David, Tyson, or even Julian went nuts, we’d be fine. Rasual was okay, but hit no three pointers. Having Peja or Mo back in stride can only help that. Plus, we’ve gotten accustomed to seeing Marks out there instead of Hilton, and he wasn’t available.
I’m not panicking. And I won’t until we’re out of the playoffs. Until then, I’ll believe anything is possible.
by m-W on Mar 15, 2009 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah maybe but...
we were hoping for a WCF finals showdown with the Lakers at the start of the season. we still have a chance of winning it all, but our best shot at a WCF is to get the 2nd seed, to avoid lakers. we can battle the spurs, we can battle the jazz( i believe!), houston also, and everybody else. but we won’t be able to get a 2nd seed if our bench play is this bad, always.
but maybe your right! lets all be optimistic. :D let’s go hornets! let’s finish the season strong. also a question, how do I fan post an image? i cant post what I made. :D
by nikkoewan on Mar 15, 2009 1:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Do you have an account
with an image service like Flickr or Photobucket? If not, make one there and then upload your picture first.
by atthehive on Mar 15, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Flawed is prob an understatement
This is a team of aging jumpshooters plus CP3 and a slightly above avg (probably being generous) frontcourt in West and TC. Front office has been a joke. We could end up making a great run of course, but that is really a testament to how good CP is more than anything else since w/o him no one can create their own shot and of course our backup ballhandlers are nonexistent.
by kitsunegari on Mar 15, 2009 3:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Please, Tyson and D-West are a GREAT frontcourt.
You give me one team besides the Lakers with a guy who can get you a consistent 20-10 and pair him with a lock down defender and rebounder. We can match up with anyone. Gimme Peja and Mo healthy and playing and then we’ll see.
Devin Brown is a basketball God!
by chandlerfan6 on Mar 15, 2009 5:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
True
I think it’s more of a problem with the rotation rather than the starters. Sure, Tyson’s and West’s PER might be down 1 or 2 points, but it’s really because of the bench and the weird rotation cycles Byron is putting out that we’re losing. I mean, having Mo, a great three point shooter, sit the last two games while Devin Brown and Co. chuck up threes might be one of the main contributing factors to the loss. Plus, Peja’s been out for 5 games as well.
by Junsier on Mar 15, 2009 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Our Bench is the problem
DX and Chandler and Peja and Mo..and Saul are good players…
Our bench just sucks the nuts…
New Orleans Hornets: The most inconsistent team in the NBA.
by Grayson on Mar 16, 2009 2:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you raise a good point...
Peja and Mo healthy and boy we got ourselves a nice team…
I really think this team needs a reality check because they are not champions…Boston, Lakers, Spurs, Cavs etc would never ever EVER lose like this to the Bulls EVER!
All we needed is just one other person to turn up yesterday and BAMN! You got a win.
Byron needs to throw Mo into the rotation because if he can get ANYTHING going then the rest of the bench may show something beyond mediocrity.
New Orleans Hornets: The most inconsistent team in the NBA.
by Grayson on Mar 16, 2009 2:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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