Okay, time to stop losing.
The Hornets will try to halt their three-game skid in Phoenix this evening, but it will be no easy feat against the Western Conference-leading Suns. Hilton Armstrong is very excited...
We do catch a small break tonight, since the Suns' trade for Shaquille O'Neal has now been made official. That means they'll be short-handed, with Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks the newest members of the Miami Heat, and Shaq no less injured. Still, Phoenix have billions of weapons, so, you know... duck.
Essentials...
Hornets (W-L): 32-15
Suns (W-L): 34-14
Game Time: 8:00pm Central
TV: CST and NBA TV. Yippee!
Radio: KMEZ 102.9 FM in New Orleans and WIBR 1300-AM in Baton Rouge.
Linkage: Ryan's game preview | Bright Side of the Sun
As always, feel free to do the commenting thing here before, during and after the game. Ridicule that Shaq trade if you like and you know it's still cool to make fun of Deron Williams.
[ Update ] Hornets win in double overtime and I've started to age in dog years. Final score: 132-130. Recap on the way.
43 life-affirming comments post your own
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 01:17 PM
Oh, also might be worth keeping an eye on the Mavs-Bucks game tonight, tipping at 7:30 Central. Right now, Dallas are even with us in the standings.
www.hornets247.com #1
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 01:33 PM
Aw shit, Jordy is reporting Chandler out with the flu tonight. Hilton's getting the start. I guess he really must be excited now.
www.hornets247.com #2
Josh
02/06/08 02:31 PM
So Tyson is out with the flu...so now I wondering...Mo-Pete was out sick last week and someone else wasn't feeling well...Ely? I wonder if the whole team hasn't been feeling it and might be part of the reason for the last 3 loses...because like everyone said...it seemed like the starters were dragging...sickness would explain it. So far I think they are looking much better. We'll see if they can keep it up but there is definitely a difference in their game so far in the first.
#3
sparks
02/06/08 02:33 PM
hilton in. good god! thanks mo for giving everyone the flu! did he have to kiss them or something? that silly dude! i guess its even - chris has to step up and want to score now!
#4
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 02:36 PM
CP aggressive in that first quarter and it's opened up some other things. West is still struggling. The effort is there for us so far. Up 3.
www.hornets247.com #5
Chris Trew
02/06/08 02:37 PM
I don't know if I'm more or less intimidated of the Suns in the playoff now. This doesn't rank anywhere near the Gasol trade for me, but still - I think I'm less excited about possibly facing the Suns in the playoffs. Also: If Hilton doesn't impress me tonight he's trade bait. AND I KNOW PEOPLE.
www.christrew.com #6
Chris Trew
02/06/08 02:42 PM
Does the Hornets store sell H.Armstrong jerseys?
www.christrew.com #7
Greg
02/06/08 02:52 PM
Remember the good times. Remember last season in what was like our 15th game. We went TO detroit and Hilton started. Not only did he make the go ahead free throw,, he tipped the one he missed out to CP3 for a close win. I believe in Hilton.
www.nbawire.com/boards/index.php #8
ticktock6
02/06/08 03:04 PM
And this... is more like it.
hornetshype.com #9
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 03:07 PM
Hilton's had some good and bad moments in the first half, tough covering Amare. But we're up 8. Chris just took over at the end of the second. Wow. The effort is still there for us and it's making a big difference.
www.hornets247.com #10
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 03:10 PM
Bucks hanging with Mavs. 67-65 Milwaukee with 3:40 left in the third.
www.hornets247.com #11
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 03:12 PM
@Chris: They don't even have Chandler jerseys yet at the Arena store. You could get an Armstrong jersey as a custom job.
www.hornets247.com #12
Steve H
02/06/08 03:13 PM
The Killer Bees are BACK! It's just halftime- but even if we lose this thing, I'll still be delighted to see us playing like we should. Damn that Barbosa dude is fast. Maybe we should look into kidnapping him.
#13
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 03:18 PM
We could just steal Barbosa like the Lakers did Gasol or Miami did Marion. I'm thinking we should offer Butler and Haluska before the Suns get some sense. It's painful watching Bobby Jackson trying to stick with Barbosa.
www.hornets247.com #14
Dejan
02/06/08 03:18 PM
I know this is random but i just realized peja will be in the 3 point-shootout again this year thts sick, idk if he take it tho kapono, nash and gibson are just as good.
#15
Dejan
02/06/08 03:29 PM
Does ely know the word pass... he doesnt have to shoot everytime he touches it.
#16
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 03:47 PM
I am loving Jannero Pargo's play out there. Causing havoc. Up 5 heading to the fourth. 3-point shootout will be fun to wtah this year. That's a strong group.
www.hornets247.com #17
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 03:59 PM
Bucks fell apart down the stretch. Mavs will be a game ahead of us if we lose this one.
www.hornets247.com #18
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 04:17 PM
Overtime. Wow. This is one hell of a game.
www.hornets247.com #19
c'est moi
02/06/08 04:18 PM
i knew it was going into overtime before it happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my heart is racing and my palms are sweaty. i'm going nuts!
#20
Dejan
02/06/08 04:18 PM
wow good game, peja gets the lucky role, good d- on nash late, paul shuld've tried takin it all the way on that last possesion.
#21
c'est moi
02/06/08 04:20 PM
ok chris...*nervous laugh* not the time to be missing shots...
#22
c'est moi
02/06/08 04:22 PM
i wanna send a special shoutout to Bell's big ass back for serving as a means by which we could finally score our first points during OT.
#23
dejan
02/06/08 04:23 PM
cmon peja... wow
#24
c'est moi
02/06/08 04:34 PM
Thank you God for creating a little man by the name of Jannero Pargo.
#25
dejan
02/06/08 04:37 PM
cmon i knew tht sht was guna happen we had this won.............. they shuld've ran a play for peja, now we lost this.. we had 2 chances
#26
c'est moi
02/06/08 04:41 PM
yea two chances with chris unable to finish up. next time let's try to close it up with peja.
#27
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 04:52 PM
Wow. This is still going. Incredible. Pargo clutch from the free throw line. 15 seconds left in OT 2, up 3.
www.hornets247.com #28
dejan
02/06/08 04:52 PM
dont allow ne more open threes
#29
dejan
02/06/08 04:57 PM
PEJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
#30
c'est moi
02/06/08 04:57 PM
what did i say?!?!? that the ball should be given to peja to close up the game. thank you all...goodnight.
#31
Ryan
02/06/08 04:59 PM
Peja not clutch? Ask Phoenix about that.
www.hornets247.com #32
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 05:00 PM
Wow. I have never seen a better game. Peja was worth every penny. Where the hell do I start with the game recap for that one?
www.hornets247.com #33
joesph
02/06/08 05:03 PM
damn how many times were da suns going to make threes to tie or get back in it??? finally peja ends it crazy game. nba tv better like that match up
#34
joesph
02/06/08 05:05 PM
damn so what is that?? 7 straight overtime wins. thats crazy. everytime we go to overtime our players got confidents knowing they havent lost a ot game since like forever
#35
ticktock6
02/06/08 05:06 PM
They refused to lose that game. And it showed... The people downstairs from us banged on their ceiling when Peja hit that shot. LOL.
hornetshype.com #36
Ron Hitley
02/06/08 05:08 PM
13 straight OT wins. An NBA record. And I hear you about the neighbors, ticktock. I'll be surprised if I'm not thrown out of my place tmrw.
www.hornets247.com #37
dejan
02/06/08 05:10 PM
this culd have been over long time ago, scott shuld have told the team to foul and not let them get the three's, i was screamin foul everytime.
#38
Stefan
02/06/08 05:10 PM
Peja has been quite the clutch player ever since he came to the big easy. He hit a lot of huge 3 pointers in the final seconds even last year when he played less than 20 games. & CP3 was simply amazing. Anybody know what's with David West tho lately?
#39
Ryan
02/06/08 05:11 PM
Actually, we are now on 13 straight wins in overtime. What about that three-guard lineup we were running? I was worried about it but it worked.
www.hornets247.com #40
Ryan
02/06/08 05:12 PM
Bleh - Ron beat me to the answer! Nice way to break the slump.
www.hornets247.com #41
Jason
02/06/08 05:14 PM
Stefan, don't hate on Fluffy. He's playing Phoenix, which has fast big guys, and he's playing without Chandler to shoulder some rebounding. And he still throws up 21 and 13. It's not Chris Paul's RiDICulous statline (CP3 = 1 TO, Nash = 10 TOs), but it's a fine showing for West.
#42
Bob Loblaw
02/06/08 05:26 PM
fuckin unreal game. that 3 guard lineup was strange, i thought it was for speed or b/c byron hates rasual and wants him to know it. i think its safe to say peja is worth his contract so far. ive been very impressed w/ the strides pargo has taken from last season to now. so the score in the elite pt guard match up is something like cp-3, steve nash-0. so far i think the only guards that have gotten the best of him were baron-2, tony parker-1, deron williams-1, ai-1. this is the best game ive seen since the dallas ot win...which i think we did w/out david west(cant remember)?
#43