Hornets-Lakers mega-rematch in New Orleans tonight. Should be lots of ohh's and ahh's and hopefully an abundance of yay's from the home crowd.
The 22-5 Lakers have appeared mortal of late by dropping a pair in Florida and looking generally less dominant than they did earlier in the season. Cooler heads say it's nothing but a slight rough patch, but I think they should trade us Gasol and Vujacic for Sean Marks and whatever Mike James left in his locker. Pull that trigger, Mitch.
Tip off is 7pm. If you're heading to the game, pour a sip of free beer on the concrete for me.
42 magnificent comments post your own
Andrea
12/23/08 07:09 PM
No Peja and no Antonio Daniels :-(
#1
StefanC
12/23/08 07:11 PM
Once again, Devin Brown is starting over Mo Pete!?
And why isn't Daniels playing?
#2
Dejan16
12/23/08 07:12 PM
no Peja..... -___-
#3
Andrea
12/23/08 07:26 PM
@StefanC
Ahmad Rashad said Daniels had a knee issue and I have NO CLUE why Brown is getting the start
#4
Andrea
12/23/08 07:56 PM
http://www.nba.com/video/teams/hornets/2008/12/22/122208_JingleBells.mov.hornets/
Tyson, Mo Pete, and Ryan Bowen with their "Jingle Bells" performance..totally off topic, but I think someone asked for it in another post
#5
darkprince89
12/23/08 07:58 PM
we're falling behind in the 2nd..
#6
Matt
12/23/08 07:59 PM
Devin Brown's is absolutely killing us tonight.
MO FREAKIN' PETE, C'MON Coach.
#7
Matt
12/23/08 08:00 PM
Brown's shooting*
#8
Andrea
12/23/08 08:08 PM
we need our shooters out there.. no way Coach is thinking that Devin is a better shooter than Mo...why the heck isn't he out there? This game is seriously starting to get away
#9
Andrea
12/23/08 08:17 PM
ugh @ the 2nd quarter..I really don't know what to say anymore
#10
Dejan16
12/23/08 08:18 PM
we are having to much trouble scoring the ball, i dont think we can beat the lakers without peja...
#11
Roc217
12/23/08 08:25 PM
This team has no ball handlers besides CP and that is their downfall. So many turnovers because they can't make an entry pass, or dribble around their defender, or get into the lane. If Lakers continue to get the ball out of Cp's hands they will coast to the win. Nevermind the inablility to hit a consistent jumpshot. Chris penetrating and dishing is pointless if they can't hit the wide open shots. That'll just make it harder for him to get in the paint.
This is just a mirror image of Game1.
#12
Dejan16
12/23/08 08:32 PM
Bower needs to trade some of our jump shooters for a slasher/scorer because you cant win championships with out them.....
#13
hio1515
12/23/08 08:59 PM
I am completely ok with that Posey tech.
#14
mW
12/23/08 08:59 PM
I thought in the first with the Lakers in foul trouble, at least Devin can drive and get more fouls. Nope. And then he puts Julian in late in the 2nd (to a loud ovation) like he did late in the 4th in Boston, as if he'd save the day; strange for a player he allegedly has no faith in.
www.hornetshype.com #15
Mark
12/23/08 09:02 PM
Roc217, hopefully we'll get some Antonio Daniels love sometime soon. He's had a decent track record of ball handling and we MOST DEFINITELY could use it.
Two things I've said all (last) season. We're a one-dimensional jump shooting team without a post game; unlike San Antonio. And two, our rotational defense is HORRIBLE. Until we fix at least the rotational defense, we won't win 'chips.
Game's not over, but I'm going to increase my self-esteem by watching the home team (Dallas) beat up on Memphis. Hope we have a 16+ deficit fourth in our favor guys.
www.dogpile.com/ #16
hio1515
12/23/08 09:08 PM
All I want for christmas is to see sean marks and devin brown scoring a solid DNP - Coaches decision in the box score. We are halfway there.
#17
Roc217
12/23/08 09:11 PM
Game is over because they don't look like they have fight in them.
#18
darkprince89
12/23/08 09:21 PM
brown's gotta go.. seriously.. mo's doing a much better job than him.. and 4get puttin' him in the 2nd unit.. he should be DNP'd!
#19
ticktock6
12/23/08 09:41 PM
www.startingdevinbrownkillsthisteam.com
Really, it's all just repeating myself. So I'm not even going to say it again.
hornetshype.com #20
Dejan16
12/23/08 09:46 PM
neeeed a slasher, we cannot win shooting jump shots.
#21
LSUhornet17
12/23/08 09:50 PM
Its painfully obvious we don't belong in the championship conversation right now. If this team is really in "win now" mode then some sort of change needs to happen. I know we were down 2 key contributors so I'm not giving this too much weight but our front court depth is kleenex thin. Anybody else think Joe Smith would be a decent pickup? I don't know what his contract is but he can't be too expensive. I always thought he was a pretty solid back up.
#22
ChrisTrew.com
12/23/08 09:52 PM
Moan
www.christrew.com #23
Dejan16
12/23/08 09:55 PM
Joe smith would a big upgrade compared to ely/marks/hilton, but he is currently making $4,795,000.
#24
StefanC
12/23/08 10:14 PM
Why do we always rally back in the fourth!?
And I don't know about you guys, I LOOOOOVE James Posey more and more every game. When he threw Kobe down and got a tech, it was because Kobe tried pushing him first. Posey just threw him back 10 times harder. I love how he asserts himself and how badly he irritated Kobe.
Player of the game: Pau Gasol 20 pts, 7 reb, 80% shooting.
(Can we trade Devin Brown for a player like that.....anyone??)
#25
LSUhornet17
12/23/08 10:21 PM
Damn, that's not exactly a bargain.
#26
mW
12/23/08 10:21 PM
Hey, before everyone throws the Bees under the bus, let's remember Peja was a DNP. People tend to forget how huge he is for us (Phoenix, Dallas, L.A. last year anyone?) If you substituted Devin Brown's minutes for Peja (healthy), I'm not sure this was the big lament that everyone makes it out to be.
CP/Mo/Peja/West/TC backed up by AD/Mmm-Bop/Posey/Wright/Hilton. Give us that, and I see everything good. Use Ely, Devin, Marks, Bowen as needed. Just like in any game any team can make a run, in a season, any team can get hot. If you think about it, both us and the Lakers are 8-3 in our last 11. So we lost to the Lakers. No shame in that. They're awesome. Doesn't mean they'll beat us next time.
Off to Xmas and Orlando. I'll leave with the words of my friend, who I brought to the game in consideration of TT6 going North. He just turned to me, kind of slack-jawed and wide-eyed after one of CP's many brilliant plays and said: "Chris Paul is a magician." I couldn't put it any better. If the Cavs always have a chance with Lebron, we always have a chance with CP. The Real MVP.
www.hornetshype.com #27
Andrea
12/23/08 10:25 PM
Honestly, I don't think we can say anything about tonight's game that we haven't said about previous games this season. They're isn't anything new to be upset about like for example Brown's poor shooting, Julian/Mo Pete/Bowen's lack of playing time, depth issues, issues within the offense. I know Peja and Daniels were out but I really don't think they would've made much more of a difference. By now it should be crystal clear to the organization that we will go nowhere the way we're currently put together which means changes need to be made if we're serious about contending for a title.
#28
LSUhornet17
12/23/08 10:42 PM
Fun fact: Devin Brown is shooting 20% for the year on 3s. Impressive, and yet in this offense he assumes a role where he stands at the 3pt line and waits for a kickout in order to toss up one of his many bricks.
#29
Roc217
12/23/08 10:42 PM
I thought in the first quarter they were coming to play. The 5 steals by CP and the defense made me believe they were ready to avenge the November loss. But when calls didnt go their way and shots stopped falling they seemed to hang their heads. Then the turnovers came and they couldn't get rebounds. I guess there is always a team that you can't play against.
#30
Roc217
12/23/08 10:44 PM
LSU the offense is not good for many players on this team. The only pure shooter is Peja and Mo to lesser extent yet Scott believes anybody on the floor should be a 3 pt shooter. I hate how predictable this team's offense is. Many times I saw the baseline open for a cutter if only somebody cut there would've been no one there.
#31
ticktock6
12/23/08 10:50 PM
See, and I think that's a coaching thing. Looking at the past couple of games alone, it's clear that Posey can drive to the basket, that Mo can. Yet they can also hit the three. Which Devin Brown cannot do, and which becomes glaringly obvious when he gets a kickout and misses badly in big games against better teams. So they are clearly, CLEARLY #6/7 on the depth chart. Brown should be 8 or 9. I don't think Byron Scott is utilizing some guys well, and when you don't have a lot of depth, it's an issue.
hornetshype.com #32
two_tone
12/23/08 10:55 PM
devinbrownsucks.com
we could have done a better job of filling the end of the bench and roster instead of marks, and brown. why sign bowen if he won't play.
playmopeteoverdevinbrownbyronscottandwakeup.com
the next games will really show what changes need to be made. the first of january is brutal. we need better depth and playmakers. its funny all of a sudden byron decides to finally sit sean marks for whatever reason.
#33
mW
12/23/08 11:05 PM
Listen, I'm with TT6. Devin doesn't really suck, he's just not better than they guys who are getting no burn because of him. He probably should be in street clothes, actually. That's no offense to him, I just think we have a lot of talent on this team. I also think that it's good enough to make a run. We just need to sit Marks/Brown (career role players at best) and play guys like Mo and Wright that can be impact players. Once we do that, you know, we'll like get rings and stuff.
www.hornetshype.com #34
LSUhornet17
12/23/08 11:05 PM
I don't mind Devin Brown, and I don't think he sucks particularly bad. I like his toughness, hustle, and rebounding, however I don't think he is a primary option off the bench for an NBA team and our offense particularly highlights his weaknesses. I can't fathom how Byron could stick with him getting this many minutes this long.
#35
two_tone
12/23/08 11:15 PM
imo brown has gotten worse as the season has went on. he is a stop gap when there are injuries, but his decision making kills momentum. his play has significantly dropped off since the last time he was here. i shouldn't blame him, but blame byron for putting him in positions and asking him to do something that he can't. he is a journeyman for a reason. cleveland realized that can't get to where they want with devin in their top 9 of their rotations and finally started to put the right players to succeed with lebron. we have to do the same with cp3 and give him the tools to utilize his game to the max. that requires a couple of players in the rotation who can put the ball on the floor and take it to the whole. we need a balanced offense. a big man who can score and rebound would be nice also. we have too many one dimensional players, especially with rotation that byron has been running. i have faith as chris paul is a star, but we are not utilizing our players strengths.
#36
two_tone
12/23/08 11:16 PM
its not that we lost but how we lost and with the players that was on the floor compared to who should have been playing.
#37
ticktock6
12/23/08 11:20 PM
Get on this wagon with me, people. It's not a fun wagon to be on, I know because I've been on it for 3 weeks now. Great to see more people hopping on, there's plenty of room for us haters.
But see, we are all smart people and we see this. Is Byron just stubborn?
hornetshype.com #38
Roc217
12/23/08 11:33 PM
I think so TT6. Or not smart enough to retool what they are doing. Either way you look at it, it's not good.
#39
Ryan Schwan
12/23/08 11:36 PM
I think Byron is trying to fix exactly what you are complaining about: The Hornets have no secondary player who can do something off the dribble.
Despite claims to the contrary, Devin Brown is actually better at driving than Morris Peterson or James Posey. Early in the season, he was actually sticking his three's too - and Byron likes to give a guy a chance to recover from bad shooting from deep. He usually gives a guy about 5-10 games to hang themselves.
He'll switch him out soon. To be honest, I'm guessing he's waiting for Stojakovic.
www.hornets247.com #40
ticktock6
12/23/08 11:44 PM
Ryan-- I agree that Devin Brown is better at driving. It's not like a blind hatefest. It's his inability to hit unguarded shots that is really frustrating me.
hornetshype.com #41
mW
12/24/08 08:12 AM
But I ask again. Where was Devin Brown the slasher last night in the first with the Lakers in foul trouble? I understand the offense is designed to give those kick-out jumpers, but we have to learn how better to adapt to the situation. I Byron is in that Pop School of we don't change, we just do what we do, but come on.
www.hornetshype.com #42