Game 82. Final night of the regular season. Tyson set to return. Lots of drama left to unfold.
Hornets-Spurs tips at 7 Central, but there are two other games to keep an eye on tonight, the results of which will decide who the Hornets draw in the first round of the playoffs. Those games:
- Rockets @ Mavericks (7 Central)
- Nuggets @ Blazers (9:30 Central)
Both are on ESPN, and you can watch them online by clicking the appropriate links above.
Earlier, I posted a quick rundown of the seeding possibilities tonight. In short: we'll end up facing the Rockets, Nuggets or Blazers in Round 1, Denver being our most likely opponent.
Also, I'll be joining Henry Abbott for some liveblogging of tonight's game(s) over at TrueHoop. I'll keep an eye on the comments here, too.
Linkage:
- Ryan: The Defense of Chris Paul, What a Difference a Year Makes
- Journals: Who are the Hornets?
- Lagniappe: Chris Paul's semi-automatic pistol, Devin Brown heckled, Kobe's Hornets shoes and loads more.
- Rival bloggers: 48 Minutes of Hell | Pounding The Rock | Project Spurs
(Many thanks to Dariusz for the special season finale banner and the above image.)
65 intriguing comments post your own
Caleb462
04/15/09 06:24 PM
This is a strange game... because, do we really want them to win it? A loss equals a greater possibility of a more favorable matchup.
But I don't think its actually possible for me to root for the Hornets to *lose*, especially since they are playing the Spurs.
neworleansbasketball.blogspot.com #1
QueenBee
04/15/09 06:39 PM
Tim Donaghy's buddy Scott Foster might see to it that we don't win anyways. I don't think we win many games when he officiates.
#2
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 07:00 PM
I think we need a win. Win or lose, it's not entirely in our hands who we play anyway, so I'd like to see our guys get a win and build back some confidence after that dismal showing in Houston.
www.ndoherty.com #3
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 07:04 PM
Liveblogging is under way over at TrueHoop:
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-79/Liveblogging-Craziness.html
Between myself and a bunch of other bloggers, we'll be covering five big games tonight.
www.ndoherty.com #4
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 07:06 PM
Byron says Tyson will get no more than 15-20 minutes, and he won't play the second half.
www.ndoherty.com #5
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 07:07 PM
Hilton Armstrong on the inactive list tonight. We may have seen the last of him this season.
www.ndoherty.com #6
mW
04/15/09 07:18 PM
Yeah well, looks like Spurs don't want to lose either
www.hornetshype.com #7
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 07:22 PM
Spurs have more to play for than we do really: they're in the mix for a division championship and homecourt advantage.
www.ndoherty.com #8
bigindian15
04/15/09 07:37 PM
Damn. West is killing it tonight! He might think the playoffs already started.
Great that Marks has 2 fouls though. Wait, did I say great? I meant :P
#9
mW
04/15/09 07:37 PM
True. But they don't have David West. Advantage Hornets.
www.hornetshype.com #10
bigindian15
04/15/09 07:42 PM
Ok, I know he's making them, but why isn't Chandler dunking the lobs? Is anyone else concerned by this? My feed is kinda crappy so are they just bad passes?
#11
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 07:43 PM
Tyson has looked better than I expected. His explosiveness isn't there but he's not shy about going after lobs and I haven't noticed him favoring that ankle at all.
www.ndoherty.com #12
mW
04/15/09 07:45 PM
Yeah. Both were weak passes.
www.hornetshype.com #13
mW
04/15/09 07:48 PM
Oh, and Free Mo Pete. Devin 2 fouls, 0 points.
www.hornetshype.com #14
bigindian15
04/15/09 07:49 PM
Devin Brown is sucking hard.
New theory: Mo Pete is really injured and retires after the season, saving our cap
#15
mW
04/15/09 08:01 PM
Nice try bigindian15, but retired players count against the cap.
www.hornetshype.com #16
bigindian15
04/15/09 08:03 PM
I did not know that. So upset.
Tyson is changing the offense CP doesn't have to work nearly as hard because on basically any fast break he can just lob it if he feels lazy
#17
Mark
04/15/09 08:03 PM
Regardless of outcome, finally watching the CCC after all these games is a beautiful thing.
www.dogpile.com/ #18
mW
04/15/09 08:04 PM
@ bigindian15: yeah, it's sweet.
@ Mark: yes it is.
www.hornetshype.com #19
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 08:13 PM
Any guesses for how many minutes Paul, West, Chandler and Duncan will play in the second half? I'd expect Popovich to ensure Duncan gets plenty of rest no matter what, but Byron may end up playing Paul/West/Chandler more than he originally intended if it looks like we can win this game.
www.ndoherty.com #20
Andrea
04/15/09 08:15 PM
Houston lead Dallas by 8 at the half. Mark Fine and Steve Smith (NBATV) seem to be genuinely confused about the playoff scenarios but then again, almost everyone is.
#21
mW
04/15/09 08:15 PM
I think Paul and West will play normal minutes, but they say Tyson is sitting no matter what. Which, is slightly sad, if wise.
www.hornetshype.com #22
Dejan16
04/15/09 08:17 PM
Peja is really sucking badly...
#23
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 08:20 PM
So if the Hornets hold on and beat the Spurs, and the Rockets go on to beat the Mavs, we'll have to wait for Nuggets-Blazers tonight to see who we're playing in round 1.
If the Blazers win that game, we play the Nuggets. Otherwise, we'll play the Rockets.
My head hurts.
www.ndoherty.com #24
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 08:23 PM
@ mW: I'd like Byron to stick to his guns and not risk Tyson out there. The first half went about as well as it possibly could have for him. Best to quit while he's ahead methinks.
@ Dejan: Agreed. Peja's even missing his wide open looks out there. Him slumping right now does not bode at all well for the playoffs. If we draw the Nuggets he might be a factor in round 1, but I'd expect the Blazers and Rockets to keep him under wraps.
www.ndoherty.com #25
mW
04/15/09 08:34 PM
The Phoenix is rising. Slowly.
www.hornetshype.com #26
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 08:42 PM
From Nuggets blogger Jeremy Wagner over at the TrueHoop live blog:
"As a Nuggets fan I would much rather see Dallas than New Orleans. With Chandler back, even if he is not 100%, they scare me much more than the Mavs who the Nuggets swept (although all four games were close)."
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-79/Liveblogging-Craziness.html
www.ndoherty.com #27
YoungFella
04/15/09 08:52 PM
Im surprised that all my Hornets buddies were so pessimistic about Tyson and what he'd be able to give us. They were so pessimistic that they talked me into being pessimistic.
The dude could go 4/4 and he still makes us so much better. Even when he wasn't 100% on his last return we still reeled off a season high 8 game streak coinciding with his return.
I'm now hoping for Houston so I can be in that number. Who else would be headed out there? We need to take that joint over. I want to hear "Who Dat" chants ringing through the Toyota Center.
#28
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 08:52 PM
Both Hornets-Spurs and Mavs-Rockets are very close early in the fourth. Gonna be a crazy finish to the season.
www.ndoherty.com #29
mW
04/15/09 08:54 PM
More good hustle from Butler on the break to get the block!
www.hornetshype.com #30
mW
04/15/09 09:01 PM
Damn. 4Q already, and Hornets holding onto 2 point lead...
www.hornetshype.com #31
mW
04/15/09 09:04 PM
Crazy how no Hornet dominant on boards, but Butler has 5, Paul 6, Peja 4, David 6, Chandler 3, Marks 4...nice team effort. Team down by four boards, but with Chandler not at full, and Ely having 0, not bad.
www.hornetshype.com #32
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 09:18 PM
Game not over yet, but I'm proud of our guys tonight.
www.ndoherty.com #33
bigindian15
04/15/09 09:19 PM
Oh man. I totally expected Peja to nail that dagger
#34
mW
04/15/09 09:21 PM
Hopefully, Peja will get a chance to redeem himself at the line. But probably they throw to CP in the backcourt. That's fine.
www.hornetshype.com #35
mW
04/15/09 09:23 PM
Oof.. I love Peja. But this might be his worst game as a Hornet.
www.hornetshype.com #36
bigindian15
04/15/09 09:24 PM
OH MAN. THOSE are the little things that Posey does for a team...wait failed free throw nevermind
#37
commentcava
04/15/09 09:25 PM
Great banner, but where is Ryan Bowen?
#38
bigindian15
04/15/09 09:26 PM
...so upset
#39
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 09:27 PM
Dallas are going to beat the Rockets. We need to win in overtime or we fall to the 7 seed.
www.ndoherty.com #40
YoungFella
04/15/09 09:27 PM
still laughing now, Posey?
You lazy bum.
#41
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 09:29 PM
Although, if we lose and the Mavs do indeed win, we'll end up playing the Nuggets in round 1 no matter what happens with Blazers-Nuggets tonight.
www.ndoherty.com #42
mW
04/15/09 09:29 PM
Posey's defense. I don't mind. Him going 1-4 from the line down the stretch. Yes.
www.hornetshype.com #43
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 09:31 PM
Mavs won.
www.ndoherty.com #44
bigindian15
04/15/09 09:35 PM
I'm giving the Spurs a chance in the playoffs again (to get to the WCF). I thought they were finished by Tim Duncan turned into monster Tim Duncan again suddenly
#45
YoungFella
04/15/09 09:38 PM
Nah. I was actually hoping for the Blazers for a tick there.
I'm fine with the Nuggets - but again - would any other coach in the NBA have played Chris Paul and David West 40+ minutes in what was essentially a meaningless game?
#46
bigindian15
04/15/09 09:39 PM
I agree totally with Youngfella. I know we have a break until the weekend, but CP was clearly lagging at the end of the third.
Byron claimed all along that the seeding didn't matter, SO WHY THE HELL LEAVE THE 2 BEST GUYS OUT THERE???
Ime Udoka = monster dunk
#47
Andrea
04/15/09 09:40 PM
As much as I would've liked to win 50, I'm not upset by this loss (assuming the Spurs) hold on. Only thing that sucks is that we miss out on playing the Spurs in the 1st round who I really think would be the 2nd best matchup for us, but oh well. So the 1st round is NO-Den, Utah-LAL, Dal-SA, and Por-Hou (Hou gets HC if Por loses tonight I think). Other than Utah vs. LAL, these matchups could go either way.
#48
mW
04/15/09 09:40 PM
@ Youngfella: yes. His name is Pop. Timmy and Tony have played just as many minutes.
www.hornetshype.com #49
YoungFella
04/15/09 09:40 PM
Just to reiterate - Byron Scott is a freaking clown. What a moron.
#50
YoungFella
04/15/09 09:41 PM
mW - Pop regularly rested Timmy and Tony all month. Are you kidding?
And this game meant way more to the Spurs than it did to us.
#51
Niall Doherty
04/15/09 09:41 PM
So HORNETS vs. NUGGETS it will be. I'm okay with that. I've done no research and hove no stats to back this up, but I believe they're the poorest defensive team out of the Blazers-Rockets-Nuggets trio.
www.ndoherty.com #52
mW
04/15/09 09:41 PM
@ YoungFella: disagree. Though, I still am waiting for an explanation of why Mo Pete gets no minutes.
www.hornetshype.com #53
YoungFella
04/15/09 09:42 PM
Only could a New Orleans pro team have such a great effort negated by such a strange turn of events. What appeared to be a shining victory to build on turned into a demoralizing defeat that accentuated our weaknesses and further wore down our stars.
Sometimes I really believe that Indian burial ground curse.
#54
YoungFella
04/15/09 09:43 PM
mW - the Spurs were playing for home court. This was huge for them.
It meant nothing to us.
#55
YoungFella
04/15/09 09:46 PM
Does anybody know when the playoff dates and times are announced? I'm sure it was mentioned on ESPN during the Mavs/Rockets games.
I really think we need a Sunday game - that trip to Denver and the altitude is rough. The guys need an extra day off.
#56
At the Hive
04/15/09 09:50 PM
@Niall Portland is 16th defensively (league average), Denver is 8th, Houston is 4th and 1st in the conference.
Overall (including offense) I'd say Denver is significantly worse than Portland and Houston.
www.atthehive.com #57
thekourt
04/15/09 09:51 PM
I think the seeds are now set, and the only question in the West is who has home court btw Houston and Portland. The series are LA-Utah, Den-NOH, SA-DAL, Por-Hou.
This might not be a popular opinion, but this might have been the best possible set of results for us. We are the 7th seed, but we're on a side of the bracket away from LA, Utah, and Houston, three teams we do not play well. Our first series will be against Denver, a team we can handle and that has no successful playoff experience (and hasn't for years). Billups can't guard Paul at all. If we win, we play either a depleted and tired SA team, or a Dallas team that we own. Apart from the fact that we have to be road warriors, this is a very winnable path to the West finals.
#58
YoungFella
04/15/09 10:01 PM
thekourt: you are 100% right. The 2nd round would be easier than the first.
#59
mW
04/15/09 10:07 PM
One step at a time. Mission #1: stop J.R Smith. He always has good games on us. We need to get Bop watching game tape.
www.hornetshype.com #60
Andrea
04/15/09 10:08 PM
Any word on the playoff dates and times now that we know for sure who will be playing who?
#61
Ryan Schwan
04/15/09 10:21 PM
I disagree, MW. I think JR is usually out of control and a complete mess against the Hornets. I can only think of one game where I thought he was more positive than negative - and that one he was knocking down crazy shots.
Anyways, theKourt is absolutely right. This is the best possible bracket layout for the Hornets. If I had to pick three Western Playoff teams to possibly see, it would be Denver, San Antonio and Dallas.
www.hornets247.com #62
YoungFella
04/15/09 10:24 PM
I distinctly remember Posey doing a solid job on JR in the last game that we beat Denver in.
I wasn't at the last one where we lost. I think Posey could also guard Melo.
The thing that nobody in the national media mentions is how much better and tougher David West will play in the playoffs. He was a BEAST last year even at 50%. He will dominate Martin I believe. Chandler just needs to push with Nene and let CP3 and DX carry us. Chandler being in there along with Peja should open things up for offense in ways that we havent seen consistently since early January.
I hope the team is capable of getting past this bitter loss tonight and realizing that against all odds, we have a beautiful draw.
2 months ago if you'd have said that the Hornets/Nuggets would be a 2/7 matchup, 75% of the sports would would have pegged the Hornets as the 2 seed.
#63
StefanC
04/15/09 11:20 PM
I'm willing to bet that we lost this game on purpose. Think about it...
~Dallas officially beat Houston right when the overtime started
~At that moment, the coaching staff realized that we could play Denver for sure if we lost the game
~Why not lose on purpose!?
I can almost guarantee that I'm right on this.
#64
StefanC
04/15/09 11:23 PM
@YoungFella
Why not play CP3 & DX 40+ minutes as always? This game was NOT meaningless at all. We were still trying to avoid the Rockets. By us losing after finding out that Dallas Won; we did exactly that
#65