The Hornets are back on the road, and they've got a tough test tonight in Utah facing the 18-15 Jazz.
The Hornets have gone 2-8 against Utah the past three seasons, and haven't won in Salt Lake since February 25, 2006, which was Chris Paul's rookie season. Back then, Devin Brown was the starting 2-guard for the Jazz.
This seems to be a good time to play Utah though, since they've lost four of six overall. On Saturday they hosted a Nuggets team without Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups but still managed to lose, 95-105. Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer have been steady of late for the Jazz, but most of their teammates seem to be slumping. Head coach Jerry Sloan has been rolling with Ronnie Price and rookie Wesley Matthews in recent fourth quarters.
The Hornets have won two straight, but have yet to beat a winning team on the road this season. The Jazz are 12-5 this season at EnergySolutions Arena.
Game tips at 8 p.m. Central.
Linkage:
- Lagniappe: Year in review, CP's wheels and a grade for the Hornets' first 30
- Rival bloggers: Salt City Hoops | SLC Dunk | True Blue Jazz
(Many thanks to Dariusz for the banner, today featuring the legendary Pistol Pete Maravich. Be sure to check out more of Dariusz's designs in our Wallpapers vault.)
19 fluffy comments post your own
sergio_alj
01/04/10 03:18 PM
Let´s go Hornets!
Today we have a great chance to win in Salt Lake!!
By the way, when was tha last win in Utah against the Jazz?
#1
Niall Doherty
01/04/10 04:11 PM
@sergio: 3 years, 10 months and 10 days ago.
www.ndoherty.com #2
Jib
01/04/10 06:45 PM
I notice in the Utah vs Nola games that Deron Williams is good at putting Paul in foul trouble. Hopefully that isn't the case tonight for I don't see us standing a chance with him stuck on the bench
#3
QueenBee
01/04/10 07:54 PM
Let me guess. CJ Miles will look like a 3 point champion, and Wesley Matthews will look like Rookie of the Year. LOL! Hope not though. Also, Ron Boone sucks. I still can't get over him not giving CP3 his 1st place vote for ROY. Said he stands by it and while he knew CP would win, he gave Deron a 1st place vote because he thought Deron needed some votes. Yeah, he may have needed some votes moron but not 1ST PLACE VOTES! LOL! Williams never even received Rookie of the Month so how in the heck would he expect him to be ROY? LOL!
Also, Deron always try to play very well against CP3. This is the only matchup before the All-Star game so of course he's going to feel like if he plays big, it may be his big chance to finally get to be an All-Star. CP played well against the Jazz last season but his teammates look absolutely baffled when they go against the Jazz.
#4
Mark
01/04/10 09:12 PM
The last play was CP dishing it out to an open Posey on the 3, then Pose passing it to Devin Brown to make the open 22 foot jumper.
I was going to make a comment about this earlier, but I'd like to see more of this ball movement to find the open man. CP is our general and though he'll find you open, that extra pass really stretches our offense and makes defenses play more legit and stay with their man (leaving CP on man-man).
Halftime. Let's geaux Hornets.
www.dogpile.com/ #5
corndeaux
01/04/10 09:18 PM
Did I miss something or is Byron coaching this team again? Peterson over Thornton? You have got to be kidding me.
Can't be too upset because the team is playing well tonight and this is the closest I can remember the Hornets being at the half in Utah.
Still that decision is just outrageous.
#6
420ftJesus
01/04/10 09:40 PM
Hi, Devin, how are you?
Just fine it seems.
Enjoy it, and keep it up.
#7
winze
01/04/10 09:50 PM
who is wearing Devin Brown's jersey tonight? the guy can't miss...
contract year play 2nite
#8
Jib
01/04/10 10:15 PM
Devin Brown has my jaw dropped right now...
#9
pinoyballah
01/04/10 10:18 PM
wow..just when i thought cp3 shoots himself in the foot w/ a forced 3 pointer with less than a min left, he steals it and lays it up..
#10
Twerp
01/04/10 10:21 PM
Great to see bench celebration at the 2:12 mark during 4th quarter @ beginning of the time out.
#11
420ftJesus
01/04/10 10:24 PM
Boom!
I'll add a shakalakalaka since it was on the road and for .500, finally.
#12
Mark
01/04/10 10:29 PM
Did our team not step it up or what? CP with a rather abysmal night (for his standards), but he comes through down the stretch... figures! Great 2-0 start for the year. Hope we keep this trend up!
No jokes about Devin Brown tonight, in fact, it's a celebration, snitches!
www.dogpile.com/ #13
Akademik_Hooligan
01/04/10 10:38 PM
A huge, huge win. Jazz fans have such a major inferiority complex when it comes to CP3, lol. You don't hear Hornets fans bashing D-Will every which way, we acknowledge he's a very good PG with the type of body that causes CP3 problems (Billups & Baron are among this type). We're very happy with the PG we have. D-Will may have won the stats battle, but CP3 won the war with the steal & drive to put us up by 6.
#14
Jib
01/04/10 10:58 PM
Devin Brown's new year resolution: shock Louisiana and kick a$$ lol
#15
nikkoewan
01/04/10 11:07 PM
great way to start the year!
#16
notoriousBEE
01/04/10 11:34 PM
Just finished watching the game on dvr! I'm loving it. Geaux Hornets! Go Devin Brown????
#17
NOEngineer
01/05/10 12:17 AM
I disagree wholeheartedly with Corndeaux. It's about time that Mo Pete gets back in the rotation, and Thornton has been stinking it up of late. Mo looked solid out there and he is a stabilizing influence on the team. He is less likely to have turnovers or blown defensive assignments than the rookie....
Amazing mixed bag from Devin Brown tonight. He scores 30, but has at least 5 really ugly misses, an ugly missed rebound, another head stand, etc. Never a dull moment.
Posey is rounding back into form. He is boxing out very effectively against taller players, making threes, and making free throws. His speed isn't 100% back, but his swagger is returning.
First time since the Denver series that I saw CP3 intimidated. Great job by those two guys plus DWest to shoulder the load when CP3 is having an average (for other point guards) night.
#18
corndeaux
01/05/10 10:51 AM
@NOEngineer- If by stabilizing influence you mean be slow and not contribute in any way at all (positively or negatively) then you are correct. You are dead wrong about Thornton- Just last week the Hornets were going to hand him the majority of pt at the 2 with the trade of Brown.
Bottom line- Thornton has struggled a bit lately but his upside is worth so much more than whatever Peterson has left in his tank at 32. If this was just to showcase him for a trade, then bravo. Otherwise, Bower confounds me again.
#19