Well, I just saved that game on TiVO as "Keep until I Delete". It simply had everything I love about basketball in it: Incredible shooting by the Hornets, West playing with fire, a tremendous comeback against the odds, big shots, and an unlikely hero.
The comeback was crazy, considering how the Magic had built their lead in the first place. During the second, their guards attacked the Hornets biggest Achilles heel: pick and roll defense. They drove into the paint and scored easily, or dished to Dwight for a dunk. Over, and over and over. The lead grew to 18, and I had pretty much accepted that it was going to be one of THOSE nights.
But then the Magic relaxed, committed some turnovers, gave up some easy baskets, and started taking threes. The Hornets kept attacking, the crowd got into it, and the defense on both sides began to tighten. The Hornets, however, lived on scrapping and trying to get easy baskets. The Magic lived by the three - despite abysmally cold shooting for them. At some point I expected the ever over-expressive Stan Van Gundy to grab Jameer Nelson by the shoulders and scream at him, "For the love of god, get to the basket!!!"
Never happened. Hornets win.
David West
I’ve probably said this before, but little has been more depressing over the last season and a half than David West's frequently lackadaisical play. He’s been my favorite Hornet for years, and it hurts to see the lack of effort some nights. Tonight, however, from the start, you could tell he was there to play. He hit a tough jumper, fought through contact for a pair of layups, and suddenly everything was dropping. Bad shots, good shots, contested shots, they were all falling. I can’t even say Rashard Lewis’s defense was bad, because it wasn’t. West was just clicking.
Then, early in the third, when the Hornets had chipped an 18 point lead to 12, I saw West scramble to cover a cutting Matt Barnes, then sprint out to contest a shot by Rashard Lewis. He then ran down court, leading a break that ended with an easy layup for him. I watched that series three times, grinning like a fool, and it was then I thought we might have a chance in this game.
And the three in the fourth? You KNEW that was going in.


The Hornets are back in New Orleans tonight, aiming to shake off those two road losses. They'll have their work cut out doing that against the 39-19 Orlando Magic. Game tipping later than usual (8:30 p.m.) since it's being broadcast on ESPN.
Let's see if the Hornets can pull off another surprising road win. They play the Magic in Orlando tonight in a nationally televised game on TNT. Action tips at 7 Central.

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