-

Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

-

For just a moment during the Hornets’ 113-96 loss to the Knicks tonight, it seemed like New Orleans was finally putting all the pieces in place. It was around the time they scored a season-high 62 first-half points and, with a 16-point lead, they seemed completely in control.

-

And this, boys and girls, is why you have to play four quarters. The Hornets were out-scored 60-34 in the second half by an 8-win Knicks team that basically just waiting for the Lebron James sweepstakes to begin in the offseason. It was a result of a scoring drought by the Hornets (they didn’t score a basket in the last 4:56 of the game) and just ridiculous shooting by the Knicks (they shot 60% from the floor in the fourth quarter, including six-of-nine from three-point range). Mostly though, tonight’s loss was due to the Hornets defense (or rather, lack thereof).

-

“Our defense tonight was unbelievable,” Chris Paul said. “We’ve had a few games where our defense was good. Tonight it was horrible.”

-

For a team that built its reputation on defense under Byron Scott, the recent breakdowns seem appalling. But really, this is a trend that goes back to last season when the Hornets seemed like they couldn’t put a win streak together to save their lives. Now, David West says that he feels the same frustration.

-

“This was a big game for us because we’re fighting to get to .500 and stay on the right side of the win column,” he said. “We just took a step back and obviously with the NBA there’s always another game, but it doesn’t get any easier.”

-

The Hornets have made a terrible habit of shooting themselves in the foot right they seem to be putting the pieces together. As West said, there are more games coming up. But for a team that’s been struggling with the worst teams in the NBA, one has to wonder if the upcoming games will make things worse before they get better.

-

Photographs by Jonathan Bachman

-

Fact: With tonight’s 96-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings, the Hornets have won their last six games at home and are 7-2 at the Arena this season.

-

Not a Fact: Just over three dozen people have witnessed every home win. Or at least that’s what it seems like. For all the positives to take from this game — first time this season three Hornets notched double-doubles, Songaila was perfect from the floor, CP3 is averaging four steals a game in his last five — the pervading emotion this game was boredom. With just over 13,000 fans in attendance (a generous number), the Hive was mostly tepid all night. Any thoughts that the crowd has carried this team at home should be taken with a grain of salt. Even when everyone finally woke up in the fourth, the Hornets had to dig deep for a win.

-

“We played defense,” Chris Paul said of his team’s fourth quarter. “We finally bore down and defended and started rebounding.”

-

Defense. Rebounding. These are the recurring issues that the Hornets have thus far not been able to deal with. Granted, it was a strong defensive stand in the final 10 seconds that gave the Hornets the victory, but it was a slew of defensive break downs that made the game closer than it really was. The Hornets held just a two-rebound edge on the Kings on the night and, though Sacremento had only nine offensive boards, they seemed to come at the worst times.

-

“They only had 11 second-chance points and that’s a pretty good overall number,” coach Jeff Bower said. “But when they come and how they come, they just stand out so much more. They hurt, they’re an energy drain on your team at times.”

-

Bower said that he’s been stressing his players to end defensive possesions. For the most part, the Hornets accomplished this (though half the time it was because the Kings scored). Right now, New Orleans has yet to show that it can play well consistently. To wit, while five players scored in Double figures for New Orleans, they got virtually no production from Darren Collison (0 points, 3 assists), James Posey (1-of-5 for three points and a rebound) and Devin Brown (4 points), all players expected to produce numbers. Lukily, Darius Songaila was perfect from the floor and made his fourth quarter minutes count.

-

“It was a broken down play,” he said about his game-winning shot. “We just improvised and we drove it to the basket. The defense collapsed and it was kid of a like a loose ball that was bobbled. I came up with it and laid it up.”

-

If the Hornets think they can get back to .500 or better by shooting from the hip in the fourth quarter and hoping Songaila is going to be there to bail them out, then this team is in serious trouble.

-

-

Photographs by Jonathan Bachman

-

OK, that headline is a bit misleading, but considering that the Hornets didn’t announce Chris Paul would be playing until 90 minutes or so before tip-off and that attendance at the Hive was just over half-full, it sure seemed like no one’s paying attention to this team (that and I hear the local pigskin club is making some noise in its league play).

-

(At the sake of overusing parentheses [and we can't have that, can we?] I have to say that, in all fairness to the Hornets, this season could turn out worse attendance numbers since this team made that magical run to No. 2 in the conference two years ago. At 8-11, this team isn’t exactly a powerhouse and with the Saints undefeated playing right across the street, there’s little reason to even pay attention to basketball right now. But mark my words, this team WILL come together and show their worth down the stretch, full Arena or not.)

-

But such are the turns that are made during an 82-game season. Sure, Paul led the Hornets to a 98-89 win over the lowly, two-win Minnesota Timberwolves, but that was to be expected. The Hornets are at a precarious moment in their season. At just about a quarter of the way through the season, this is a team that is still searching for an identity. For starters, they could think about showing consistent effort on rebounds (they gave up 20 second-chance points and collected just seven offensive rebounds off of 39 missed shots).

-

“We just didn’t finish plays,” David West said afterward. “Sometimes it’s just concentrating on finishing possessions. We gotta continue to improve and we will.”

-

Seems like we’ve been hearing that same quote for over a year, so should Hornets fans be worried? With all the new faces and with Jeff Bower stepping in as head coach, it seems like a rebuilding year at the Hive and that’s not far from the truth. Except for one caveat - for Bower, he gets one chance. Right now he seems like a man on the edge of something; be it a breakout season or a complete disintegration is too hard to tell. But while inconsistent play may drive fans batty, Bower continues to approach each day with patience and resolve.

-

“We were able to play through some things in our line-up. I’m not going to lie, I had reservations about changing our line-up in the second quarter line-up in the beginning but decided to let them play through it and am happy with the decision.”

-

Another line we’ve heard before. Or is it? Byron Scott used to love to just let his players try and figure things out when really they needed a coach. Jeff Bower, though, sees that he can only coach ‘em so much and there are appropriate times to let his players work out the kinks. The Hornets are growing as a team — it can be seen in their growing mutual trust on the floor and how they carry themselves in the locker room — but as to how quickly and how far they will grow is anybody’s guess. With Paul back in the mix, this team has the opportunity to do great things, only time will tell if they can come through.

-

-

Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

-

It’s still early, but considering how the Hornets started the season, it’s hard not to feel good about this team right now. The Hornets made 12-of-17 three-point attemps and snapped the Hawks’ seven-game win streak in their 96–88 win tonight at the Hive.

-

“It gives you an opportunity to experience success while you learn and grow,” Jeff Bower said of his team’s recent three-game win streak. “It’s the easiest time for me to be more demanding.”

-

It’s the old sports axiom: winning solves everything. Had the Hornets lost one or two of their last three games at home, there may have been more turmoil in the locker room, definitely more second-guessing in the media and a whole lot of conflict surrounding this entire team. But instead, the Hornets beat the best team in the West (Phoenix) and the best team in the NBA (Atlanta) and Bower can continue to harp on the importance of hustle and energy on both sides of the floor.

-

Tonight, the Hornets had it all once again. Four players scored in double figures with the two rookies, Marcus Thornton and Darren Collision, leading the way with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Peja Stojakovic ignited the scoring early with four three-pointers in the first quarter alone (he finished five-of-twelve from the floor with 17 points) while Emeka Okafor and David West imposed their will in the low post, combining for 20 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

-

“Our confidence is rising every game,” Thornton said. “The players believe in each other, and when we have that chemistry with each other, everything is good.”

-

Chemistry is more than just good ball movement and floor energy. Chemistry is also Stojakovic cat-calling a towel-clad Thorton in the locker room while the rookie was waiting to do a post-game interview. Chemistry is all smiles on the bench from the opening tip-off to the final horn. Chemistry is the rookies sporting Tinkerbell and Little Mermaid suitcases after every game (more on that later, I promise). Yes, it may be early, but that doesn’t mean this team isn’t on the verge of something very good.

-

Photo lifted from Last Angry Fan

-

Chris “The Mayor” Paul won’t be playing in tonight’s Hornets game against the Atlanta Hawks. But that won’t stop him from rocking out his Hornets sports blazer, surfer-dude haircut and awesome combo moves.

-

Wait, what?

-

Yea, that up there is a picture of a Japanese game cards featuring Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Ron Ahhh!Test! and others (check them all out here). My favorite has to be the Kevin Garnett (excuse me, KG, “The Rabid Wolverine”) because I can’t believe anyone would think being dressed like that is intimidating (I’m talking about the people that photoshopped Garnett into those clothing, not Garnett himself, who probably has no idea this is going on). Oh, and double points for turning Larry Bird into Conan the Barbarian.

-

Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

-

In the course of eight days, the Hornets have gone from being humiliated by the Suns by 20 points in Phoenix to winning 110-103 with a brand new coach and scheme in New Orleans. Energy. Motion. Fluidity. It’s been a long time since those words consistently described the Hornets offense, but they all applied during tonight’s thrilling victory.

-

“Coach wants us to play with confidence,” said guard Devin Brown, who finished with 19 points. “We’re going to spread the floor. We’re going to get the ball to Peja. We’re going to get the ball to David West. If we can do that, it’s goign to show how deep our bench really is.”

-

Five players scored in double figures for the Hornets while all but one player that saw the floor tonight (Bobby Brown) registered four or more rebounds. If nothing else, the Hornets have proven how effective they can be against one of the NBA’s best teams by simply moving the ball, spreading the court and hustling for offensive rebounds. Telling stat: New Orleans threw up 97 shots tonight. While they missed 58 times, they had 25 offensive rebounds, extending possessions and keeping Phoenix from unleashing their high-powered transition offense.

-

“The number of field goal attempts [was important], regardless of how many went in” coach Jeff Bower said. “Just to have that many attempts gives you a chance.”

-

Whether it be the usual suspects (Peja Stojakovic, 25 points; Okafor, 13 points and 12 rebounds) or the rookies (Darren Collison, 15 points; Marcus Thornton, 19 points) all sorts of players shared the offensive burden. And while Thornton was the sub of the game (and a fan favorite after attending LSU) it was the speedy Collison stood out. He was a blur all over the court, directing the offense, shadowing Steve Nash, grabbing rebounds and absolutely taking over in the final stretch, going 3-of-4 for 11 points and making all his free throws all in the fourth quarter. (UPDATE: Forgot to mention, Collison was so comfortable with the ball in his hands in the final minute that if you look at the tape of him before making his final layup, he’s  calling off Devin Brown and running the offense.) In terms of “blowing up”, Collison’s career is a notch or two down from Pompeii.

-

“His decision making, his ability to creat shots fo our other players, bot interior and in the perimeter [was excellent],” Bower said.

-

Just over a week ago, this franchise seemed adrift in all the wrong directions. Now there seems to be nothing you could look at negatively. The season, though, is not even 20 games old and a lot can happen between now and Febuary when the playoff races heat up. But in terms of encouraging signs — the way players really seemed to enjoy themselves, the noise coming from the crowd, the win over an early-season conference powerhouse -– the Hornets have many to pick from.

-

Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

-

The Los Angeles Clippers are not a very good basketball team. Part of what makes good teams good is the ability to consistently beat the not-very-good teams. The Hornets have already done away with the Clippers twice this season and, if the Hornets can continue to beat teams like them (and not, say, lose to the friggin’ Knicks) then they may not be in as bad shape as many have feared. But for all the good vibes that come with their 110-102 victory, the Hornets realize that this game was just a small step.

-

“There were steps and progress made in the game,” coach Jeff Bower said. “We didn’t want to get into a half-court stationary type game and we were able to do that thorugh most of the game. Some stretches we were able to get great ball movement as a result of it. The two things go together and I am very please with our progress.”

-

Progress is the Hornets’ 51-36 rebound advantage despite the Clippers having more height in the post. Progress is rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton scoring 12 points apiece with all four Hornets guards combining for 50 on the night. Progress is Chris Paul and James Posey presenting Bower with a game ball in the locker room after the game after a week in which the Hornets’ point guard fumed about Byron Scott being fired. Progress is once again believing in their system.

-

“We came out with a different mindset, with a high-level of concentration and a different focus,” David West said. “There’s some getting used to different terminology, but the things that we are doing are going to give us an opportunity to win.”

-

Jeff Bower’s first win as a coach came on the shoulders of a strong effort by Hornets players on both ends of the floor and effecient ball movement on offense. After a season full of frustration with stagnant play and sluggish offensive possesions, Bower and his players may have given us a glimpse of what the Hornets may soon become.

-

“When we come out aggressive, rebound and move the ball, we’re a prety good basketball team,” Devin Brown said. “It’s going to be a slow process. We just have to come every day, listen to what the coaches are telling us, execute while we are out there and we wil go from there.”

-

Next step: Winning against teams not named the Clippers.

-

Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

-

Anyone who expected the Hornets to play like a completely different team tonight after Byron Scott was fired as head coach was sadly dissapointed (and, frankly, has unrealistic expectations). The Hornets lost to the Portland Trailblazers 86–78 in front of a listless 14,742 fans. Seemingly, it’s the same old story for New Orleans but a keen observer will see that there were many positives to take away from this game.

-

(OK, we can’t really go on without addressing the Chris Paul ankle injury. In basketball, as in life, you need healthy ankles to move efficiently. Depending on the severity of the sprain, this may just add to the Hornets’ woes. on the other hand, it could open the door to an unproven and untested group of bench players hungry to get their chance. Last seen, Paul left the Arena in crutches with his ankle completely immobilized. I’ll let all you arm-chair doctors figure out what that means.)

-

But on to the positives: Darren Collision and Marus Thornton combined for 38 points off the bench after barely seeing any floor time all season (you think Byron Scott would still have a job if they had seen more action early on?) and both shot better than all Hornets players except for David West (7-of-13 for 15 points). The Hornets also had 17 assists to just nine turnovers which is a departure from the laissez-faire careless possessions that plagued this team recently.

-

OK, so there weren’t that many positives to look at. New Orleans was killed on the boards, getting out-rebounded 60 to 40 and they shot miserably from the floor at just over 36%. And, again, the Hornets lost Chris Paul, the only player capable to taking this team back to prominence regardless of who is calling the plays. The upcoming schedules isn’t doing the team any favors, either. With four of their next five games against teams expected to make the playoffs this year, this season might get worse before it gets better.

-

The upside? Despite the poor offensive showing, the Hornets played one of the Western Conference’s best teams pretty close. As head coach Jeff Bower (still weird typing that) said, “we kept fighting.” The Hornets may have given up on their old coach and his schemes long ago, but they haven’t lost their pride. With 70+ games left, we’ll see just how much character this team has.

-

Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

-

The Hornets are 3–6 and flying under the radar because of the Saints’ superb season but that won’t stop the Bees from making headlines. According to many sources, Byron Scott has been fired after New Orleans’ abysmal 124–104 loss to Phoenix on ESPN last night.

-

To start the season, George Shinn said that he would be holding players and coaches accountable for their actions. Scott’s inability to bring this team together, let alone give playing time to younger players as asked, has most likely led to his departure.

-

Just think, a little over a year ago Scott was being presented with the NBA Coach of the Year award to the cheers of a sold-out Hornets Arena. How quickly things change.

-

UPDATE: General Manager Jeff Bower has taken over coaching duties for the Hornets. Also put on the hot seat by Shinn before the season started, we’ll see if Bower can get more out of the players he’s picked than Scott could.

From the Hornets PR department: