McDonald: Hornets Could Be Short-Handed For Spurs Showdown

[duncan228]

Hornets could be short-handed for Spurs showdown (http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/)
By Jeff McDonald

NEW ORLEANS -- The Spurs are in town for a much ballyhooed Sunday showdown that will have significant ramifications in both the Southwest Division and the Western Conference.

Which of the Hornets will be around to partake in the festivities remains to be seen.

Starting center Tyson Chandler, who has already missed five games with a sprained left ankle, has been fitted with a walking boot and will be unavailable for the next week or two. Hilton Armstrong, Chandler's replacement, left New Orleans' loss Friday in New York with an ankle injury after landing on official Gary Zielinski.

Adding insult to injury, Zielinski later ejected reserve forward James Posey from that same game after Posey allegedly threw the ball at him. Posey could be facing a suspension, pending league review.

Even if the NBA goes easy on him, however, Posey could miss Sunday's game with a sore left elbow that was still bothering him after Friday's game. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI today.

[spursfaninla]

what was the injury worry that had the Hornets trying to trade Chandler in the first place? I never understood that mess...I guess it was a salary issue? Or something?

[LoneStarState'sPride]

what was the injury worry that had the Hornets trying to trade Chandler in the first place? I never understood that mess...I guess it was a salary issue? Or something?

Failed physical....I believe it was a toe or foot injury of some sort that came up at the last minute.

[Muser]

Good and Bad news.

Good because it increases our chance of winning. Bad because I would never wish injury on any NBA player.

[Spursmania]

Yeah, you know the Spurs sometimes play less than up to snuff when the opposing team is shorthanded. Hope they play well and don't let up.

[completely deck]

Good and Bad news.

Good because it increases our chance of winning. Bad because I would never wish injury on any NBA player.

:tu I like playing healthy teams

[exstatic]

what was the injury worry that had the Hornets trying to trade Chandler in the first place? I never understood that mess...I guess it was a salary issue? Or something?

It was a straight salary dump attempt. Chandler was furious at the GM when he got back because dude tried to spin it as a basketball decision. Chandler's take was something along the lines of "You're trading me for two guys not playing for a bad team and telling me it's a basketball thing?".

I think they'll dump him this summer to whoever will take his $11M, no players necessary. A Camby type thing.

What's killing NO is that they're already paying Chandler West and Peja, CP3s contract blows up next year, and they have 3 bad MLE contracts hanging around their necks: AD, Posey, and MoPete. Those seven contracts alone will put them over the tax next year, and they're required to carry at least 13 players on their roster. Three of those are obligated already at 3.9, 2.8, and 2.0 million. Now double those figures because they are over the tax. Rasual Butler at $3.9M will cost them $7.8M. Oh, and you STILL have 3 more spots to fill at double the actual cost. Ouch. Be very depressed if you're a Hornets fan.

[spursfaninla]

Posey, AD, West and CP3 are important pieces. Chandler is their only other good big, so they need him too.

I think they need to get rid of peja, not chandler.

[exstatic]

Posey, AD, West and CP3 are important pieces. Chandler is their only other good big, so they need him too.

I think they need to get rid of peja, not chandler.

Nobody wants Peja. They tried. He's a soft, oft-injured perimeter player who makes WAY too much money. A radical solution is to move West. They might actually be able to finagle a young player in with the expiring contract(s). West provides scoring and some rebounding, but they have other scoring on the team, and could probably come up with other rebounding. Chandler gives them almost airtight protection for their defensive rim. Players who defend the rim and rebound like he does, and score efficiently enough to stay on the floor for 30+ do NOT grow on fucking trees.

[Thomas82]

It was a straight salary dump attempt. Chandler was furious at the GM when he got back because dude tried to spin it as a basketball decision. Chandler's take was something along the lines of "You're trading me for two guys not playing for a bad team and telling me it's a basketball thing?".

I think they'll dump him this summer to whoever will take his $11M, no players necessary. A Camby type thing.

What's killing NO is that they're already paying Chandler West and Peja, CP3s contract blows up next year, and they have 3 bad MLE contracts hanging around their necks: AD, Posey, and MoPete. Those seven contracts alone will put them over the tax next year, and they're required to carry at least 13 players on their roster. Three of those are obligated already at 3.9, 2.8, and 2.0 million. Now double those figures because they are over the tax. Rasual Butler at $3.9M will cost them $7.8M. Oh, and you STILL have 3 more spots to fill at double the actual cost. Ouch. Be very depressed if you're a Hornets fan.


OUCH!!! It sucks to be them.

[Dunc n Dave]

Is Peja playing vs the Spurs. I heard he's been out awhile now too?

[Harry Callahan]

George Shinn hates paying guys. Look for a salary dump soon. Chrissy P will be having to do it by himself soon now he is locked up to NO contractually.

[duncan228]

Is Peja playing vs the Spurs. I heard he's been out awhile now too?

He's projected out in the previews with back spasms.

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120973

[tomtom]

Good and Bad news.

Good because it increases our chance of winning. Bad because I would never wish injury on any NBA player.

Bad news because the wrath of Sean Marks will be upon the spurs

[MrChug]

Hilton is a gifted, but not smart defender. JUST AS dangerous a shotblocker as Chandler even though he's all of 6'9" he gets into foul trouble easily. Very intimidating, but as long as Tim and Drew go right at him, he'll foul out quickly.

[Quasar]

Have the spurs got any chance at this salary dump next year? :) 11m doesn't sound too bad for someone like Chandler.

[rapliketp]

Failed physical....I believe it was a toe or foot injury of some sort that came up at the last minute.

Turf toe. The league appointed doc who failed him was the one who had operated on the same toe.

[Darkwaters]

Failed physical....I believe it was a toe or foot injury of some sort that came up at the last minute.

Chandler has toe surgery about 2 or 3 years ago. It could be the same injury.

[Mavs<Spurs]

Good and Bad news.

Good because it increases our chance of winning. Bad because I would never wish injury on any NBA player.

+ 1


Also, remember how difficult it was for us to win Game 5 of 2007 in Phoenix when they were missing Stoudamire and Diaw. Now, their fans felt that it was our fault (specifically Horry's fault) that Stoudamire and Diaw left the bench. So, there was an added element of anger to their partisanship for the Phoenix fans that game.

So, the fact that this game will be in New Orleans is a factor (although not as big as in the Phoenix game where other issues compounded the partisanship). It would be much easier to beat the Hornets shorthanded in this way if we played them on our home court.

:flag:

[Mal]

Paul is probable. What with him ?

[raspsa]

Hilton is a gifted, but not smart defender. JUST AS dangerous a shotblocker as Chandler even though he's all of 6'9" he gets into foul trouble easily. Very intimidating, but as long as Tim and Drew go right at him, he'll foul out quickly.

Manu had his best dunk of the season against him last time around.. maybe history will repeat itslef.

[duncan228]

NBA sidelines Posey for game against Spurs (http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/)
By Jeff McDonald

The Hornets will be without key reserve James Posey for tonight's game against the Spurs.

The NBA has suspended Posey one game without pay for throwing the ball at the feet of official Gary Zielinski during New Orleans' loss at New York on Friday. Zielinski had whistled Posey for a foul when the incident occurred, at the 5:46 mark of the fourth quarter. Posey fired the ball at the referee, who promptly ejected the New Orleans guard.

After the game, Posey told reporters he meant to throw a bounce pass to Zielinski.

"It was a bounce pass," Posey told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "It just happened to hit his foot."

The NBA, obviously, disagreed. Posey will serve the suspension tonight, when the Spurs visit New Orleans Arena for a critical Western Conference game.

The Hornets will already be without starting center Tyson Chandler (left ankle sprain) and could be without sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic (back spasms).

They could also be without Hilton Armstrong, Chandler's primary backup. If they are, Zielinski could be partially blamed for that one, too. Armstrong left the loss in New York with a twisted ankle after stepping on Zielinski's foot.

[duncan228]

The other side.

James Posey will serve one-game suspension tonight against San Antonio Spurs (http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/2009/03/james_posey_will_serve_onegame.html)
by John Reid

James Posey will be suspended one game.The NBA issued New Orleans Hornets top backup forward James Posey a one-game suspension that he will serve tonight against the San Antonio Spurs for throwing the ball out of frustration at referee Gary Zielinski's feet in the fourth quarter of Friday night's loss to the New York Knicks, which caused his ejection from the game.

Posey did not practice Saturday because of a sore left elbow.

In an 8-of-34 shooting slump in the previous five games, Posey was hit on his elbow, and it swelled after Friday's game, Scott said. An MRI exam was performed on the elbow Saturday.

With the Hornets' playoff seeding at stake, they will enter tonight's game with starting center Tyson Chandler sidelined for up to two weeks with a cast on his inflamed left ankle.

And starting small forward Peja Stojakovic is not expected to play because of having a sore back that has forced him to miss 12 consecutive games.

[jdev82]

armstrong faked the injury to escape the wrath of manu. he still has a bruise where he got dunked on.

[Spurs Brazil]

A lot of injuries for the Hornets

We must win tonight

[rayray2k8]

Yeah, cuz it would look pretty bad if the spurs somehow lost the the Hornets without
2 of their starters..
Not gonna be a total cakewalk though, Paul will probably score around 30-40 points
tonight.

[Budkin]

No CP3 to Chandler alley oops all game... advantage Spurs.