duncan228
04-30-2008, 02:49 PM
http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-3/120953295698590.xml&coll=1&thispage=1
Hornets turn attention to next order of business
Peter Finney
They were still partying at the New Orleans Arena.
The Dallas Mavericks had fallen in five games, and the Hornets were on their way into the second round of the playoffs.
Chris Paul had finished with a triple-double -- 24 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds.
Yes, he was a happy warrior, but as the little man put it, once the euphoria of Tuesday night's 99-94 victory was little more than a welcome memory, it was "no time for popping champagne corks."
His Coach of the Year would share those sentiments.
On the way to the locker room, Byron Scott's thoughts were already focused on future business.
The San Antonio Spurs, for example.
"When I think of those guys," said Scott, "I think of Tim Duncan, who may be the best power forward to play in this league. I think of Tony Parker, who's one of the best point guards playing today. I think of Manu Ginobili, who comes off the bench and does great things. And that's only for starters. Mainly, I think of a team that has won championships."
Definitely, no time for champagne.
Then Scott thought back to what he believed might have been the pivotal moment for a basketball team that defied the experts.
"The day in January (Jan. 26) we went into San Antonio and beat the Spurs (102-78)," he said, "probably gave our guys the kind of confidence that would serve us well the rest of the year. Under the circumstances, we played close to a perfect game. It sort of made us feel, at that point in the season, that, yes, we belonged." It was the worst home defeat Duncan had ever been involved in.
It was a game in which David West made 15 of 19 shots on his way to 32 points. A game in which Peja Stojakovic had 22 points and Chris Paul had 17 points and 11 assists.
In four games against the Spurs, the two teams split, at home and on the road.
"On that night, everything we did went our way," Scott said. "That seldom happens against a defense that doesn't give up any easy baskets. Season after season, the Spurs have proven they are the most consistent team in the league. Which is why they're so special."
For a time during the past two seasons, so were the Dallas Mavericks.
Game 5 against the Mavs was oozing with storylines.
And irony.
Before the tip-off, you had Scott, this season's Coach of the Year, receiving a plaque for a job well done, while, a few feet away, near center court inside the Arena, you had Avrey Johnson, the 2006 Coach of the Year, standing there, watching the presentation, wondering if he'd still have a job coaching the Mavericks next season.
You had Jason Kidd, a future Hall of Famer, looking on, as Scott was taking bows, the same man whose exit Kidd greased several years ago when Kidd was the "franchise" player on the New Jersey Nets and Scott was their head coach.
As for Johnson, one of sports' all-time classic over-achievers, whose journey has taken him from St. Augustine, to Southern, to the NBA, as player, assistant coach, and head coach, you were looking at someone wondering where the journey will end, someone asking himself, "What next?"
Two years ago, he coached the Mavericks to the Western Conference championship, won the first two games in the NBA Finals, then lost four straight to Miami.
Last season, he coached the Mavericks to an NBA-high 67 victories, then lost to Golden State in the first round.
This season, his team fell behind the Hornets 0-2 in the playoffs, which was bad enough. But then you had Josh Howard, the team's No. 2 scorer, saying "I smoke weed," adding, "but it does not stop me from doing my job."
Of course, that's an issue his coach might take with Howard, coming from a guy who came into Game 5 making only 26 percent of his shots in the postseason.
For Johnson, the mystery is: Where is the team that has five of its six top scorers back from 2006? And where is Kidd, a 35-year-old playing for a salary of $19.7 million this season?
For Johnson, the bottom line was the Mavs lost 11 of their past 12 playoff games, including eight in a row on the road.
"The good news," he said, "is we're still alive."
With eight minutes remaining in the first half, the Mavs were alive after eating into a six-point Hornets lead to draw even at 32.
From that point, the home team brought the home crowd alive with a 22-7 run to end the half. It began with Jannero Pargo nailing a 23-footer, which was followed by a Paul steal that set up a West jumper from 16 feet.
The run came after the Mavs to pulled to one point of the lead, whereupon Pargo was connecting from 17 feet and Chandler was laying one in after a Paul assist. Then, in quick succession, Paul made a 25-footer, Chandler tipped one in and West hit a fadeaway from 10 feet.
A monster 3-pointer by Stojakovic brought the crowd out of its seats and, when Pargo holed one from 19 feet, the Hornets had their biggest lead of the game, 54-39.
The ball was in the Mavericks' court.
Would they respond?
Yes, the Mavericks would. They would cut a 17-point fourth-quarter lead with seven minutes left to three points with 33 seconds remaining.
At which point Tyson Chandler kept alive a miss by Paul, resulting in a couple of game-clinching free throws by Peja in the final three seconds.
"It showed us how hard it is to close out a team," Scott said. "Dallas had no quit in them. They kept coming and coming. But we did what we had to. We kept taking care of business."
There's more business ahead.
Hornets turn attention to next order of business
Peter Finney
They were still partying at the New Orleans Arena.
The Dallas Mavericks had fallen in five games, and the Hornets were on their way into the second round of the playoffs.
Chris Paul had finished with a triple-double -- 24 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds.
Yes, he was a happy warrior, but as the little man put it, once the euphoria of Tuesday night's 99-94 victory was little more than a welcome memory, it was "no time for popping champagne corks."
His Coach of the Year would share those sentiments.
On the way to the locker room, Byron Scott's thoughts were already focused on future business.
The San Antonio Spurs, for example.
"When I think of those guys," said Scott, "I think of Tim Duncan, who may be the best power forward to play in this league. I think of Tony Parker, who's one of the best point guards playing today. I think of Manu Ginobili, who comes off the bench and does great things. And that's only for starters. Mainly, I think of a team that has won championships."
Definitely, no time for champagne.
Then Scott thought back to what he believed might have been the pivotal moment for a basketball team that defied the experts.
"The day in January (Jan. 26) we went into San Antonio and beat the Spurs (102-78)," he said, "probably gave our guys the kind of confidence that would serve us well the rest of the year. Under the circumstances, we played close to a perfect game. It sort of made us feel, at that point in the season, that, yes, we belonged." It was the worst home defeat Duncan had ever been involved in.
It was a game in which David West made 15 of 19 shots on his way to 32 points. A game in which Peja Stojakovic had 22 points and Chris Paul had 17 points and 11 assists.
In four games against the Spurs, the two teams split, at home and on the road.
"On that night, everything we did went our way," Scott said. "That seldom happens against a defense that doesn't give up any easy baskets. Season after season, the Spurs have proven they are the most consistent team in the league. Which is why they're so special."
For a time during the past two seasons, so were the Dallas Mavericks.
Game 5 against the Mavs was oozing with storylines.
And irony.
Before the tip-off, you had Scott, this season's Coach of the Year, receiving a plaque for a job well done, while, a few feet away, near center court inside the Arena, you had Avrey Johnson, the 2006 Coach of the Year, standing there, watching the presentation, wondering if he'd still have a job coaching the Mavericks next season.
You had Jason Kidd, a future Hall of Famer, looking on, as Scott was taking bows, the same man whose exit Kidd greased several years ago when Kidd was the "franchise" player on the New Jersey Nets and Scott was their head coach.
As for Johnson, one of sports' all-time classic over-achievers, whose journey has taken him from St. Augustine, to Southern, to the NBA, as player, assistant coach, and head coach, you were looking at someone wondering where the journey will end, someone asking himself, "What next?"
Two years ago, he coached the Mavericks to the Western Conference championship, won the first two games in the NBA Finals, then lost four straight to Miami.
Last season, he coached the Mavericks to an NBA-high 67 victories, then lost to Golden State in the first round.
This season, his team fell behind the Hornets 0-2 in the playoffs, which was bad enough. But then you had Josh Howard, the team's No. 2 scorer, saying "I smoke weed," adding, "but it does not stop me from doing my job."
Of course, that's an issue his coach might take with Howard, coming from a guy who came into Game 5 making only 26 percent of his shots in the postseason.
For Johnson, the mystery is: Where is the team that has five of its six top scorers back from 2006? And where is Kidd, a 35-year-old playing for a salary of $19.7 million this season?
For Johnson, the bottom line was the Mavs lost 11 of their past 12 playoff games, including eight in a row on the road.
"The good news," he said, "is we're still alive."
With eight minutes remaining in the first half, the Mavs were alive after eating into a six-point Hornets lead to draw even at 32.
From that point, the home team brought the home crowd alive with a 22-7 run to end the half. It began with Jannero Pargo nailing a 23-footer, which was followed by a Paul steal that set up a West jumper from 16 feet.
The run came after the Mavs to pulled to one point of the lead, whereupon Pargo was connecting from 17 feet and Chandler was laying one in after a Paul assist. Then, in quick succession, Paul made a 25-footer, Chandler tipped one in and West hit a fadeaway from 10 feet.
A monster 3-pointer by Stojakovic brought the crowd out of its seats and, when Pargo holed one from 19 feet, the Hornets had their biggest lead of the game, 54-39.
The ball was in the Mavericks' court.
Would they respond?
Yes, the Mavericks would. They would cut a 17-point fourth-quarter lead with seven minutes left to three points with 33 seconds remaining.
At which point Tyson Chandler kept alive a miss by Paul, resulting in a couple of game-clinching free throws by Peja in the final three seconds.
"It showed us how hard it is to close out a team," Scott said. "Dallas had no quit in them. They kept coming and coming. But we did what we had to. We kept taking care of business."
There's more business ahead.