duncan228
05-07-2008, 10:11 AM
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080507/SPORTS/80506059/1006
New Orleans Hornets should gain respect in playoffs
Kevin Foote
Louisiana Gannett News
It wasn’t a statement made by a paranoid fan. It wasn’t even the claim of an outspoken rookie trying to create attention for himself.
It was New Orleans Hornets’ head coach Byron Scott indicating to the media after Monday’s convincing 102-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs how little respect his players feel they’re still getting around the league.
“We’ve got a young bunch of guys that are very, very hungry and they are playing, I guess right now for respect more than anything,” said Scott, who
claimed that “not a lot of people” are expecting his Hornets to dethrone the Spurs.
The respect card is played quite often in sports, and normally overused. Even one of the coaches of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament tried to claim that people didn’t think his team would make the Final Four.
Really coach, why then did the committee seed you No. 1 if they thought you’d lose in the round of 16?
In Scott’s case, though, he might actually have a point. His Hornets are the No. 2 seed in the powerful Western Conference, ahead of the defending world champions.
Such talk would seem to be more fitting for a No. 7 or No. 8 seed and that’s the Hornets’ point.
While Scott’s team has earned plenty of accolades and pats on the back along the way, it’s now time to take it that extra step.
It’s time to recognize that the 2-0 deficit the Spurs now find themselves in is only the fourth such start in a conference semifinals series in 19 total appearances and San Antonio has never come back to win.
It’s time to notice that Chris Paul is every bit the superstar, and probably even brighter, as Tony Parker or Ray Allen or Steve Nash or Tracy McGrady.
It’s time to notice that the Hornets aren’t winning in fluky ways. Sure they’re making their fair share of 3s, but they’re not winning because they’re shooting ridiculous percentages from the floor.
They’re winning by eliminating turnovers, forcing turnovers and generally making life difficult in every way for opposing teams.
In other words, they’re playing the brand of basketball that’s won the Spurs three world titles over the past 10 seasons.
In Monday’s win, not only did the Hornets keep Tim Duncan from dominating inside, they managed to keep Parker and Manu Ginobili down as well. The trio averaged just 14 points in the loss.
Several reporters offered up the “excuse” lob to the Spurs that Duncan has been suffering from the flu in recent days, but both coach Gregg Popovich and Duncan quickly squashed that as a cop-out.
Like the true pros that they are, right or wrong, they weren’t going to take any the credit away from the Hornets.
“We knew we couldn’t let them get comfortable in their halfcourt set,” Hornets’ forward David West said. “We tried to make getting it inside to Duncan as tough as possible.”
Even when the Spurs accomplished some of their goals — like limiting West’s rule in the paint and cutting down on transition baskets — for extended periods in Monday’s loss, the Hornets had answers.
The beauty of this team is that those solutions were many and not always noticeable. Look at Janerro Pargo’s four-point output, for instance.
That may not seem like much, but the two jumpers he hit came just after a Hornets’ timeout that followed an 8-0 Spurs’ run for their biggest lead of the game at 29-22 early in the second period.
Two buckets don’t make for flashy stats, but they halted San Antonio’s only reason bright spot of the game.
Then there was Morris Peterson. With the Spurs playing zone to thwart West, Peterson knocked down all five of his shots to score 12 points and make New Orleans even more difficult for the sluggish Spurs to defend.
“We’ve been pretty balanced all year long,” Paul said. “Pargo and Mo-Pete and Bonzi have been huge in Game 1 and Game 2. Peja’s done a great job too. My hat’s off to them. Everybody’s been helping each other out.”
The neat thing about this group, though, is that while they’re playing like crusty old veterans, underneath is the giddy excitement level of 10-year-old kids.
“Words can’t describe it,” Paul said. “I think these are some of the best moments of my life. It’s unbelievable. When the crowd is the way it is, we don’t want to game to end. We’re riding the wave right now.”
Before you simply assume that the Spurs will have their way with the young Hornets in San Antonio, consider that the Spurs have never returned to the NBA Finals the year after a title season.
Consider that the flip side of all the Spurs’ playoff experience is that those older legs also have to run with these young Hornets.
The champions haven’t proven they can do so thus far in the second halves.
Case in point, New Orleans has outscored San Antonio 65-37 in the two third quarters.
It’ll likely take more convincing for some. But perhaps if New Orleans gets two wins in its next four games, its seed and its level of respect will finally meet as one in the Western Conference finals.
New Orleans Hornets should gain respect in playoffs
Kevin Foote
Louisiana Gannett News
It wasn’t a statement made by a paranoid fan. It wasn’t even the claim of an outspoken rookie trying to create attention for himself.
It was New Orleans Hornets’ head coach Byron Scott indicating to the media after Monday’s convincing 102-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs how little respect his players feel they’re still getting around the league.
“We’ve got a young bunch of guys that are very, very hungry and they are playing, I guess right now for respect more than anything,” said Scott, who
claimed that “not a lot of people” are expecting his Hornets to dethrone the Spurs.
The respect card is played quite often in sports, and normally overused. Even one of the coaches of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament tried to claim that people didn’t think his team would make the Final Four.
Really coach, why then did the committee seed you No. 1 if they thought you’d lose in the round of 16?
In Scott’s case, though, he might actually have a point. His Hornets are the No. 2 seed in the powerful Western Conference, ahead of the defending world champions.
Such talk would seem to be more fitting for a No. 7 or No. 8 seed and that’s the Hornets’ point.
While Scott’s team has earned plenty of accolades and pats on the back along the way, it’s now time to take it that extra step.
It’s time to recognize that the 2-0 deficit the Spurs now find themselves in is only the fourth such start in a conference semifinals series in 19 total appearances and San Antonio has never come back to win.
It’s time to notice that Chris Paul is every bit the superstar, and probably even brighter, as Tony Parker or Ray Allen or Steve Nash or Tracy McGrady.
It’s time to notice that the Hornets aren’t winning in fluky ways. Sure they’re making their fair share of 3s, but they’re not winning because they’re shooting ridiculous percentages from the floor.
They’re winning by eliminating turnovers, forcing turnovers and generally making life difficult in every way for opposing teams.
In other words, they’re playing the brand of basketball that’s won the Spurs three world titles over the past 10 seasons.
In Monday’s win, not only did the Hornets keep Tim Duncan from dominating inside, they managed to keep Parker and Manu Ginobili down as well. The trio averaged just 14 points in the loss.
Several reporters offered up the “excuse” lob to the Spurs that Duncan has been suffering from the flu in recent days, but both coach Gregg Popovich and Duncan quickly squashed that as a cop-out.
Like the true pros that they are, right or wrong, they weren’t going to take any the credit away from the Hornets.
“We knew we couldn’t let them get comfortable in their halfcourt set,” Hornets’ forward David West said. “We tried to make getting it inside to Duncan as tough as possible.”
Even when the Spurs accomplished some of their goals — like limiting West’s rule in the paint and cutting down on transition baskets — for extended periods in Monday’s loss, the Hornets had answers.
The beauty of this team is that those solutions were many and not always noticeable. Look at Janerro Pargo’s four-point output, for instance.
That may not seem like much, but the two jumpers he hit came just after a Hornets’ timeout that followed an 8-0 Spurs’ run for their biggest lead of the game at 29-22 early in the second period.
Two buckets don’t make for flashy stats, but they halted San Antonio’s only reason bright spot of the game.
Then there was Morris Peterson. With the Spurs playing zone to thwart West, Peterson knocked down all five of his shots to score 12 points and make New Orleans even more difficult for the sluggish Spurs to defend.
“We’ve been pretty balanced all year long,” Paul said. “Pargo and Mo-Pete and Bonzi have been huge in Game 1 and Game 2. Peja’s done a great job too. My hat’s off to them. Everybody’s been helping each other out.”
The neat thing about this group, though, is that while they’re playing like crusty old veterans, underneath is the giddy excitement level of 10-year-old kids.
“Words can’t describe it,” Paul said. “I think these are some of the best moments of my life. It’s unbelievable. When the crowd is the way it is, we don’t want to game to end. We’re riding the wave right now.”
Before you simply assume that the Spurs will have their way with the young Hornets in San Antonio, consider that the Spurs have never returned to the NBA Finals the year after a title season.
Consider that the flip side of all the Spurs’ playoff experience is that those older legs also have to run with these young Hornets.
The champions haven’t proven they can do so thus far in the second halves.
Case in point, New Orleans has outscored San Antonio 65-37 in the two third quarters.
It’ll likely take more convincing for some. But perhaps if New Orleans gets two wins in its next four games, its seed and its level of respect will finally meet as one in the Western Conference finals.