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Okafor not even sure to play in this game.
Hornets at Spurs: Weds, 10/28, 8:00 (ET), National TV: ESPN
The Scene: Ooooooweeee…this matchup’s a doozy. Also, kind of an ironic one as well. You see, it was in the 2008 playoffs that the Hornets lost an incredible, yet heart-wrenching seven game series against the Spurs in the second round. Everyone applauded Chris Paul and his team for their heart and effort in the series, and predicted that they would be around the top in 08-09. Maybe New Orleans made the mistake of listening to the media too much, because they came back listless for most of the year. Their talent alone carried them to the playoffs, but New Orleans suffered a first round exit against the Nuggets in only 5 games, which included an EMBARRASSING 58 point loss at home. So if the Hornets hope to make an early statement, San Antonio is the perfect team to do it against.
Hornets’ Tests: Best trade of the offseason: Chandler for Okafor, in favor of New Orleans. What a steal…and that’s their test: Can Okafor hang with Duncan and the other dominant post men in the West? Okafor has been steadily improving but in the Eastern conference, so this first game should be a sign of how he’ll matchup against the West’s bigs. I’m not really worried about the play of CP3, Peja, and David West. Okafor’s the key this year.
Spurs’ Tests: Just as the 2009 Hornets were affected by the 2008 postseason, the 2009 Spurs also have regressed since those playoffs. The Spurs have won 4 championships in the last decade and reached the conference finals in ’08 but lost to a better Lakers team in five games. A respectable finish. However, last year, as a number three seed, the Spurs finally looked their age in the playoffs in an easy 4-1 victory for the Mavericks in the first round. The Spurs had a solid offseason though, acquiring the quick and versatile Richard Jefferson and a solid forward in Antonio McDyess. The Spurs are the Patriots of the NBA, essentially. They know they are still an elite team and perhaps the best organization in sports, but their test is: are they still savvy and healthy enough to make a deep run? Good first test against a very talented New Orleans squad.
Prediction: Fantastic game definitely worthy of a national televising. Spurs might hit a wall again, but that won’t be at the beginning of the season. Spurs stay proud at home in a down-to-the-wire thriller. Spurs at the buzzer.
Okafor not even sure to play in this game.
Okafor for Chandler...decidely NOT the best trade of the off-season.
YEAH BABY!!! First regular season preview...the official signing of the new season is upon us...WOOHOO!!
Let's kick some ass, the game begins!!!
Im Actually Happy To see Chandler Gone..... He defended Tim very well... Timmy Will Dominate Okafor.
I think the Hornets' funk will continue to some degree or another for this season. A good team, playoff bound, spoiler but usual early round out. I think CP3 will eventually demand a trade despite his latest extension and look for a winning team at some point. This season will decide it. He's bound to get frustrated. Byron Scott or not. Just a hunch.
That trade was the best of the offseason?????
Prediction:Spurs win, 100-88
Duncan 15 points 8 rebs
Parker 24points 4asts
Manu 8points 6asts
RJ 22points 4rebs
Dice 8points 6rebs
If Okafor plays, expect Tim to have more of both.
I would be surpised to see duncan put big stats up early latter in the year
I don't think RJ is gonna get 22 points this early into the season.
My Prediction Spurs Win, 103-96
Tim 18 pts, 10 rbds
Tony 22 pts, 5 asts
Manu 14 pts, 3 asts,
RJ 13 pts, 4 rbds
Boy you crazy, "Doobie Okon".
Spurs 192-42
Blair: 183 pts 49 rebounds 27 blocks
Damn, I missed that A LOTSpurs vs. Hornets Previews
New Orleans Hornets center Emeka Okafor practices Sunday, hopes to play in opener
By Jimmy Smith, The Times-Picayune
Having missed all of training camp and the preseason with a sprained right second toe, New Orleans Hornets center Emeka Okafor practiced almost completely with the team on Sunday and said afterward he feels better than he has in weeks.
Okafor, who sustained a minor setback nearly two weeks ago which cancelled his original plans to play in the Oct. 17 preseason game against Indiana, participated in everything but the five-on-five, contact scrimmage portion of Sunday's practice and reported no ill effects.
Okafor attempted to clear up misconceptions that arose after a Yahoo.com on Friday said he'd been given medical clearance to resume practice two weeks ago, but still wasn't fully participating in workouts.
"It made it seem like I wasn't playing for the sake of not playing," Okafor said. "What was left out was that the doctors said it was OK for me to gradually do weight-bearing activities until I felt comfortable to play. The previous week I jumped out there, felt the soreness and got set back.
"This time the game plan was to gradually build. That's what we've been doing and had success. Today was the first time I was on the court running, doing everything, the non-contact things, to try to gradually ease myself into the water. It's cool. It's in a better place. It's definitely more manageable than it was. And that was the goal: to get to a place where it could manageable and I could get to place where I could play. If I have to play with pain, I can. But understand this is the preseason. Why take extraordinary measures when it's not necessary at this point?"
Okafor has played every regular-season game the last two years. The Hornets open the regular season Wedneday night at San Antonio.
"I like playing and I need to get out there and I'm going to be out there," Okafor said of playing in that game. "It's not necessarily about a streak. I like playing and I personally don't like missing games unless it's absolutely necessary. Obviously you can't help certain things, but if you can . . . . "
Last edited by duncan228; 10-25-2009 at 06:10 PM.
Damn, I missed that A LOTI'm ready.
Finallyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
I thought he was being sarcastic with that trade remark, but I looked again and maybe he's just dumb.
I wonder when NoLimit will show up.
I reckon we'll go 82-0
Don't be so unrealistic.You are crazy.
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