Let's win game 5 at least before we act like it...

[DarrinS]

Pressure is on the Hornets now. How will they deal with it?


The Spurs' chances to "steal" a game on the road are as good as they've ever been.


If they DON'T win tonight, we're looking at, possibly, a game 7 in NO, which is exactly what you DON'T want.

[SAGambler]

I think the Hornets are an emotional team. And after putting Dallas away and then blowing out the Spurs in game one really put them on an emotional high and carried over into game 2.

Now, I suspect, emotion may work against them. They may be pressing, trying to get that emotional high back, especially after the beating they took in game 4.

You never know how a young team will handle adversity. What we do know is that the Spurs will play their solid methodical game. Take whatever is given to them. If they sense the Hornets are trying too hard, they will turn up the heat. I think it is entirely up to the Hornets as to how this game will turn out. Close or a blowout.

Both teams have to almost look at this game like a game 7 of the series, because whoever wins it certainly has the advantage going forward. It may create too much pressure on the young Hornets. As good as they are, this is going to be the "biggest game of their lives" to date. We'll just have to see how they respond to that.

[101A]

As much as it appears; this series is not about HCA - it is about matchups and adjustments. The Spurs have adjusted to what the Hornets are doing offensively and defensively. The Hornets have a thin bench, little experience, and thus limited counter-adjustments to make. Unless BS comes up with something many of us don't see is there; this series is over in 6.

A few % points increase in shooting percentage aren't going to make up for the disparity that has emerged in this series.

[urunobili]

the Spurs have never came back from 0-2 before so we have to stay humble until this is over.

[TheTruth62987]

no doubt this series will go 7 games. Teams are insanely evenly matched.

I am not surprised bandwagon Spur fans are already claiming victory but what I don't understand is why so many Hornet fans have jumped off. spineless cajun folks

What Hornets fans do you speak of, cause no Hornets fan I know has "jumped".

[YoMamaIsCallin]

I have a feeling that the Hornets are disintegrating. You never know what's going on behind the scenes, you only get glimpses of facial expressions, body language, and tone during press conferences.

I see David West looking really disgusted and frustrated. I see him swing an elbow at Bowen and then stomp away with a surly look on his face. I hear him say to the media "It's like we didn't even try".

I hear Chris Paul say to the media "It's no time to panic." No one asked him whether they were panicking.

I hear the Coach of the Year just rip his team to the media, after both games 3 and 4. He's basically calling them lazy, gutless, and ineffective, and accusing them of reverting to the way they started the season (i.e. bad). How is this motivating them to perform better? He's basically started the blame game for when they lose, and he'll lose the team over this, just like he lost the Nets.

I see Peja interviewed in the locker room and sounding like his grandmother just died.

All these signs lead me to wonder if the Hornets are not shaken and scared right now, and whether they'll come out really tight in Game 5. If they do, it'll be a blowout. CP3 cannot carry this team by himself.

We shall see! Tonight will be very interesting.

[SenorSpur]

There's absolutely no doubt that the Hornets will benefit greatly from being back in the comforts of their "hive" (if you can call it that). Anyway, the Spurs have the opportunity to come out and "rip their hearts out" by getting this game. Wit suchh a young team, the Spurs have the opportunity to get them down, get into their heads and continue their downward spiral of confidence.

No way can the Spurs get down early and expect to stay in it. They've got to take out the crowd by coming out and siezing control of the game, dictating the tempo and pace of the game. It's very important for the Spurs to play at the same consistent level, on both ends, that they've done in Games 3 & 4.

[RandomGuy]

What? Give up my chance to be a total smack-talkin' homer?

No way. The Spurs will crush the girly men from New Orleans.

“ we will crush our enemies, see them driven before us, and hear the lamentations of their women."

THAT, my friends, is what is good in life.

[Ocotillo]

The three most important parts of tonight's game:

The First Five Minutes The Hornets will be high on emotion, their fans will be loud and booing the Spurs everytime they touch the ball, expect New Orleans to score quickly and often. How the Spurs handle that will be telling.

The First Five Minutes of the Third I think this is where the game will be determined. The other two games in NO resulted in the Hornets pulling away and the Spurs looking helpless and unable to throw the ball in the Mississippi River. If the Spurs come out strong in the second half, game over.

The last five minutes of the game New Orleans has not shown the ability to play the close game and win yet. If it is close at this stage, experience will take over and put this one away. If the Hornets lead by double digits, it's gonna be a long plane ride back to San Antonio.

[Tiro]

those triple five-minute periods are definitely pivotal.

five in hive

give me five

[Septic]

WHAT NOW YOU ING IDIOTS. I told you about this . Go humble yourselfs now.

[Septic]

...crickets...

[hater]

septic, as I said above, you are correct. props to you my friend.

at the dumb bandwagoners who laughed at us up in here

[nikegirl]

when i saw threads like this i thought we were screwed which happened. i mean what the heck is up with the iness and overconfidence??? it really upsets me for some reason because i know fans will look like idiots once something like the game 5 letdown happens.

i dunno but i'm really scared for the spurs, i hope they show up in game 6. i mean stop looking far ahead when we got game 6 in which the result is still uncertain. let's take this one game at a time.