Draw your memories back to a clearer, happier time when the Hornets were rolling towards the 2007-08 playoffs. Great is it not?

In the midst of all financial turmoil, Chris Paul injuries and on court inconsistencies I felt that too much time and thought was being placed in the bad and not the good.

Now I concede I am one drawn to pessimism however I feel I need to remind myself that we aren’t truly a god awful team and that it just isn’t the doom and gloom that people paint in the media and across the various websites. So I’ll try to list some things that I feel the Hornets do well enough that might recapture that flair from a few years ago.

1. David West:

It seems that the success of the team has always hinged on him. Nowadays his defense is weak and his offense is sporadic. However it’s David’s subdued nature off the court that has seemed to creep onto the court. He is no longer as in your face as once were (07-08) and I feel the Hornets run this year depends on whether David fires up!

2. A bench:

I’ll be honest we have at the very least a decent bench this year. If Mo can capture his recent form and continue off the bench with a Songaila who hits everything from midrange. Collison by season ends could be considered one of the best backup point guards. And if Julian Wright and James Posey could for one second stop being bums then instead of leads being upheld they are widened, and instead of deficits being trimmed slightly they are run down and extended.

3. Chris Paul:

We all know that Chris Paul is our leader and in my view he is THE best point guard in the league. I don’t think there is anything else Chris can do to get that fire he has to exist within the whole team he creates, passes, scores, plays defense, rebounds and is a huge vocal leader when injured. But I think this period of time he is absent from the team is as Chris alluded to, “Me being out, this may be a blessing in disguise,” And he’s right. Without Paul the team needs to learn how to play defense and create scoring opportunities only the latter has been true so far.

These three aspects can all recapture a possible run at the playoffs but as Paul stated on NBA Arena Link, “I don’t think this team plays with a chip on their shoulder and until will do that we won’t start playing at the level we are capable of.”

The future is bright as Mo Pete, Peja and Posey contract all go into their final year and become some kind of trading chip (expiring contracts) maybe New Orleans can get things together and capture that fire and flair of the Mardi Gras spirit and a make a run like their compatriot Saints.