I know that sounds like a backhanded compliment, but there are 15 games scheduled tonight and this might be the only one in which both teams went after the victory with 100% intensity (at least for one half). Unfortunately for the Hornets, they were unable to come out on top due to lack of firepower, but there were signs in this game that they will be able to hold their own in the first round of the playoffs. Considering that many are assuming that the Hornets are destined to lay down like they did in the ’09 playoffs, any signs of life are positives at this point.
The first half was the same old story on the defensive end. The Mavericks got to the line, had relatively open looks from the perimeter, and made a few lucky shots if I have to be completely honest. The difference in this game was that the Hornets offense was also clicking on all cylinders, and that enabled the Hornets to take a 61-58 lead into the half. As we have seen numerous times this season, the Hornets could not sustain their offense in the second half, as they only scored 28 points in the final 24 minutes. (Ugh!)
After a disappointing second half, the Hornets are now forced to wait to see who their first round opponent will be. A Lakers win and a Memphis loss means that LA will be the opponent. A Lakers loss and a Grizzlies loss means that the Hornets will return to Dallas on Sunday, while a Memphis win will result in the Hornets going to San Antonio. We will know soon enough.
Notes and Observations:
– Jarrett Jack loves playing Dallas. He wasn’t as dominate in the second half (obviously), but he finished with 22 points and 7 assists after going for 21 and 7 last time out.
– Q-Pon looked fantastic in the first half. It is a shame there will not be a summer league. He might have been able to dominate this year and really build some confidence in his game. Either way, I think he is a regular in the rotation next year. Work on that deep ball on focus on closing out on shooters without getting out of position and you can be a poor man’s Bruce Bowen.
– When teams front Carl Landry in the post, it is impossible to get him the ball. Because of this, Landry is forced to drift out onto the perimeter against bigger teams. Great backup, but he just can’t be a starter on a championship caliber squad. I am curious to see the kinds of contract offers he gets when free agency finally opens in 2012.
– The Hornets are doing a better job of creating offensive sets that get Willie and Marco open off of curls. The question is whether they can do the same for Ariza or if Ariza would be able to capitalize on open looks.
_ Great captions tonight. It was honestly tough to pick just three. Many people had similar themes, however, so I just broke that tie by giving it to whomever posted first. Great job, though, guys.
Pinoyballah: “Mark Cuban shows us the odds of the Mavs winning a championshipâ€
hornetshornetshornets: “Welcome to the Mavs Fan Appreciation Night!â€
Mr. Hornet: “Mom just take the picture already.â€
84 responses to “Mavericks steamroll Hornets in second half in possible playoff preview”
LOL Sheed.
No need to fuss and fight. It’ll all be over soon.
That was quick! You must’ve written this during that snoozer of a second half.
Anyway, after seeing the first half, I do feel we could make things interesting if we play the Mavs. There was definitely some physicality from both teams. I really don’t think these two teams like each other much.
Well, there’s your answer as to what Memphis is going to do. The Grizz only started two starters, and Gasol went to the bench with 2 fouls in the first two minutes. Game opened with an 11-0 run by the Clippers.
So now that the Grizz lost, team Thornton MUST beat LA!
Well buckets is beasting with 11 already and about to go to the line for 3 more
Whatever happens, happens. 😕
Marcus has 11 in the first quarter!
I know this was a tank job but it still pissed me off how they just laid down. Where is the freaking pride. U can lose with dignity. They just looked bad. Not enjoyable to watch.
Grizz are trying to lose tonight, only Marcus can save us…
But whatever happens, happens.. I’m pretty satisfied with the Hornets making the playoffs this season with all the stuff that they had to deal with off the court.
Looking forward to next season if there’s one.
Marcus, finally you could probably make Monty pretty happy if you go off on the Lakers.BTW, I didn’t understand the comment about summer league. Why won’t there be one?
Nevermind, just read the lockout article.
Because of the lockout.
Everyone keeps trying to dodge lakers first round but really if we get dallas and beat them then our second round is most likely going to be lakers. Playing the lakers seems inevitable
Yeah but if we play Dallas we might, just might, actually make it out of the 1st round. Don’t feel quite comfortable saying the same thing if we were to play the Lakers in the 1st.
Lakers are going to win tonight. Forget meeting anyone but the lakers and just hope the series is competitive
Yes sir.
Who am I kidding? We probably won’t make it out of the first round anyway. Not having HCA will likely hurt for one.
And wait. Do we play on Sunday? Not a good look.
The first half of the game tonight was very competitive..things seemed to be getting testy between tyson and cp..that acting job by barea drawing an offensive foul on cp..was well..an acting job! cp eats this dude up everytime they play..i think barea and brian cardinal (the custodian) are 2 of the worst players in the association. i don’t blame monty for sitting the starters in the 4th..he’s gonna need all the help he can get come this weekend…
“i don’t blame monty for sitting the starters in the 4th..he’s gonna need all the help he can get come this weekend…”
Yeah, when Monty sat CP with about 4 minutes left to go in the 3rd, it was only an 8 pt game. A few seconds later it was a 6 point game. At the end of the 3rd it was a 12 pt game and it went all the way down hill from there. So basically, this game was pretty close until the end of the 3rd. And I think Landry was the only starter to get any minutes in the 4th. Heck, let Smith and Ewing Jr take Landry’s minutes in the 4th. Let him rest too.
Since it’s the playoffs, and we need the real CP3 . . . How about the real 420ftjesus?
I think you’re already getting the real CP3 man. Sorry. 😕
And when you’re watching him, think that it could be his last as a Hornet.
Yeah, that’s true.
We need to enjoy all the games we have, win or lose, because there’s no guarantee that we’ll have a team, a team with CP3, whatever, when the NBA has a regular season again.
0-3 headed to playoffs!!! Not a good feeling at all.
Hey, man, welcome back . . .
Where you been?
Gonna be … interesting against LA
Waiting to make a positive comment but had to settle for the 0-3 one.
Well, there were other opportunities, but not many tonight.
Stick around, hopefully we’ll score or something . . . you’ll figure something out . . .
No issues selling out the Arena with the Lakers coming to town, for whatever that is worth.
This will pour salt into the wound especially if/when they are blown out. I want to say that this will motivate this team to go all out but if playoff position doesn’t motivate them then nothing will.
The only thing to do is buy season tickets. If there is a lockout, you get the money for the missed games back, so it’s possibly cheaper now than at any other time.
If you have some, buy more, convince someone to buy, something.
That’s it.
we’ll face the lakers.. damn
Remember that conversation about how Memphis will stay below us and the Lakers will aim for us?
How’s the tanking looking?
Lose and play the Lakers vs win and play them . . .
Sacramento tied now . . . Lakers have 7 points in the 4th through almost 11 minutes . . .
Beat LA!
MARCUS THORNTON BEATING AGAINST LA!! HE STILL WANTS TO HELP HIS HOMETOWN BOYSSSS
I’d like to see the Kings win if not for us, for their fans just in case it is their last time there.
BEASTING**
KINGS!!!!
Did anyone bring cowbells to Arco tonight?
Beno motherloving Udrih!
KINGS WERE down by 20 in the 4th, THEY’RE ABOUT TO WIN, IT’s PACKED OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if they pull this off im gna go nuts. loving seeing marcus benefit the hornets again 🙂
If they win, they’ll get the Sacramento equivalent of a Popeye’s Chicken Wrap, too, hopefully.
1 MORE POINT ‘TIL CHICKEN
I’m going nuts right now, although Dallas spanked us in the 2n half, NOLA can play them, let’s go lil buckets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe will miss now 100%,
I hope lol…
Sactown fans are great, playoff atmosphere there right now…
Come on Buckets!!!!!!!! get this for us, buddy! -evil stare at Kobe-
He shut me up alright…
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did Kobe leave too much time for the Kings?
Please, no turnovers.
What did I say?
Overtime!!! nooooo!!! Come on Kings!
My heart is fucking pounding right now. I really wanted to see Buckets FTW…
I LOVE seeing Thornton take over games like this. I fully approve the trade still cause we needed Landry and MT5 would have never had this much freedom here with Monty.
GOOO BUCKETS
Buckets would never get his because nobody here would authorize him his touches. With a healthy CP, MT will not be the one making things happen, so it’s bittersweet, but I’m glad to see him succeed elsewhere.
I don’t know his contract so I can’t say for sure, but definitely under-the-radar for those fantasy players next year.
And check out the Grizz trying to make it close now. SMH. LOL.
one more foul for gasol….
ya know that guy looks familiar. wasnt he on our team? REALLY SUCKS. love landry, but wish we still had MT5!!!
Thornton would’ve did better taking a jumper than that lean in floater he attempted. The Lakers were all over that ****. This game would likely had been over then. Uggh.
What a let down….whatever! Come on Lakers, eh?
LMAO!!! That’s all I can do is LMAO.
Ahhhhh f*** the Lakers, can’t wait to beat them in the first round
LOL! Alllllrighty then.
Kings got on 103 and got stuck there. SMH.
Well if you’re a Kings fan and this is the last home game you see you can’t do anything but be proud of your team.
Amen to that.
And now we’re going to have further to travel and the games when on the West Coast will be late. Uggh.
Well that sucked….
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I looked at the score and it was a 2 point game. Last I looked the Kings were down by like 20 so I kept refreshing my page to see if what I was seeing was right. I knew it was too good to be true. LOL! Oh well.
Thornton scored his last points to get 33 with 2:11 left in the 4th. Hadn’t scored since.
Apparently Tyreke just chucked up a couple. SMH.
Man. Depressing.
Thornton had 1 shot in that OT. Damn shame.
SMH
Even if we did have a chance against the Lakers, those p*ss a** refs would never let our little peon league owned team win.
I’m going to bed. I’m exhausted.
Tyreke Evans tried to be the hero and ended up going 1-6 in that OT. Dumba**! LMAO!!
And one more thing. What the hell happened to Cousins? Where was he?
In the words of Toya’s brother, HE WAS NOT DERE!!
Nevermind, I see Cousins was ejected. Idiot. LOL.
The Hornets are about to get their asses kicked in the playoffs. Hate to say it, sorry, but I’m ready to accept that…
Looks like Marty Thorton did what he does best, take his stats to the top as he’s teams falls to the bottom. No surprise at all.
There is no T in Marcus. Maybe Marcy if you are trying to insult him.
When they lost, you know, in OT, that wasn’t him chucking. His points helped send the game to OT. You may make some comments about Tyreke Evans, or do you not have a marvelously witty nickname for him yet?
Just helping you out there, little buddy. It’s complicated with more than 4 periods and all those numbers to sift through. I’d probably just guess about stuff like that, too. It’s easier and you’ll eventually be right.
Chin up, little buddy.
He plays on a terrible team you moron. In New Orleans he played on a good team with a brutal coach. Here comes a sweep probably all double digit losses. Chris Paul is tanking it or suddenly is just a slightly above average point guard. They need to deal him in the offseason. Our young talent is gone thinks to our dumb*** coach. By the way Marcus played some pretty decent defense on Kobe. Hope the Hornets really tank next year so we can rid ourselves of Monty and start to rebuild. I can’t stand watching him allow his team to underachieve.
You’re choice words are better suited for Paul Westphal. He is one of the top 5 worst coaches in the entire league and his team’s records prove it. Frowny face and finger pointing aside, it’s shame that players such as Jason Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, and the former rookie of the year, won’t develop into the best they can be, because Westphal will lead them to the bottom.
Only stat inflaters thrive under the Fraud Five, as the team almost always takes an L. You need another example, look at Kevin Love under Kurt Rambis, and tell me where their team ranks.
JCS is not a moron. He just made bad assumptions. It happens alot. He knows alot about basketball, but has stong opinions and a clear agenda. He doesn’t always phrase things in the warmest fashion, but who does.
Let’s not insult each other. Emotions are high, and that’s good, but we are all on the same team.
I agree with your assessment over his, however, KC.
I am not your buddy, so don’t flatter yourself. Furthermore, I told you not to troll any of my comments or mention my name. You make racist and blasphemous jokes and I want no part of it. Get your attention from someone else kid.
But you do not practice what you preach, JCS. Do not reply to me or talk about me, as you have been doing, sadly, whuch dilutes your message.
Starting now.
We all get along here. I hope you continue to make the effort to do so.
I PWNed you and now you can’t get enough of me. How pathetic.
Hornets shock the world. Beat Lakers in 7. Beat Dallas in 6. Beat Denver in 7. Beat Chicago in 6.