The Game That Made Me a Hornets Fan

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Published: April 28, 2011

It’s all about the playoffs right now, I know, but as the Hornets prepare for game 6 at The Hive, I thought I’d share something a bit different. I’m an 18 year old Australian. In non USA countries, people have a whole range of reasons for their various team alliances, as we obviously don’t have hometown connections with NBA teams. Not surprisingly, an overwhelming amount of people are on the Boston/LA/Miami bandwagons, and many switch teams more frequently than Joe Smith.

 For some time I never had an NBA team to support. I wanted one, but didn’t feel any alliance to any particular team. That all changed one day in the Aussie summer of ‘08. I searched for live NBA games online on umm..lets say league pass..and decided to watch the Nuggets@Hornets game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqzDWfxxC5U). At the time I was just under 15 years of age and barely knew any of the Hornets players. I knew a little bit about Chris Paul and I’d heard a a few things about some David West guy but still didn’t even really know who he was. At that stage I was probably more of a Denver fan if I had to choose one team.

Before the game started, I didn’t care who won, I just wanted to see some good NBA basketball. At some stage in the game the Hornets just turned it on. CP3 was going gangbusters on Denver, crossing, driving, dishing, slashing, dashing and scoring. He was on fire and no ankle was safe.

He and Chandler teamed up for several of their famous jaw dropping oops that game. Multiple alley oops in one game was just mind blowing to me. In the Australian league we see about 3 or 4 alley oops a season, and thats across the whole league. Tyson also just a beast in general.

Peja was deadly in firing away from the land of plenty and Jannero Pargo was a ball of energy and instant offence machine. And who could forget West, I became an instant fan of his game, especially his toughness combined yet soft touch and his near unstoppable pick and pop game with Chris Paul.

I was fairly unaware of the NBA standings in general at that stage as well as the Hornets history, so I was completely unaware until a few days later that I’d found myself in the middle of what was such a great season.

With CP3 bringing the ball up the floor, Pargo (Mo Pete didn’t play much this game) and Peja on the wings and West and Chandler inside, it was an awesome team. They played an immensely exiting and entertaining run and gun style game that day and I just fell in love with the them. They comfortably got the win and the Nuggets didn’t stand a chance once the Hornets got going.

Ever since I’ve proudly worn my Hornets gear amongst a sea of LA and Miami.

 

I started that game a neutral basketball fan, I finished it a Hornets fan for life.

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