Hornets look for second straight win as they head into the Rose Garden
The Hornets travel to Portland tonight, to face a team that has truely been Jekyll and Hyde since the trade deadline. On some nights, Portland has looked like the worst team in the NBA and on other nights they have appeared to be more than compatent. They have defeated the Bulls (best record in the NBA) and Memphis, and stayed close to the Lakers at LA, but lost by 29 at home to Milwaukee.
The Trailblazers are tough to figure out, but you know what you are going to get from the Hornets- a team with a lack of talent that gives 100% every night. Obviously I tease when I infer that they are in Tank mode. Perhaps it is just wishful thinking on my part, as this draft class seems to get thinner and thinner every day. Despite my urge to forgo the season and set their sights on Sir Anthony Davis, the Hornets have continued to play as hard as any team in the league, and all credit must go to Monty Williams for that. Perhaps three or four years from now he will be blessed with a roster full of young talent and the Hornets will shoot to the top of the West, giving him the opportunity to win Coach of the Year. But it is a season like this that truly deserves praise. I saw Phil Jackson win with MJ, Scottie, Kobe, and Shaq but I never saw him have to coach the likes of Squeeky, Smitty, Gustavo, and Belly.
News and Notes:
– Draft Watch- Kendall Marshall, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson all announced today that they are entering the draft. Add senior Tyler Zeller to the ist and UNC could have four guys go in the lottery- five if Freshman James Michael McAdoo declares (word is he is going to head back to UNC, however).
– Lotto Ballz: A Washinton win and a Hornets loss will bring the Hornets to within a half game of the Wizards for second most balls. Barring a crazy surge for the Hornets, they will finish bottom three, but the difference in #2 and #3 is quite huge. 5% more of a chance at Davis, 10% more likely to finish in top 3, and #4 is your likely basement (odds of getting 5th pick are monumental). In a draft where there are likely 3 sure things and a bunch of maybe’s, I want that second worst record.
– Vegas Zone: The line opened at Hornets +7, and has shot up to +8.5. Blazers have been up and down, but the one thing that has been consistant is their awful defense. I like the Hornets +8.5, but I LOVE the over (set at 185)
6 responses to “Game On: Hornets @ Trailblazers”
Oh god, please lose this one…
Win, baby, win!
I don’t see us finishing 2nd worst, nor do I see it as consequential.
Who are the three likely sure things you see in this draft besides Davis?
Greivis is driving the tank tonight. We have only 8 available players! If we somehow manage to win, I will be shocked and awed…
Fore the love of God…. can this time run a set offensive play that actually uses mutiple screens to free up shooters? Apperently the dribble hand off is the best they can do. Good luck to Marco with whatever team he plays with next year. He deserves the opportunity. Monty is the consumate motivator he gets the most out of his guys and the effort tonight with 8 was phenomenal. But, his offensive sets are, well, offensive…. something an eigth grade team would be ashamed to run.
So when they run these same (offensive) offensive sets and are tied with the Blazers with two minutes left in the game, the set are great. But when they are tired from playing a back-to-back on the road with only 8 players for the second game, the problem is the sets? It’s not fatigue, or having an entire quality starting team plus a quality sub (Jack, Gordon, Ariza, Kaman, Okafor, and Ayon) unavailailable for the game?!