Matchup: Clippers (21-36) @ Hornets(33-25)
Off Efficiency: Clippers 102.4 (22nd), Hornets 103.5(18th)
Def Efficiency: Clippers 107.3 (23rd), Hornets 100.9 (7th)
Pace: Clippers 94.9 (14th) , Hornets 91.0 (29th)
After Blake Griffin won the dunk contest by jumping over a tiny car, he’s admitted that he’s tired. That’s good news for Hornets fans, because last time the Bees matched up with Blake and the Clippers, things didn’t work out so well.
Combine Blake’s exhaustion with tonight’s game being in New Orleans, a place where the Clippers haven’t been able to scrape out a win in over four years, and it looks like a prime night for the Hornets to break out of their most recent slump. They have lost nine of their last eleven games, including seven of the last eight, and before the recent departure of Western Conference talent, it appeared they were on the verge of slipping out of the top eight all together.
Certainly now that Denver and Utah have been weakened, the threat of missing the postseason isn’t quite what it once was, but at the same time this is the same team which John Hollinger’s magic formula predicted had a 99.5 percent chance of making the postseason only a month ago. Today the likelihood sits at 90.4 percent. That’s still high, but not quite a certainty.
Certainly the addition of Carl Landry will help this year, even if it means that Buckets won’t be around anymore. I feel the pain of Hornets fans who considered them a favorite (I am one), but at the same time I’m not going to lose sight of the significance of adding a guy as good as Landry.
First off, just looking at his value over who he replaces, the improvement is astounding. Although his production is down this year, likely as a result of not having a defined role in Sac-town, his PER the three years prior has been 21.4, 17.7, and 19.0. Compare those numbers to Aaron Gray (one season above 15 ever), Jason Smith (10.8 lifetime), and the rest of the bunch, and you will start to see how much of an impact Landry will make on the team.
I firmly believe that Buckets is a better player than Jack or Green, but I can saw without a doubt in my mind that the improvement in the frount court that Landry brings will more than make up for the slight decrease in production we are likely to see from the backup shooting guard spot. Need I remind anyone what happens when Smith, Mbenga, Anderson, or Gray takes the court?
Injuries- Okafor remains questionable, but all signs point to him not playing.
DONT FORGET ABOUT THE LIVE CHAT TOMORROW LEADING UP TO THE TRADE DEADLINE.
Also, a lot has been going on lately. Make sure you read or listen to all of the newest stuff that we’ve posted-
And congrats to Davey, who will be attending tonight’s game for free courtesy of StubHub, affter being randomly chosen from those who wrote on the forum post for Best Marcus Thornton Memory. Just because the contest is over doesn’t mean you can’t still share.
Notes from the Arena
- The game is at 8:30 CT tonight on ESPN
- I (Joe) will be on the Daily Dime Chat throughout the game, so if you want to come and talk Thornton and Landry, that would be a good time.
54 responses to “Game On: Clippers @ Hornets”
I read monty said Okafor will not play tonite. That hurts. If andersen is ultimately not moved and it is the cash that they are reporting he could use him tonite. I hope we can pull of a magic win without okafor and Marcus, then when we get okafor and landry at the same time we going Undefeated.
how are we going to stop Griffin?
No more Marcus on the background of the website. 🙁
I’ll prepare something special for all you MT Fans if the deal is approved.
Love your work, man!
Wow. Nine new blog posts in the last 24 hours or so. This place is hoppin’!
“the Hornets got the steal! Okafor with the ball.. Thornton.. And the Hornets lead!! Are you kidding me ?! Marcus deflected the inbound pass.. And then he finished on the other end.. And just like that!!!”
sniff.. Marcus come back.. We need you here on this website.
At least this won’t be such a hostile environment anymore with Marcus gone. I was never the biggest Marcus fan, but I am sad to see him leave.
this is real crap. still no okafor. Im all for waiting unil he is 100%, but we really need him now and it has been more time missed than his expected time. Really upsetting that he is not playing!!! Hope we can win. GEAUX HORNETS!!!
Monty on Thornton:
“To me, Marcus and I have had a great relationship since Day One,” Williams said. “He’s improved in areas that don’t show up in the stat sheet. To me, I feel good about that – him moving forward. There were some defensive lapses, but he wasn’t the only one. … Marcus is a guy who has value around the league and is going to play for a long time.”
F’ing awesome banner picture.
In the poll of who takes the final shot, it’s a 50-50 split between David West and Chris Paul.
It’s a weird situation when that question comes to mind.
I want Chris Paul making the final play, but not so much taking the last shot. I would much rather have West take the shot, but from a Paul feed. I’m not the biggest fan of watching a D West isolation play. Do you remember when we kept going to D West in the post against Durant in OKC? It definitely was not pretty. Lanky/quick guys give him major problems.
According to HoopsWorld, Portland is close to landing Gerald Wallace.
Damn it….
Wow. Did it say for who?
Really missing Marcus gonna miss him. Demps needs to make a move for a scoring 2 guard now Willie & Marco wont cut it. Jamal Crawford & Twill maybe?
hey Greg Zheng, whats up?
Just heard you on the radio Joe. Good job.
Heinrich to Atlanta for Bibby, Evans, & a plate of Crawfish.
Kirk is my ideal backup PG, but his contract is way too large for us anyway.
I like Jordan Crawford from Xaiver. I think he is gonna be a good player. Hopefully Demps can pull off a deal maybe getting Jamal to start at the 2 for us
Hilton to Atlanta as well.
Yeah, but Crawfish still sound yummier than Crawford. I am a seafood man.
42, I don’t consider Hilton a basketball player anymore. We can just say that Atlanta received Kirk and a pair of stone hands who won’t be catching any passes from Kirk.
Locked and loaded. Good stuff.
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anyone hear anything more on david west? sure hope the hornets didnt bring landry in to replace him if he decides to leave. I strongly believe that if west leaves, then CP3 is gone for sure!!!
Sad to see MT5 gone..but at least Carl Landry will see playing time..
Idk about everybody else on here, but i feel it wudnt be a bad idea to trade D West. We can trade him now and get some good players with the high possibilty of him returning in the offseason as a UFA. What u think?
And possibly reduce our capacity to sign him in the process . . . No.
Paul looks like he’s got his shot on track, lets hope it doesn’t disappear in the second half.
How about that Chris to close the first?
No, the ball didn’t fall, but what about the play, decision, speed, aggression?
Did his music hit?
CP3 looking good 2nite. I think that brace held him back a bit he is live right now
I thought the same thing. He looks much more like his old self!
Remember this ref? #44!! the one from the blazers and thunder gamea. The one who gave a foul on CP3 for takin the Westbrook charge. And now he gives a charge to Jack and kills our fastbreak! I dont want to see him whistle in the hive!!!
These offensive fouls are starting to upset me….
Haha announcers just called Belli Andersen… I guess all white players look the same
….I wonder if Chris Kaman know what his hair looks like on TV…..
Preciousssss thinks it looks beautiful!
Marcooooooo!
Woooooooooooo CP3 is back!!!!
CP does it again.
Chris Paul is back!! Flick yeah! those are some nasty crossovers hes putting on the clippers
Red panda got the loudest half time applause I have ever seen. 🙂
I honestly don’t know how many more fouls can get called on our two big white post guys. I’m sorry but it’s like the refs see Smith and Gray and just want to call a foul on them, it’s getting absolutely ridiculous!! The refs have bailed out the Clippers 3 times in a row!!
and.. WILLIE GREEN!!!
Greeeeeen!
Willie Green helping us forget who was traded this week
What’s a trade?
Resign Aaron Gray!
Gray blocked Griffin? I guess, given enough time, it had to happen.
We’re up by 11 but I have to just throw this out there cause it bites me every time it happens. But Blake Griffin gets WAY TOO MUCH CREDIT in all aspects of his game. Yes he is having an amazing rookie season and it’s very impressive, but he gets a pass on stuff like he just missed his second dunk of the night; instead of the announcers saying how it was a bad choice (it wasn’t even close, really stupid decision) they say “Oh that was just a really hard angle”. NO IT WASN’T!!! It was a stupid play, everyone makes stupid plays, just admit he made a stupid play for once! This guy gets treated like an NBA Legend every single game and I’m pretty sick of it.
/rant
Rookie of the Year = Rookie
Oh I fully agree he should be Rookie of the Year, just sometimes he gets the Kobe/Lebron treatment from announcers/officials.
That being said, the announcers did just lip him for a full minute there so guess they made me eat my words haha
He’s developed quite the flopping ability.
Aww Gray fouled out, but he played really well. Willie is really impressive the past 7 games as a starter.
I really hope if we swing one more deal before the deadline that it doesn’t include Green. Not only is he a great locker room leader, he has also showed how well he can play the last few games.