Is anyone else excited about the prospects of this New Orleans Hornets franchise? Fresh off whooping the Spurs ass on Sunday night by 24 and then Monday night smoking the Melo-less Nuggets by the same amount, this Hornets team is ready. Ready to take the West. Ready to put people in the seats. Ready to focus on the playoff run. This team is comparable to the Blazers in that they are a group of mostly young, high-energy players who feed off of each other on a given night. The King Hornet is obviously Chris Paul, but don't let this team fool you, it isnt just about him. From Tyson Chandler and David West, on down to the last player, each guy serves a purpose and they realize it. They realize something special is happening.
A Hornet is a hard working insect and it's sting can be as powerful as it is painful. Just ask the rest of the NBA about it. The King Hornet right now is Chris Paul. He is near the top of the speculation for Most Valuable Player right now, and deservedly so. The kid is a monster. The other worker Hornets supply the right amount of cohesion for the nest to stay in order. Peja Stojakovic is the elder statesman of the group, and a hell of a shooter. David West is the new up and comer in the NBA and has a strong work ethic, proving is naysayers wrong when they told him he was a tweener and probably wouldn't make it far in the league. Tyson Chandler was deemed a bust and shipped to the South when the Bulls saw Ben Wallace available. Wrong move. Chandler is now the best offensive rebounder in the Association at 4.5 per game and 12.4 overall. The guy is a beast and probably should be an all-star if not for Marcus Camby and Amare Stoudemire waiting behind Yao.
Then comes the backup Hornets. Just as vital to the well-being of all the Hornets in the nest. Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo and Ryan Bowen are normally your first three off the bench. Jackson brings the intensity and know how of a playoff-savvy veteran. Pargo gives you some instant offense and is a great dime dropper (see 13 points, 7 assists in 30 min. against Denver). Ryan Bowen is the wild-card. He can give some mid-range buckets on a good night, but he will never stop defensively. Coach Scott uses him at just the right times, and just enough to maximize his importance on a game. In 18 minutes against the Nugs, Bowen had 8 points, 3 rebs, 3 steals. That helps. Then you have Melvin Ely and Rasual Butler who are great options. Ely is a big body who can give West and Chandler a break and Butler is a "3" who can give you instant offense from the outside.
This team excites me. It should excite fans everywhere. For fans of the Sixers, T-Wolves and Bobcats, you want your team to become this. They went through the trials and tribulations of Hurricane Katrina and came back 2 years later to rule the West. This team was built a few years ago and are now flourishing for the whole NBA to see. Even if it doesn't work out this year, the groundwork has been laid for this team to stay a contender. On a side note, I think we should see more than 99 ppg from this Hornets squad, but that will come with time. Their offense is starting to pick it up in the last few games. They are stellar defensively and have just the right combintion of athleticism and excitablility to take this magical season and make it continue.
Are you feeling Horny yet?
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