| Behind CP3, Hornets Are Winning, A Lot Authored by J.T. Magee - December 8, 2005 - 6:09 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Final Thoughts On The 2008 NBA Draft This year's draft was decidedly more calm and casual than the Oden/Durant showdown, which made for a more candid and personal experience.
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Yes to both. Chris Paul has single handidly taken this team without a legitimate center and too many shooting guards and small forwards and given an entire geographic region something to think about other than their lives that were destroyed by a disaster that could've been avoided, in that there could've been less damage involved. But I'll stick to basketball and for a good reason: CP3.
Coming out of Wake Forest, many thought he was the college player of the year. I didn't think he was, but I knew he was a First-Team All America. I also didn't think he would be the best point guard coming out of the draft. Each point has their weakness', but Paul is playing so good, that he has to be a write-in candidate for the All-Star game. He deserves it. What's funny is that he's gotten smarter overall but he still does the same things that made him so damn good in college. Driving, slashing, passing. I can't even name everything he's done because he's done so much for their team. At times, he's been too aggressive, taking it to the hole on a 3-on-2 fast break but turning the ball over. But it's also that aggressiveness that has the Hornets playing winning ball. But just a month into the season, he's gotten a little more under control, and it shows in their record. The greatest thing for New Orleans/ Oklahoma City is that he's not the only one stepping it up.
David West was considered an odd pick at 17 a couple of years ago. Undersized, coming from a small school, only has his outside shot, and so on. While the Hornets already had PJ Brown, West was his eventual replacement. A bad rookie season and an injury-plagued season last year prompted the Hornets to add some size, obtaining the likes of Chris Andersen, Jackson Vroman and Maciej Lampe (what's up with his foot?). Even though Andersen was/has been the only one out of those three to garnish a respectable amount of minutes per game, West was still having a hard time getting playing time. Then Magloire got dealt for a first round draft pick and Desmond mason, creating an opening in the starting lineup. West played himself into the starting lineup, forcing Head Coach Byron Scott to shift Brown over to the 5. Sure, Brown may be the only player on the roster worth starting at the 5. Andersen could be the other exception. Either way, West has progressed to the point that he's supplanted himself into the starting ineup for good and a contract extension isn't a laughable subject anymore.
Although he was out with a sprained ankle for a few games, J.R. Smith has been looking better and better compared to last season. His progression into an elite shooting guard was evident even in the first game. An example: the Hornets were on a three-on-two fast break in their first game of the season. Paul had the ball going into the middle, Smith was on the right and Nachbar was on the left. Smith was ready to go up for an alley-oop, but Paul didn't see him. Instead of just standing down low waiting for the ball, he moved to the left corner while Paul brought the ball to the top of the 3-point line. Nachbar was on the left wing and Smith supplanted himself into the open space in the left corner. Paul passed the ball to Nachbar, who then swung it to Smith. End result: swish. While this may not seem like it makes a great player, what the play did do was set himself apart from high school players that still are making adjustments like Josh Smith. It was a simple play, but he showed composure and kept his head up. Which led him to an easy bucket.
Just a month in, the Hornets have still played games that show they are a young team. But they have been in most of their games, keeping each one relatively close. If they keep playing like they have been, then the playoffs may not be out the question, although it will be hard to get that 8th seed with three teams in their division locking down playoff spots already. It also doesn't help when they allow a rookie (Salim Stoudamire) to score 20 points in a fourth quarter in one of the ugliest games ever played. |
