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With 30 games left, I will break the rest of the games into three groups of ten. In each group, I will provide a list of the teams the hornets are playing and how they stack up against each. I will also prophesize their record after each ten game set. I am not a prophet, but if anyone can become one, it can be me. Without further ado, here is the remaining schedule.
Group 1 of 3: @ Indiana (26-23), vs. Utah (25-27), @ Utah (25-27), @ Portland (18-33), @ Seattle Supersonics (20-33), @ Los Angeles Clippers (30-21), vs. Phoenix (35-17), vs. Los Angeles Lakers (26-26), vs. Indiana (26-23), vs. New Jersey Nets (28-23).
New Orleans/Oklahoma City have a balanced schedule during these ten games. They play division leaders in New Jersey and Phoenix. They face teams in despair in Portland and Seattle. Coming off the break, the Hornets will have a healthier Chris Paul, who has been one of the most vital parts to their offense. They will also have Aaron Williams accustomed to their playbook, giving them a Williams that can play comfortably with the rest of the team.
Looking at the schedule, they have advantages against Indiana, Utah and Portland because they can get out on the run against point guards who are going to have a hard time guarding both Paul and Speedy Claxton. They are going to be hurt against the Clippers because they do not have a frontline that can match up against both Elton Brand and Chris Kaman. But the most intriguing game in this stretch is against Head Coach Byron Scott’s former team.
The Nets present a good matchup with the Hornets because they have a better point guard in Jason Kidd. They have better swing men in Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. Lucky for the Hornets, that’s all they have. They have a depleted bench. The Hornets’ bench isn’t the best in the league, but the likes of Rasual Butler, Speedy Claxton and now Aaron Williams have been some of the most consistent players for them.
They finish: 6-4. They will lose their opener against the Pacers, but those four games against losing teams in the Jazz, Blazers and Sonics will net them at least a three game winning streak, even if three of them are on the road. The rest of the schedule presents the Hornets with winners, but they are 7-3 against the Blazers, Suns, Clippers, Sonics and Nets. Pretty good record when two of those teams are Division leaders.
Group 2 of 3: @ San Antonio (40-12), vs. Denver Nuggets (28-26), vs. Los Angeles Clippers (30-21), vs. Houston Rockets (22-31), @ Chicago Bulls (23-29), @ Los Angeles Lakers (26-26), @ Utah Jazz (25-27), @ Golden State Warriors (24-28), vs. Memphis Grizzlies (29-23), @ Toronto Raptors (20-33).
This group of games will be the true test for the Hornets. Facing three Division leaders and three teams in their division in five different games are going to be the make or break point for the Hornets. They have a balanced schedule, but five of their last six games are on the road against some tough teams. They lost two of their first three games against the Spurs. On top of that, they have to go into SBC Arena, where the Spurs are 21-3. The most intriguing matchup is against the Grizzlies.
Both teams had the same record heading into the All-Star break. Both teams are in the same division. This is going to be a game that could determine who may get the last playoff spot. Memphis was struggling going into the break, while the Hornets were on a five-game winning streak. If both teams come out strong, watch for this game on League Pass. It will be one of the better games of the year.
They finish: 5-5. They will lose against the Spurs, but the other games are going to tests. There are some inconsistent but tough, defensive teams in Chicago and Utah. If they can beat these teams, they might have a playoff spot all but locked up by the time they play the Raptors in Toronto.
Group 3 of 3: @ Detroit Pistons (42-9), vs. Golden State Warriors (24-28), vs. Toronto Raptors (20-33), @ Dallas Mavericks (41-11), vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (31-21), vs. Seattle Supersonics (20-33), vs. Utah Jazz (25-27), @ Sacramento Kings (24-29), @ Phoenix Suns (35-17), @ Los Angeles Lakers (26-26).
New Orleans/OKC play two of the three best teams in the NBA in Detroit and Dallas. Overall, they don’t have a hard schedule the rest of the way, but they have to face a couple of teams that could possibly hurt their chances at getting a better seed in Cleveland, Sacramento and the Lakers.
Sacramento presents the toughest challenge because they are a different team compared to when these two teams faced each other in their three previous games. New Orleans won two of those, but the Kings are now a defensive-minded team because of Ron Artest. If they can stop Artest and force the Kings’ bench to produce, they can take this series. If the Kings can get everyone going, the Hornets will be in for a long night.
They finish: 4-6. Playing so many winners is going to be tough down the stretch for Paul and company. They will struggle heading into the playoffs, but unlike last season, they won’t be in New Jersey being represented for a Lottery pick. Not bad considering where they were at last season.
New Orleans may not go far into the playoffs, depending on who they face, but even making the playoffs is great for new Orleans as well as Oklahoma City, who have proven with a loud home crowd that they deserve to be the official home after this season. There are plans to move the team back to New Orleans for the ’07-’08 season, but OKC will have one more reason to get loud after this season: they will be cheering for winners. |
