New Orleans Hornets Week 1 Review

The very first week was a successful one for the New Orleans Hornets as (including the postseason) they have yet to lose a game this season. A 3-0 start is impressive with wins at Phoenix and Golden State and with a home victory over Cleveland (three talented teams), especially considering that Tyson Chandler has not been healthy for any of the games. Hilton Armstrong played admirable at home against the Cavaliers and he's a player you cheer for, as he's talented enough to be an impact player but his mental approach to the game needs lots of work. There were many instances against the Suns where he would make a solid play, such as a block and would then try and grab the ball to pass it and would just slap it out of bounds by accident. He commits stupid fouls and has bad footwork but the players and coaches stand by him so I hope he plays with the intensity he did against Cleveland, and the team will be fine.

Peja Stojakovic picked up where he left off last season and you can only hope that his and Chandler's injuries aren't really serious. The Hornets health last season was the key factor in why that team won 56 games and the southwest division. You don't want to see problems with injuries in the beginning of the season, even if the injuries are really freak problems. Freak problems can accumulate and become a huge problem for the team. Speaking of injuries, it was nice to see Julian Wright get some minutes against the Cavaliers as he has tried all year (including the preseason) to recover from a sprained ankle sustained in training camp.

James Posey seems to be all that was advertised (his defense against LeBron James in the 4th quarter was inspirational and looked infections to the entire squad). He has been a fantastic addition so far. His and Rasual Butler's big shots in the 4th quarter against Phoenix saved what should have been a big collapse. I'm surprised to see Butler get the minutes he has the first three games and am even more surprised at what he's doing with them. If the Hornets get anything out of him this season that should allow Devin Brown (instead of Mike James) to play point guard and should give the Hornets even more depth (as I expected nothing out of Butler this season).

Chris Paul has picked up where he left off and has not lost a step so far, but endurance will be big this season. His tour in Beijing may affect his play in February, March (especially since we saw him tail off in April last season until his game picked up in the playoffs). David West has been solid and the jerseys are slowly growing on me. Overall, a very good 3-0 start for the Hornets.



Top Ten Teams Through November 2nd, 2008
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. New Orleans Hornets
3. Houston Rockets
4. Utah Jazz
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Boston Celtics
7. Toronto Raptors
8. Phoenix Suns
9. Atlanta Hawks
10. Chicago Bulls

Written By GoHornets21

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