Bleacher Report - New Orleans Hornets

New Orleans Hornets Buzz: Four Games With Coach Jeff Bower

Joe Gerrity — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:06:50 -0500

With the surprising win last night against the Phoenix Suns, Jeff Bower evened his coaching record to 2-2 and improved the New Orleans Hornets' overall record to 5-8.

When Coach Byron Scott was fired Hornets' fans expected the worst, even more so when we learned that our GM with no head coaching experience would be the one replacing him.

It didn't ease our minds when we heard Tim Floyd would come on as the head assistant.

Who Is Jeff Bower?

Bower has been GM of the Hornets since 2005 (with a short stint in 2003 as well). He has never been a head coach before, even at the college level.

His most recent on-court job was as an assistant at Marist College from 1990-95. He's been with the Hornets in one capacity or another ever since.

As GM, he was responsible for picking Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA draft.

Why Is Jeff Bower the Head Coach?

Well first off, Byron just got fired. PAY ATTENTION!

Anyway, Bower is the guy who knows these players the best. He's also willing to actually listen to owner George Shinn and play the young guys.

Also, he was already on staff with a locked salary, so it seems to be some sort of a cost saving move by the owner/GM.

Should Fans Believe in Him, Or is He Simply an Interim Coach?

First off, I don't think he's an interim coach. They never used those terms to describe him, so it seems that he is here until further notice.

Secondly, he seems to know what he's doing.

So far he's shown that he's much more knowledgeable than Scott about the strengths and weaknesses of the roster.

Immediately he shoved Mo-P to the bench and put the young guys in a position to improve and contribute.

Collison and Thornton barely saw a minute with Scott as the coach, but now Collison is starting (albeit because CP3 is hurt) and Thornton is coming off the bench as the most explosive scorer they have, averaging 33 points per 48 minutes.

The offense, which at times looked pathetic—even with CP3—seems to be back to NBA quality.

Byron pretty much ran the pick and roll 95 percent of the time, whereas Bower seems to have more guys just driving straight to the hole. The screens players are setting now are more for getting slashers open.

Peja, specifically, is being used much more effectively.

Scott used to just set him up for simple catch-and-shoots off a perimeter pick, which is nice, but not the most efficient or effective way to get an open shot for a 6-foot-10 three-point monster.

Bower has been sending him through the lane, where the big men are setting screens to knock his defender off him. It seemed to disorient the defense to a degree, and in the most recent game Peja managed to pull 13 rebounds (his most as a Hornet) to go along with his 26 points.

You need look no further than the rebounding numbers to see that players had just quit on Byron Scott, too.

In their first nine games, the Hornets out-rebounded the opposing team just once. In the last four, they've done it twice.

On the defensive end, the difference in hustle is noticeable, too.

Rotations look better and matchups seem to be more favorable. Byron had a hard time adjusting his lineup to the other team, whereas Bower seems to flourish.

Also, Bower has shown in only four games that he's a superior game manager.

When the other team goes on runs, Bower calls a timeout. When a certain lineup isn't working, he changes it without hesitation.

Also, while the game is going, you see him actually coaching young players, something Byron never did—unless you count crossing his arms and putting his players in the dog house.

All things considered, Jeff Bower is doing a hell of a job so far.

Winning two of four without CP3 is better than anyone expected. If he can keep up the intensity, the Hornets might still have an outside shot at getting out of the first round of the playoffs.

Maybe this coaching change is just what New Orleans needed.

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Collison and Thornton Earning Their Stingers With Jeff Bower as Coach

Sean Stancill — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:56:02 -0500

Jeff Bower drafted rookies Darren Collison (21st) and Marcus Thornton (43rd) to make marginal contributions over the season. For Thornton, provide desperately needed scoring from the wings and as for Collison spell some minutes from Chris Paul.

It's safe to say, Bower probably didn't think he would be getting a return on his investments this early.

Marcus Thornton scored 19 points and fellow rookie Darren Collison chipped in 15 points as the pair of rookies proved their worth in the Hornets' 110-103 win over the Suns. On a quieter note, their combined output of 34 points is the highest of any rookie point guard-shooting guard tandem thus far in the NBA this season.

A 3-year starter out of UCLA, Collison has dispensed 17 assists to only seven turnovers since Chris Paul went down, so excuse his 5-for-15 night from the floor because he made plays when it mattered. He accounted for nine of their final 14 points and secured the game by intercepting Amar'e Stoudemire's pass with :35 seconds remaining.

Collison initiated a persistent tempo led by penetrations of the Suns defense. He routinely used his quick first step and crafty dribbles to bypass Steve Nash on the way to the basket and though this won't show up in the box score, four of his misses led to a series of easy put-backs and four rebounds for Emeka Okafor.

A balanced night included 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists and a win over the Western Conference's best team in what will prove to be a game that salts away and stocks confidence in Jeff Bower to look towards Darren Collison when Chris Paul does return from his ankle injury.

As for his counterpart, Marcus Thornton was equally efficient and integral to the Hornets' surprising win over the Phoenix Suns.

Thornton scored 19 points in 20 minutes on only seven shots converted and also chipped in two three-pointers. As an undersized two, he must work harder and play smarter for him to make an impact.

Part of that being is shot selection which was within the realm of acceptable Thursday night against the Hornets. He did a good job of making the game easier by flashing from the baseline to the rim for easy lay-ups. Five of his seven field goals came off of lay-ups and he attempted another which was blocked by Grant Hill on an eclipse-like occasion.

It's an encouraging sign for both Thornton and newly minted GM-Head Coach Jeff Bower who acquired the hometown hero on a draft-night trade with the Miami Heat. Since Bower obtained a seat on the floor, Thorton has obtained minutes on the court. He's eclipsed the 20-minute mark three times in the last four games and has rewarded Bower by averaging 17 points in those contests.

If the duo of Thornton and Collison can keep this up, it will certainly ease the loss of CP3 and keep the Hornets structured and hopefully afloat until Chris Paul returns.

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Five Things the Hornets' Win Over the LA Clippers Reveals

Paul Augustin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:33:06 -0500

Although ESPN predicted a New Orleans victory over the LA Clippers last night, I must admit that I was not extremely confident. The first two games of the Jeff Bower era did not look much different then the last few games of the Byron Scott era.

Poor defense against Portland and Atlanta led to little offense. Players were standing around as if they were lost in a London fog.

In last night's victory over the Clippers, the Hornets looked like a completely different team. They played with energy, effort, and actually looked like a professional basketball team.

This, in spite the fact that they are playing without all-star point guard Chris Paul. Last night's game made clear quite a few interesting things. In this article I discuss the top five things illuminated from the play this game

1. The LA Clippers are not a very good team .

To make things crystal clear, the Hornets beat a poor team last night. There is just no doubt about it. This should be intuitively obvious to the most casual basketball observer.

I was going to write that the Clippers looked like a high school team last night. However, that would be an insult to high school players.

At least high-schoolers work the ball around and attempt to play individual and team defense. These Clippers looked like some ballers who got together on the playground for a pickup game.

Baron Davis passed up open teammates to force shots. His play made me grateful that Mr. Davis no longer wears a Hornets uniform.

2. The Hornets rookie players have real potential.

The Hornets would not have won this game without the play of Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison.

In 23 minutes of playing time, Collison scored 12 points and had six assists versus only two turnovers. He looked very cool under pressure. If Collison keeps developing, at the least he will be a long-term reliable backup guard.

Marcus Thornton managed 12 points and no turnovers in less than half a game. He looked very strong on the inside and may provide the slashing ability that the Hornets have long needed.

As he showed during his brief career at LSU, Thornton has the ability to light it up from the outside once he gets started. Thornton could be another JR Smith-type player, with a more complete game and without the baggage.

3. The Hornets can play defense .

Granted, you have to refer back to item one in this list—this was the Clippers. However, the Hornets did exert some real energy on defense and actually were covering outside shooters.

I also noticed good defensive rotation. It was claimed that the Byron Scott defense was overly complicated. I am not sure if Bower has simplified things or if the Hornets are just trying more. Maybe it is a little of both.

4. The Hornets can have good ball movement.

Something that I noticed last night was some good crisp passing by someone in a Hornets uniform with a number other than "3" on his back.

There were a number of skip passes to the open man and some inside-outside movement. On one three-point attempt, I counted six passes before the Hornets found the open man. Devin Brown knocked down the shot.

Have the Hornets been relying on Chris Paul too much?

5. The Hornets can play with energy.

Since the performance slump late last season, the Hornets have been playing with neither energy nor effort. Against the Clippers, the increase in overall effort and energy was noticeable.

The Hornets came up with the loose balls and killed the Clippers on the boards, out rebounding their opponent 51-36. As this writer has written in past article, rebounding is all about energy and effort, along with some good technique.

The came with the Clippers revealed some things that the Hornets under Jeff Bower and lead assistant Tim Floyd can be. The next four days with games against Phoenix, Atlanta, and Miami may give a glimpse at what they will be.

Read more New Orleans Hornets news on BleacherReport.com

Clippers-Hornets: Mediocrity Might Just

Joe Gerrity — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:11:19 -0500

The Hornets host the Clippers in what can only be described as a battle of mediocrity. Both teams have dealt with injuries to star players, and neither seems likely to live up to its preseason expectations.

For the Hornets, things have only gotten worse since day one. Even when Chris Paul was healthy and playing like a god, they were still losing games. The losses weren't even close and Byron Scott paid the price .

The Clippers, on the other hand, headed into this year with a lot of potential. Their offense featured promising number one pick Blake Griffin, former Hornet Baron Davis, and young gun Eric Gordon, who looks like a future all-star at the two guard.

Center Chris Kaman was the unexpected Western Conference Player of the Week and is averaging a career high in points, minutes and field goal percentage.

With a tough stretch of games coming up without their star point guard, the Hornets need to win this game to keep alive the hopes of a playoff berth; one that seemed all but a certainty when the season began.

Hornets rookies Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison will lead them to a semi-unexpected victory through pure energy, hustle and will.

Difference maker: Marcus Thornton, who will come off the bench to lead the Hornets in both points and three-pointers. A few days ago, someone said the Hornets could never build like the Spurs because they didn't have a "Manu." I think Thornton can be a guy who comes out of nowhere to be one of the best players to come out of the '09 draft.

Hornets 87- Clippers 81

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Chris Paul's Short Term Injury: Worst-Case Scenaro

Joe Gerrity — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:20:07 -0500

Yesterday I wrote about the likely outcome of a long term Chris Paul injury . In this article (after hearing the same "severely sprained ankle" line from GM/Coach Jeff Bower) we will be examining what the Hornets' future holds when and if Paul returns in two weeks.

As of today, the Hornets' record stands at three wins and eight losses. I'm going to slot in Paul for returning on Dec. 4 to play the Timberwolves at home. He might be back for the Laker game in LA on Dec. 1, but I doubt that Bower will rush him back and I doubt that it would affect the result.

Here are the games and my predictions:

LAC- win (hopefully)

Phoenix- loss

Atlanta- loss

@Miami- loss

Bucks- loss (they have looked really good so far)

@ Sacramento- loss (we barely beat them at home with CP3)

@Lakers- loss

So if they can win the games they are expected to, the Hornets' record will stand at 4-14 when Paul returns. That means to finish the season with the same record as last year (which was barely good enough to make the playoffs) the Hornets will have to finish 44-21.

That sounds pretty unlikely given the early struggles, coaching change, and overall quality of the team.

What's more likely is that the Hornets play somewhere around .500 for the rest of the season once Paul returns, leaving them about 36-46, not good enough to make the playoffs, and not bad enough to get an impact draft pick. Chris Paul makes them at least that good.

Not only that, but they are still expected to be over the luxury tax line this year and next, leaving them incapable of improving enough via trade or free agency to contend. It's an unfortunate situation.

Most times in this scenario a team would blow itself up and rebuild via the draft and free agency, but there's a big problem with that in New Orleans.

Chris Paul wants to win NOW. He won't be happy playing and losing 60 games this year, which is oddly enough best for the team. Paul will have a problem if Okafor is traded for spare parts, just like he did last year when the New Orleans brass tried to trade Tyson for nothing.

The last thing this franchise needs is for Chris Paul to question its desire to win or, heaven forbid, demand a trade.

It may seem weird to those of us in New Orleans, but fans around the league are already anticipating CP3 opting out of his deal in 2012 and heading to a superpower team. The Hornets need to make sure that the team they put out there next year and the year after is one of the elite teams in the league or they could find themselves losing Paul.

The position that our GM has put himself in is unfortunate, but he's really only left himself one option. He needs to blow the team up and explain to Chris that it's for the best.

If he can include Paul in the decision making process, then we should see Paul use his contacts to our advantage in the offseason. You know Paul wants to win and one way to do that is to trade Okafor and trade/buy out Peja's deal at the end of the season, leaving us with enough cap room to sign a few big names.

If they stand pat will have an average team with no cap room heading into 2010, a summer in which superpowers (any combo of LeBron, Bosh, Wade, Amare) will be formed. You know that Paul wants to be on one of those teams, be it in New Orleans or somewhere else.

Otherwise the only real way the Hornets can drastically improve is by tradings expiring contracts for better players in before the deadline in february 2011. That's a long time to be mediocre when you have the leagues best point guard.

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Will the New Orleans Hornets Give Avery Johnson a Call?

Robert Kleeman — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:19:32 -0500

After management handed Byron Scott a pink slip last week, the New Orleans Hornets need a head coach.

Does anyone think General Manager-turned interim coach Jeff Bower will last more than a few months?

Avery Johnson, fired by the Dallas Mavericks in 2008, wants to return to the sidelines.

He's cajun, he played point guard for 11-plus seasons, and his short track record shows he can get underachievers over some tough hurdles.

The Hornets' star attraction is a point guard who needs someone to help his team advance in the postseason.

How's that for convenience?

Do not consider this a "little general" endorsement, but a coaching vacancy in Johnson's home state begs the question: Would George Shinn put this defensive-minded, control freak in charge of his struggling squad?

Johnson likes to control everything, and some would say that makes him no better for the job than Scott.

Both men won championship rings as complimentary players. They understand the game's nuances, what wins, and how to deal with big egos.

When the Mavericks parted ways with Don Nelson, Johnson was taking the reigns of a former Western Conference Finalist.

He made them a Finalist for the first time in franchise history.

In his first full season at the helm, Dallas won 60 games and reached the championship round.

The next, the Mavs won 67 games, sixth most in league history.

Like Scott's Nets in New Jersey, Johnson's squad failed to finish the job.

An embarrassing first round exit to the eighth-place Golden State Warriors put a damper on that 67-win campaign.

As quickly as the Mavs became overachievers, they reverted back to their underachieving selves.

Johnson offered his stamp of approval on a risky trade that sent promising youngster Devin Harris to New Jersey for veteran point guard Jason Kidd.

Then, he appeared to damn it, sitting Kidd on the final play of a critical loss to the Spurs in San Antonio.

Since Johnson's firing, his replacement in Dallas Rick Carlisle has handed over most of the play calling to Kidd with often spectacular results.

Mark Cuban axed Johnson because the players threatened a mutiny if he was still there the next fall.

These are not resume blemishes. These are alarming indiscretions—reasons to dismiss a phone call to Johnson as a possibility.

Still, the guy can coach. He has it in his blood.

One Mavs-supporting friend—whose basketball opinion I value—thinks he could become one of the greatest to ever yell in a suit with his arms folded.

The potential is there.

Johnson's Mavs played more defense than Nelson's version ever did.

Another selling point: Johnson did what his predecessor could not: beat the Spurs in the playoffs.

Funny thing, Scott couldn't beat them either.

Now on ESPN as a studio analyst, no one but Johnson knows if he's ready to return to coaching.

He turned down an offer from the Grizzlies (a wise move given the catastrophe that has unfolded in Memphis) and could not come to terms with the Detroit Pistons on a contract.

The Hornets can be better now than either of those squads—with the proper tutelage.

His paint-by-numbers offense crumbled in Big D, but maybe with Chris Paul leading the attack, Johnson would embrace a philosophical change.

The Hornets brain trust has to give him a call, doesn't it?

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Blessing in Disguise: How Chris Paul's Injury Could Save The Hornets

Joe Gerrity — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:49:50 -0500

First off let me say that I don't believe basketball is actually dying in New Orleans, but right now the team looks like trash and their future is nowhere near as bright as it was two summers ago. A Paul injury would be a blessing in disguise for an organization in need of help.

Off court the Hornets have been making money for a few years now and the franchise really isn't in the dire straits that the sensationalist media makes it out to be.

On the court is a whole different story. Early results on the Chandler for Okafor swap pretty much shows two losers. Don't get me wrong, Okafor is a better player than Chandler, but he doesn't seem to be meshing with the Hornets roster.

So how does this all relate to Paul being injured?

Let's say that Paul had to miss the entire year due to an injury that would have no lingering effects next season. An injury that many Hornets fans thought they watched last Friday night when he landed awkwardly on a Blazer foot.

Here's how it would play out:

First off Okafor would be dealt for either expiring contracts, young wings, or a combo.

The young guys would start playing tons of minutes. They have struggled with developing talent in the past and judging by GM Jeff Bowers decision to play them a combined 60 minutes in his first game I think he would agree that more playing time helps young players develop.

The season wouldn’t be pretty, but they would get better and more importantly they would wind up with a top three pick. Let's face it. A Paul-less, Okafor-less Hornets team won't win more than 20 games even if things go well.

The fan base will of course shrink slightly, but most will understand. The 10,000 plus season ticket holders paid in full anyway.

As the trading deadline nears there will certainly be a team interested in adding a James Posey, Darius Songaila, or Morris Peterson, especially if they throw some cash their way. The Bees will literally be swimming in it if Okafor can be dealt.

Let's assume that they dangle James "Rabbit Foot" Posey in front of a contender and they bite. It might not be him, but someone would be traded for nothing.

So let's fast forward to the off-season of 2010.

The Hornets would have eight players under contract for $55 million dollars.

The kicker is that most of them are expiring. Peja will be in the last year of a deal that pays him 14.2 million. The Hornets don't need him and don't want him. He's been in the league a long time and is physically hurting. He's a prime candidate for a buyout and he would probably take it for 10 million or so. Shinn can afford that with all the money saved during the prior season.

Now the Hornets have a solid core of eight guys (two all stars) under contract for 40 million dollars. That leaves them about thirty million dollars of cap room AND a top three draft pick to fill out a roster that looks like this:

Starters:

PG-Chris Paul

SG-

SF-

PF-David West

C-

Bench:

PG- Darren Collison

SG-Marcus Thornton (who looks like a good 6th man), Mo-P

SF-Julian Wright

PF-Darius Songaila

C-

The class of 2010 is so deep that they should be able to sign a superstar AND fill out the roster with above average players. With the economy the way it is, if you have extra cash it will be a great time to shop for players.

With a few good signings The Hornets would have a top three pick, three or four established all stars, and a solid bench without even being over the cap.

I'm not going to speculate on much else, but it's pretty clear that this scenario would lead to the Hornets being in a great position to contend, remain financially viable, and keep Chris Paul and New Orleanians happy for years to come.

As a fan I hate to see Paul hurt for even a single game, but a whole season could do wonders for the Hornets organization.

Read more New Orleans Hornets news on BleacherReport.com

Silva Week Four Waiver Wire Report: Grab Chris Paul's Replacement

Evan Silva — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:26:57 -0500

Normal Sized Leagues

I guess the definition of a normal-sized league, at least in my mind, is one consisting of ten to 12 teams with rosters somewhere around 12-15 players. That should cover a majority of the fantasy hoops leagues in existence. If your league is any smaller than that, the waiver options are endless and it's just too difficult to try to figure out whether you should pick up Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng or Jason Richardson. While it's nice to have those kinds of options available, it can drive you nuts on a daily basis trying to figure out if you should change your roster, so I'd suggest adding a few teams to your league next year.

Darren Collison PG, Hornets – Chris Paul went down in a heap on Friday, allowing Collison to take over at point guard to finish with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go along with two assists and two steals. Paul could be out anywhere from one week to a month, so Collison looks like a must-add in most leagues. The only problem is the Hornets play just two games in weeks five, six and nine.

Mike Bibby PG, Hawks - Yes, this is the same guy I've suggested is done, due to the arrival of Jamal Crawford, but he's been getting late run over Marvin Williams. He's scored between 11 and 19 points in three straight games and hit eight three-pointers over that stretch. He's still bound to have one really bad game per week, but it looks like Mike Woodson is going to continue to use him in a three-guard set, with Marvin taking the biggest hit in playing time. Want to cut Marvin for Bibby? Sounds good.

J.R. Smith SG, Nuggets – Smith should not be available in any leagues now that his suspension is over. But if he is available, grab him for the points and threes he will be posting in large quantities.

Ben Wallace PF/C, Pistons – Big Ben is a huge scoring liability, but he's averaging 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks to go along with 3.1 points per game. Make sure you can take the scoring hit if you add him.

Kelenna Azubuike G/F, Anthony Morrow G, Anthony Randolph F/C, Warriors – These three players are a complete crapshoot, but Azubuike is by far the most reliable, currently starting, scoring and playing well. Morrow and Randolph are worth owning, but are very risky starts every night as long as Don Nelson is their coach.

Carl Landry PF, Rockets – Landry had just two points, three boards and a block in Friday's loss to the Kings, but had been playing well, averaging 20 points, six boards and 1.5 blocks in his four previous games. I think Friday was a fluke, and still think he should be owned in most leagues.

Shane Battier G/F, Rockets – If you own Battier and actually started him Friday, you owe me some thanks, as I recently cut him across the board, allowing him to break loose for 23 points, four three-pointers, a steal and two blocks. This is the type of line I was expecting from Battier once or twice a week this season, so maybe he'll be ready to perform the rest of the way now that the seal has been broken. Just beware that I picked him back up in a couple leagues late Friday.

A l Thornton F, Clippers – Thornton isn't going to dazzle you with his numbers, but should be a solid source of points for as long as Eric Gordon (groin) is out. And he'll also have some rebounds, steals and blocks.

Quentin Richardson G/F, Heat – I cut Q-Rich in most leagues after he failed to score in his previous two games, so he should be ready to get back on track over the weekend. He was on fire entering the week, and as long as he's starting, he should bounce back to put up some points, threes and boards.

Michael Beasle y F, Heat – Beasley is averaging 14 points and 5.6 boards per game and had 24 points, six boards, two steals, two three-pointers and a block on Thursday. He should not be available in most leagues, but he should improve with each week. Grab him.

Toney Douglas G, Knicks – Douglas had 15 points, three boards, three assists and a steal on Friday—despite battling an illness—and is averaging about 19 points over his last four games. There's no telling how long he keeps it up, but I can't see anything stopping the Knicks from going with a youth movement going forward. Make sure he's not available in you league.

Nate Robinson G, Knicks – Robinson finally returned to the Knicks from an ankle injury on Friday and had nine points, four assists and one three-pointer in the loss. He should be a decent source of each of those going forward, but it's possible that Douglas could out-perform him this year.

Matt Barnes G/F, Magic – With news that Rashard Lewis will start at power forward upon his return, Barnes could start for some time. He has been playing well and had 15 points, four assists, two steals, a block and two threes on Friday, and is averaging 10 points, seven boards, and close to a steal, block and three per game thus far. Mickael Pietrus is also worth a look in deeper leagues, but it looks like Barnes has won the starting job.

Marreese Speights F/C, Sixers – Speights was awful on Friday, going for just four points and four boards in 24 minutes. But he's actually been outplaying Elton Brand all season, averaging 14 points, seven boards and a block per game in 24 minutes. I'm not telling you to cut Brand for Speights. But the bottom line is that Speights is generally playing well enough to be owned in nearly all leagues. He just had an off night on Friday. Of course, Brand did too, finishing with 11 points, two boards and no blocks. I'd rather own Speights than Brand, who just doesn't seem to be in the plans for the Sixers.

Thaddeus Young F, Sixers – Young has played well in the last two games, averaging 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 threes over the pair. Unlike Brand, he can run with his mates and looks like a nice pickup right now.

Beno Udrih PG, Kings – I've been telling you to pick up Beno for a week now and he blew up on Friday with 22 points, three boards, four assists and four three in the win. If he's available in your league you could cut Mike Conley to pick him up.

Andres Nocioni F, Kings – Nocioni is starting and hitting threes for the Kings. He had 15 points, seven boards, two steals and two threes on Friday and is averaging close to 14 points, five boards, 1.5 threes and 1.0 steals per game in his five starts this year—and those starts have all come in his last five games.

Paul Millsap PF, Jazz – Millsap has played well in the last two but remains in shadow of Carlos Boozer. He's averaging 12 points and ten boards over his last two, and while he'll be inconsistent behind Boozer, is still probably worth owning for stretches when he gets hot.

Others worth a look - Raja Bell, Tyson Chandler, John Salmons (must-own if he was dropped due to his terrible shooting), Anthony Parker, Erick Dampier (dud since I picked him up), Trevor Ariza (a must-own player), Dahntay Jones, Rasual Butler, Ryan Gomes, Jonny Flynn, Kevin Love (injured), Hakim Warrick, Terrence Williams, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee (injured), Rafer Alston (triple-double Friday), Devin Brown, Danilo Gallinari (19 pts, ten boards, four threes Friday), Nenad Krstic, Mickael Pietrus, Ryan Anderson, Leandro Barbosa (dud thus far), Spencer Hawes (struggling), Andrei Kirilenko (playing well, but off bench Friday), Brendan Haywood (could take a hit with return of Jamison).

The Rookies

Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings and Blake Griffin should be owned in almost all leagues, while Ty Lawson, Jonny Flynn, Terrence Williams, James Harden and DeJuan Blair are worthy in deeper ones. Stephen Curry has been benched (yes, he's cuttable), while Hasheem Thabeet's lack of offense should keep him off fantasy rosters right now.

Deep Leagues

Deeper leagues are generally going to have 14 to 16 teams and go deep enough that most starters are not available on waivers. These players may not even be available in all deep leagues, but are generally available in many normal-sized leagues.

Tnaj Gibson PF, Bulls – Gibson has played well lately but will take a hit when Tyrus Thomas returns. He's averaged 14 points, 4.5 boards, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks over his last two games.

Chris Andersen PF, Nuggets – Andersen is starting to come on and is averaging five points, nine boards and more than a block in his last four games. The lack of scoring is an obvious turnoff.

Kyle Lowry PG, Rockets – Lowry is starting to get some run as a backup to Aaron Brooks and is averaging nine points, six assists and more than a steal per game over his last three.

Brandon Rush SG, Pacers – Rush was an early bust and is still struggling, but is starting to play better. He had 12 points, ten boards and two threes, and 11 points, seven boards and two threes in two of his last three games, making him worth a look.

Tyler Hansbrough PF, Pacers – Hansbrough is still on a minutes count after his shin injury, but is playing well. He's not shooting it well, but is averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 boards in his two games this season—in just 15 minutes.

Earl Watson PG, Pacers – If T.J. Ford's back injury is serious (and it may or may not be), Watson is worth a pickup. He had 16 points, six boards, three assists, three steals and three three-pointers in Wednesday's game, when Ford was injured. I picked him up in several leagues, just in case.

Marcus Thornton SG, Hornets – Thornton is finally getting some run in New Orleans and had 20 points and two threes on 8-of-15 shooting on Friday. With Paul out for several games, MT should continue to get around 25 minutes per game.

Jared Dudley F, Suns - Dudley is not a must-own player, but in deeper leagues he might have a ton of value. He had 14 points, six boards and four three-pointers Thursday, which was not a blowout fluke. He's hit 15 three-pointers in his last six games and has scored in double figures in five of his last six. To me, that's enough consistency that if you're holding a guy you want to cut, you can make the move and see what happens with Dudley. Especially if you're hurting in three-pointers.

Joel Przybilla C, Blazers – Przybilla isn't glamorous, but is still rebounding and blocking shots, even with Greg Oden playing well. He's averaging 6.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks over his last two games, and is at four points, eight boards and 1.5 blocks on the season.

Extremely Deep Leagues

Shelden Williams PF, Celtics – Williams is suddenly valuable in deeper leagues for the Celtics. He's averaging six points and five boards, and would have some real value if Kevin Garnett were to suffer an injury before Glen Davis comes back in a few weeks.

J.J. Hickson PF, Cavaliers – Hickson has started three straight games and had a career-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in Thursday's win over the Heat. He also had four boards, a steal and a block, and could stick in the starting five given his agility and scoring abilities. He's not an automatic pickup at this point, but is certainly worth a watchful eye in most leagues.

Will Bynum SG, Pistons – Bynum's going to be inconsistent, but is averaging around 11.5 points, three boards and four assists per game on the season.

Chase Budinger F, Rockets – Budinger has scored between 11 and 17 points in four of his eight games, hitting a total of ten threes in his four good games. The only problem is he's been useless in the other four. But if you're in a deep league and need threes, he could help.

Josh Boone PF, Nets – Boone has a chance to start at power forward while Yi Jianlian is out (for several more weeks) and has done so for the past three games. He averaged seven points, eight boards and 1.5 blocks in the first two, but only played five minutes on Friday. We still don't know why, but should have an update over the weekend.

C.J. Watson PG, Warriors – Watson somehow got 27 minutes while Stephen Curry sat on the bench Friday, finishing with seven-of-eight shooting, 19 points, three assists, two steals, a block and two three-pointers. Nellie could be ready to shelve Curry, meaning Watson could continue to get run. And like every other Warrior, Watson is a risky play from night to night.

Goran Dragic PG, Suns – Dragic and the rest of his teammates were generally awful on Thursday, but the Suns are bent on keeping Steve Nash's minutes down this year. Enter Dragic, who has had some very nice games and is becoming a garbage-time mini-monster. He had 14 points, seven boards, seven assists, a steal and three three-pointers on Tuesday, and will be a nice deep-league option on nights when the Suns are up (or down) big.

Nazr Mohammed C, Bobcats – Mohammed has gotten some run in the last two games, averaging 12 points, 6.5 boards and 1.5 blocks in 16 minutes. He's the clear choice to backup Tyson Chandler, and could be a nice deep-league sleeper.

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Blazers 86, Hornets 78: Game 10

Busta Bucket — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:52:53 -0500

In a game surrounded by questions about the firing of Byron Scott, the Portland Trail Blazers broke the old adage that when a team loses its coach they win the games immediately following.

LaMarcus Aldridge finished strong with 20 points and 13 rebounds. The struggling Hornets lost Chris Paul, and an important home game.

Prior to the game, my one true target defensively was Paul. In the past he's been able to go off against Portland, but winning depended on whether or not we could stop him from getting his teammates involved.

Paul had a poor shooting night, and eventually left the game in the third quarter with a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss 1-2 weeks . I had nightmares of CP3 dropping 30 points and 15 assists, but he ended up not being a major concern, even before the injury.

It should be noted that this game started out with potential for the worst first quarter ever. Both teams were shooting way under 30 percent and I believe the score was 8-6 with three minutes left in the quarter.

No one seemed to be able to hit a shot and frankly, it was tough to watch. But as long as both teams struggle, it's never the end of the world.

The Blazers once again took control of the game in the third quarter. Last season, the third quarter seemed to be the death of this team, but so far things have changed, Nate has them ready following the half-time break.

Aldridge scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half and the Blazers cruised to victory despite the final box scores somewhat close result.

Neither team shot the ball well, especially from the three-point line. This game really came down to Portland hitting the boards on both ends of the floor. The Blazers out rebounded the Hornets 60 to 40 , with 20 total offensive boards. Obviously in a game like this, with such poor shooting, controlling the glass seals a victory.

Random Individual Thoughts

Brandon Roy still looks out of sync. Even though he finished with good numbers overall, his jumper just isn't there yet. He was wide open at least four or five times and the shots weren't close. He also made a few bonehead plays early on, turning the ball over in traffic and forcing the issue. Sometimes I think he's just doing too much, but fortunately he has a solid supporting cast to pick him up.
LaMarcus had everything going in the second half tonight. After sitting for most of the second quarter, he came out hot and strung together a streak of smooth jumpers. When LA's jumper is on, there is no better shot in basketball. He also put in work on the boards, getting his fourth double digit rebound outing in the last six games. Aldridge seems to be rounding in midseason form early in November. That bodes well for his All-Star hopes and the Blazers.
No one shot particularly well for Portland, other than Aldridge. Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw had especially bad nights. Fortunately the Hornets were short-handed in the talent department, because our poor shooting will get you a loss against at least eight other teams in the Western Conference. Shooting will always be inconsistent, but taking better shots and making smart decisions helps the entire team.

Box Score

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Sportstradamus: Chris Paul Will Be Traded and Joined By a King

PrimeTyme Koby — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:07:40 -0500

A serious vision came about watching Chris Paul fall to the floor in pain.

He will not be a New Orleans Hornet after this season.

The writings have been smeared on the wall since Tyson Chandler was traded. Chandler was clearly Paul's favorite target. Why would the Hornets make their franchise player have to adjust to a player in Emeka Okafor that hasn't quite lived up to 'Howard or Okafor" draft rumblings.

The word had been leaked that the New Orleans Hornets are in a financial stranglehold. The only coach that Paul has ever had in the NBA, Byron Scott, has been fired.

The Hornets are 3-7, and they used a bad start and a first round exit to the supremely talented Denver Nuggets as an excuse to give Scott the exit door. Truth is they couldn't afford a man that won Coach of the Year two years ago and has done an excellent job in molding Paul.

If the Hornets are in such dire need of cap space, how can they possibly put a team around Paul that is championship bound? Simple answer; THEY CAN'T.

Chris Paul has already got into a spat with the Boston Celtics Rajon Rondo, in which Rondo made it clear to Paul that he has a ring and Paul doesn't. It is beginning to surface that Paul is having a hard time dealing with other superstars having success.

He will NEVER win a title in New Orleans.

The Hornets brass were the first to realize this, and they seem to want to ruffle Paul's feathers by taking away Chandler and Scott. He'll demand a trade, and they won't look crazy for trading arguably the best PG in the game away.

Now here comes the excitement.

The Hornets need cap space, which means they will want expiring contracts. Hmmmmm... Let's see.....There's a team in the Big Apple with a load of those.

The New York Knicks.

The Knicks romanced Jason Kidd to no avail, but will benefit from a cash strapped Hornet squad who is doing everything in their power to be terrible. D'Antoni's style of coaching is heaven sent for Paul. Expect a trade of David Lee, Nate Robinson, and a future draft choice.

This lines up the stars, and sets up the palatial court of Madison Square Garden for a King. Yes, Lebron James. The same Lebron James writing New York on his sneakers. The same Lebron James wearing New York baseball caps everywhere.

The Knicks are not the only team in the metropolitan area with a shot at the duo though....

The New Jersey Nets actually have more to offer.

They have a stud in Devin Harris who is under contract for a bargain through 2013.

They look to have a shot to win the NBA Draft Lottery of 2010.

A package of the pick and Harris ought to be enough to lure the New Orleans Hornets in for a trade. Especially if it is the top choice. Which will surely be John Wall of Kentucky.

That may actually turn out to be a steal if that scenario goes down, because Wall is surely going to be an All Star by 2012, if not 2011.

So Lebron and Paul can also meet up in New Jersey. Which plans to move to Brooklyn anyway. Either way it is a great trade for the Hornets to pick up Devin Harris for Chris Paul, especially if they can pick up the draft choice along with him.

Stayed Tuned...Sportstradamus has other thoughts brewing...It involves one who plays in a country known for being cold, fleeing to a Beach in the South...

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