2010-11 Pregame Report: LeBron James' Heat At Chris Paul's Hornets
The weather forecast for New Orleans is expected to be scorching hot with temperatures reaching record levels today.
That’s because LeBron James and his Miami Heat are coming to town to face off against our beloved Hornets in a preseason game that has many fans here nervous.
Some of us are still shaking from the aftermath of the Hornets' catastrophe against the Orlando Magic that resulted in a 54-point loss of Hurricane Katrina proportions.
Yes, that game was a big surprise to say the least, but it wasn’t the end of the world. We’re still in the preseason and this is the time for the team to make mistakes.
After all, the Hornets have been ripped apart and rebuilt in the same fashion as Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man.
Trying to execute plays and making the inevitable mistakes is the only way the Hornets will learn to play together effectively.
The key for the Hornets is to focus on improvement. They must implement Coach Monty Williams’ defensive strategies in much the same way as they did in the first preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
In that game, both David West and Trevor Ariza were a defensive force, making it difficult for the Griz to penetrate to the rim.
That game should be a feather in the Hornets’ cap going forward because the starters were in sync and they have proven they can play effectively together. It was just a question of the bench.
In the game against the Magic, West did not play and Ariza magically disappeared for all intents and purposes (no pun intended). Also, Emeka Okafor, like most other big men in the NBA, was completely outmatched by Dwight Howard.
Okafor will not be available to play against the Heat as he is suffering from a toe injury, and West is questionable.
In this game, Miami will be Miami, which is completely overhyped. Wade is still questionable, James will always get his points, and overrated Chris Bosh may or may not show up (just ask Raptor fans).
Boy, will Miami Heat fans be surprised when the real Chris Bosh steps out of the closet.
The Heat are still missing the big man in the middle as well as an NBA-caliber PG as well as a bench with depth.
This team is no better than Cleveland was last year, which was good enough to win 61 games but not a championship. Not bad, but no cigar for you!
What can we expect from the New Orleans Hornets as they go up against Miami tonight?
While they may lose this game, there should be improvement across the board. Chris Paul, the team’s quarterback and PG, had this to say:
"We've got to execute better. It's not going to be the best, but we've got to show steps in the right direction. We've got to communicate better. Weak-side has got to be there.
"We just had a great day in practice. And we've got to do the same things we do in practice in the game. Even in the game the other night, we played defense well in spurts, but they still made shots.
"That's going to happen in the NBA. A team hasn't gone 82-0 yet."
Don’t tell that to Miami Heat fans, who dream of the perfect season every night while snuggly tucked in their beds, and with sweet pictures of St. LeBron in their heads.
Even if starters West and Okafor don’t play, the team can make the most of this game. The other Hornets’ starters and the bench should get extended minutes.
The Hornets may show little bitty steps of improvement, but that’s all anyone can ask for at this time, because these little steps will translate into big steps during the season.
After all, you have to walk before you can run, and this New Orleans Hornets team is built to run.
Other articles by this writer:
Miami Heat Super-Friends Will Impose Totalitarian Rule On the NBA and the USA
Red Flag: Carmelo Anthony in the Footsteps of Vince Carter
Michael Jordan Owns the NBA Vertical Jump: Where’s Carter and Kobe?
Toronto Raptors' Demar DeRozan: In the Mould of Tracy McGrady
