Chris Paul is the present for the New Orleans Hornets and the future for Jeff Bower the new coach. Without a buy in from Chris Paul, the New Orleans Hornets are going nowhere and Jeff Bower is going somewhere else. Right now Chris Paul is very unhappy over the firing of Byron Scott.

For Paul, this wasn’t so much professional as it was personal. He takes things hard and feels them deeply. Truth be told, Paul is livid. C.J. Paul posted an apparent dig at Weber on his Twitter account: “I can’t stand when [people] that don’t know basketball make major basketball decisions. It turns out to be a disaster.”

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NBAObsessed discussed the change in regimes earlier.

—–Byron Scott is out at New Orleans—-

How could a once on the right track franchise go so far off course. In a matter of hours they have fired the once steady voice of Coach Byron Scott and alienated their best player, the small speedy superstar Chris Paul.

Chris Paul has a lot of concerns

The hiring of former GM Jeff Bower to be the head coach smacks of interim at the best. There was just nobody internally to nominate for the job. Bower’s is not a great coach or X and O’s type guy, hence the hiring of Tim Floyd to put some pizzazz into the team.

Still the team’s fortunes rest on the shoulders of Chris Paul and if he is not brought back into the fold, the team will suffer.

Yes, Chris Paul hates change, and the firing of Byron Scott is the most dramatic of his professional career. Eventually, Paul will come to understand that Scott had chances to save himself. When the Hornets were young and restless, bouncing between New Orleans and Oklahoma City, the franchise valued Scott’s evenness. He always makes you believe everything will be all right, but that eventually evaporated. They needed something more tangible, something they could touch, and Scott struggled to deliver it.

Things can change fast in the NBA and now is the time for change in New Orleans. The real problem now is deciding whether the change is positive or negative.

Image: Zuma Press

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NBAObsessed has mentioned it before many times, it is the “what have you done for me lately” NBA. One day you are great and the next day they want to get rid of you. The latest to feel the sting of the NBA, if we can use a Hornet metaphor, is Byron Scott. One time coach of the year and toast of New Orleans turned into just toast.

The Hornets were off to a slow start and management decided to act, so they fired Byron Scott.

The Hornets are 3-6 this season. Scott was in the last year of his contract. Scott could not be reached for comment.

Scott had a 203-216 record in five-plus seasons in New Orleans, winning coach of the year honors in 2007-08 when he guided the Hornets to a franchise-record 56 wins and a first-ever division title in the NBA”s Southwest Division.
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The Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower has taken over the team and hired Tim Floyd as his assistant coach. David West spoke out on Floyd claiming the team won’t be as predictable any more.

“We’re not going to be as predictable as we have been in the past. I know that, having played for Tim before,” said West, a sixth-year veteran. “That’s something I’m looking forward to, in terms of style of play.”
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West also blamed Byron Scott’s pride for the Hornet’s downfall.

Will Tim Floyd be good for the play of Chris Paul?

Tim Floyd has been successful at every coaching stop except for his stint with the Chicago Bulls, where he unfortunately arrived after most of the last championship team left.

This past year he lost to Michigan State University in the NCAA’s then watched as 3 of his players declared for the NBA draft and the school underwent an NCAA investigation for illegal payments involving the handlers of O.J. Mayo. Tim resigned.

Was Byron the problem at New Orleans or like with a lot of demanding coaches, did his message finally fall on deaf ears? We may never know!

To see how Chris Paul feels about the firing of Coach Byron Scott read this

—-Chris Paul feels the Sting of Hornets firing—

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The New Orleans Hornets needed game 3 in their series with the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets were starting to believe in themselves with Chauncey Billups showing them the way to win in the playoffs.

The Hornets were at home and ready to perform. Chris Paul led the way and the Hornets pulled it out. Carmelo Anthony had a chance to win it at the end, but missed a jump shot with 3.2 seconds left in the game.

Chris Paul puts on a playoff performance of excellence

Chris Paul, who only rested for a hiccup, had game highs with 32 points and 12 assists. David West had 19 points and nine rebounds.

Anthony led Denver with 25 points. Chauncey Billups, who had score 30-plus points in the first two games of the series, finished with 16, eight of which came on free throws.

“I don’t think anybody in the world thought we’d win them all,” Nuggets Coach George Karl said.

Game 4 is Monday night at 7:30 p.m. at the New Orleans Arena.

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It must be mentioned that James Posey played a huge role in this victory. Yes, that is the same Posey that played a big role in the Celtics winning it all last year. After the title with Boston, James Posey signed with the Hornets and continues his off the bench heroics. Posey had 13 points and played some tough defense.

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MVP time is this week Thursday and the choice is a tough one. LeBron James or Kobe Bryant? It really is down to the two of them as Dwyane Wade as had a drop-off recently and that remains in the voters’ minds.

Kobe Bryant is hardly fifth best?

One way to look at a player’s production is the Bird value.

As always, I am informed, but not driven, by the formula three-time MVP Larry Bird devised to quantify any player’s true value: points, rebounds, assists, steal and blocks, minus missed shots, missed free throws and turnovers. The sum is divided by games played. It’s a great jumping-off point for careful consideration.

LeBron James, Cavaliers

Bird average: 32.15

Case for MVP: He has the highest Bird value. Additionally, he’s nearly as good a closer as Bryant, still the player every coach would want taking a deciding shot in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. He’s worthy of consideration for the All-Defensive team, too. Simply, he gets the vote because he’s the reason Cavaliers have the best record.

Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Bird average: 24.26

Case for MVP: No player in the league is more reliable when the ball is in his hands and the game is on the line, or more focused on getting a stop in the same circumstance. Plus, he understands, more than at any time in his career, how to make his teammates better.

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In case you were wondering:
Chris Paul 30.3
Dwyane Wade 28.98
Dwight Howard 27.32

My personal consideration of this matter reveals that stats are stats and don’t always tell the story. While LeBron is certainly deserving, you can’t put Kobe 5th in this group. Kobe or LeBron will likely win the award.

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Maverick fans have to be drooling. Mark Cuban has let it be known that he would pick up the two worst contracts on the Hornets in order to get Chris Paul.

It makes the mind swirl to think of the Dallas Mavericks picking up Chris Paul to play on the same team as Dirk Nowitzki. You would have a former MVP still playing at a very high level with a future MVP candidate adding some much needed full court speed.

Chris Paul defies the laws of gravity

Dirk is still one of the top mismatch players in the league, presenting an interesting combination of size and long distance shooting ability. If you added in Chris Paul, just think of the explosiveness on the Mavericks. Chris is a penetrating point guard and they rule the NBA right now.

So why would the Hornets let this deal happen?

In a word, contracts. They have way too many dollars tied up in longer contracts.

Who would the Hornets want to get rid of so badly that they’d be willing to part with Paul? Peja Stojakovic ($13.39 million next season and $14.26 in 2010-11) would definitely be part of the deal. Chandler ($12.3 next season and $13.2 in 2010-11) probably would be included, too. Morris Peterson (due a total of $12 million over the next two seasons) or James Posey ($19.5 million over three seasons) are other possibilities.

Stojakovic’s contract ranks among the worst in the league. He’s had a very good career, but he’s an oft-injured 40-percent jump shooter these days. But he is the starting small forward for a playoff team.

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As a follow up to the Part I of Rodney Stuckey is candy and a Rose blooms – Part I, your intrepid author would like to show you some interesting comments by Coach Michael Curry of the Detroit Pistons.

Keep in mind, Joe Dumars hired Curry in part because he is such a great student of the game and the players of the game.

This comment came after the Pistons beat the Bulls.

After the game, Pistons coach Michael Curry described Phoenix’s Steve Nash, San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Denver’s Chauncey Billups — who started the season with Detroit but was traded, in part, because of Stuckey’s development — as the gold standard of NBA point guards.

Next, Curry identified New Orleans’ Chris Paul, Utah’s Deron Williams and New Jersey’s Devin Harris as a trio who have “separated themselves … as a young group of guards pushing Nash and Parker and Billups.”

Then he mentioned his own guy.

“I think Stuckey is in a group with Derrick Rose and (Boston’s Rajon) Rondo as the up-and-coming next group of guards,” Curry said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how they all continue to mature and grow as players. All three have different skill sets, but all three have the kind of demeanor that it takes to be very successful in this league.”
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Byron Scott has the Hornets ready.

Chris Paul has the Hornets ready.

Chris Paul paid his dues

Most of all Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs have the Hornets ready.

You have to pay your dues and earn your way to the NBA Finals. That is what San Antonio Spurs did last year.

“There was a timeout in the second quarter, and I turned to my assistant coaches and said, ‘We’re (in trouble). We are playing tight for the first time in 100 games, and I can see it in our eyes,’” Scott recalled.

“I could see the tension, guys knowing this was the last game of a seven-game series. And then I looked at San Antonio. Those guys looked like it was Game 1. No different. So I knew why we lost that game. It was lack of experience.”

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The Hornets had the Spurs in their hand. It was all but over.

It was described this way.

It’s the team of the decade against the team of the future.

It’s the king of the hill vs. the new kid on the block.

Its last year’s NBA title winners squaring off with this year’s Southwest Division title winners.

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Turns out the old king of the hill had enough in them to pull out the series and send the Hornets home. This got them thinking. Maybe we need more.

Now they have more. The New Orleans Hornets signed the most significant free agent left in Sam Posey.

The deal is worth 25 million for 4 years.

Boston wanted to keep him.

Because of future luxury-tax concerns, Boston was apparently reluctant to offer Posey, 31, more than a two- or three-year deal starting at the league’s midlevel exception (just under $5.6 million) in spite of Posey’s considerable contributions to the Celtics’ first championship since 1986.

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Chris Paul needed more weapons and Sam Posey will bring his timely 3 point shooting. More than that, Sam can guard a lot of different style players.

This is a great signing for New Orleans.

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Chris Paul magically floats the ball, while on his back

Image details: San Antonio Spurs v New Orleans Hornets, Game 7 served by picapp.com

The NBA is set up for guards to be able to dominate. There is no hand checking on the outside, so even forwards are handling the ball on the outside like guards.

Quick guards like Chris Paul are very valuable.

If you saw the Hornets play at all last year, you saw Chris Paul rule the hardwood. He had one year left on his contract, so New Orleans wanted to get him resigned before the next season started.

Lance Young, Paul’s agent, said Paul agreed to a three-year extension with a player’s option for a fourth year. The total value of the deal is $68 million.
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In case you are wondering if this is a good contract…

The Hornets will pay Paul the maximum allowable under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, starting at 25 percent of the salary cap for the first year of the extension, with 10 percent raises thereafter.

Chris had a fabulous year last year.

Last season, Paul led the NBA with averages of 11.6 assists and 2.7 steals. He was the Hornets’ second-leading scorer, averaging 21.1 points in helping the Hornets reach a franchise-record 56 regular season victories.

Watch for Chris to lead the Olympic team as well!

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Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili celebrate with victory over New Orleans

Image details: San Antonio Spurs v New Orleans Hornets – Game Seven served by picapp.com

In the NBA, some of the natural order has been restored.

The game, like a lot of these games, came down to the final few shots. This in spite of the fact that the Spurs had a big third quarter lead.

Ginobili scored 26 points, hitting four free throws in the final minute, to send the Spurs to the Western Conference finals with a 91-82 victory Monday night.

Parker added 17 points, including a crucial jumper in the final minute, as the Spurs held off a late rally to become the first team in this series to win on the road.

“We really believed we had a chance to win on the road here,” said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds. “It’s just a lot of confidence. A lot of games under our belt.”
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The old guard will now face the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. Chris Paul will go home knowing the Hornets need maybe one or two more weapons. There is a certain path to the finals and the Hornets have started down that path.

With a nucleus of Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler, the Hornets appear destined for greater things, but now is not their time.

“One thing I want them to remember when they start working out next season is how they feel right now,” said Hornets coach Byron Scott, adding he was proud that his team, which did not make the playoffs last season, pushed the Spurs as far as it did.

“You have to go through some things before you can really understand how good it’s going to feel when you get to that next level,” Scott continued. “You don’t go from not making the playoffs to winning a championship. It just doesn’t work that way. … We’re headed in the right direction.”

David West led the Hornets in scoring.

West led the Hornets with 20 points, while Paul and Jannero Pargo each added 18. Chandler had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Hornets, who cut a deficit as large as 17 down to three inside the final two minutes.

In the end, it was the three pointers that cost the New Orleans Hornets the game.

While the Hornets managed to hold Duncan under 20 points by crowding the inside, his Spurs teammates combined for 12 3-pointers to keep alive their chance to win back-to-back titles for the first time.

“We knew the shots were going to be there. It happened today that we just made more,” said Ginobili, who made four 3-pointers. “We just let it fly.”

NBA Basketball Gregg Popovich factoid - Coach Pop has the highest playoff win percentage of .702.

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