With all the madness going in Dallas lately, it is once again time to remind everyone that there is actual basketball to be played. And what a better way to get back into the swing of things than meeting the new kings of the Southwest, the New Orleans Hornets.
That's right, they're No. 1
The Hornets finally busted the Mavs' 21-game win streak earlier this year, and that isn't the only thing they're busting up. They own the Western Conference's best record at 36-15 and have a young core that should be reliable in keeping them near the top for the remainder of the season. They have also won four straight.
A Big Three to envy
What if your favorite team had a Big Three that combined to average
17.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists and had and average age of
just over 25 years old? You'd probably wet your pants with glee. Well,
that's what the Hornets have in Chris Paul, David West and Tyson
Chandler. They have a perfect balance of big and small, and have equal
parts athleticism and skill. Pair that with their youth, and the
Hornets are quickly becoming one of the scariest teams in the NBA.
Efficient as they come
They are in the top 10 in all the shooting percentages (three point, field goal and free throw) and are third lowest in the league in turnovers. Much of this begins with their point guard Chris Paul, who has one of the league's best assist-to-turnover ratios at more than 4 to 1. Because he wasn't really a candidate for it last year, the voters won't give him the MVP award this year, but you can bet he'll be up near the top of voting next year.
Burning question
Can they overcome their lack of playoff experience and go deep into the playoffs this year?
-Scooter Hendon, Hoops Nerd
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