SPORTS!!!
Got the chance to watch the Hornets play tonight on TNT. I know it's early. Really, really early. The NBA only tipped off three days ago. But the Hornets are 2-0, after winning seven straight in the preseason, and already look to be in midseason form.
Of course, it all starts at the point with Chris Paul. CP3, in this biased opinion, was screwed out of the MVP award last season. I don't think there's a question that Kobe is one of the top two players in the world, and he's arguably the best, although LeBron is pretty good, too. However, if you've talking about valuable, there wasn't a player more valuable than Chris Paul, who took the Hornets to within one game of having the best record in the league.
And he certainly looks like he's still at that top form this year, twice saving the Hornets as they struggled early in the fourth quarter. But that's what great players do. They lift their play when their teams need it most. And there's absolutely no question Chris Paul is a great player. In fact, I don't think there should be a question that CP3 is the best point guard in the NBA.
But, as the guys on TNT discussed after the game, it's not all about CP3. The Hornets also have some players who are among the best at what they do in the NBA. The Hornets beat the Phoenix Suns tonight without center Tyson Chandler, who might be the best rebounder and shotblocker in the NBA. And he's certainly the best combination rebounder/shotblocker there is around. Sure, he's offensively limited, but he makes such a dynamic combination with Paul, who drives in the lane and allows Chandler to use his athleticism to finish around the rim.
New Orleans also has one of the top young power forwards in the league in David West, who has become deadly at knocking down the midrange jump shot. Again, like Chandler, a lot of what West does comes off creativity by Paul. But would Paul's numbers be nearly as good as they are now without West being able to knock down the open jumper? There's no way.
In those three players -- Paul and West, who are both all-stars, and Chandler, who's an all-star defender -- New Orleans has plenty of star power. But the Hornets also have role players. Peja Stojakovic was brilliant tonight, and he's one of the top five pure shooters in the NBA. It's literally pick your poison with this team, because Paul is so brilliant that he's going to create a shot for Chandler at the rim, West at the elbow or Stojakovic/James Posey/Morris Peterson at the 3-point line. Or you could just give Paul an easy layup, which he'll gladly take.
Then, there are the young players who continue to develop. Without Chandler tonight, Hilton Armstrong got the start and Melvin Ely came off the bench to provide some quality minutes in the post. With a healthy Chandler, who sat out for precautionary measures because of a tweaked ankle, the Hornets have four legitimate options in the post. And with guys like Rasual Butler and developing second-year player Julian Wright on the wing, New Orleans has depth at nearly every position.
The only question is how do you balance needing Paul on the floor and limiting his minutes. Paul spent time in Beijing this summe winning Olympic gold, and has played more basketball in the last year than he has ever in his life. Mike James can give some quality minutes as the backup point guard, but how many is that? Do you want to give Paul 42 minutes a game? 40? 36? That's the toughest question I think coach Byron Scott has to answer this year. You want your best player on the floor, but you also want him fresh and at his peak when the playoffs come around in seven months.
It's early. Very early. But the Hornets are 2-0! Two down, only 80 more to go for the perfect season!!!
