February 9
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Orlando Magic shooting guard Vince Carter made shots in the lane and from behind the 3-point line with Hornets guard Morris Peterson only inches away while trying to contest his attempt. Despite isolating defending to contain him, Carter virtually was unstoppable on his way to a sensational 48-point performance that carried the Magic to a 123-117 victory against the Hornets on Monday night at the Amway Arena. "That's incredible, I mean that was unbelievable," Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy, regarding Carter's performance. "We had a lot of guys do good things, but quite frankly, tonight they were all in the shadow by that." Carter scored 34 points in the second half -- 18 in the fourth ..."
February 8
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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At the start of the season, Hornets rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton were unsure about their roles because it appeared they would mostly be watching from the bench under former coach Byron Scott. In the first five games, Thornton was on the inactive list and Collison was available but did not play. "The first five games, I didn't even have a jersey, and I knew I wasn't going to play," Thornton said. "The guys always talked to me and said they went through the same thing when they were rookies. They told me to just take my time, feel things out and learn the game.""
February 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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On the verge of suffering their longest losing streak this season, rookie point guard Darren Collison played 42 minutes and scored a team-high 24 points to carry the New Orleans Hornets to a 104-99 victory against the Charlotte Bobcats. The victory snapped the Hornets' a three-game losing streak. The Hornets had to rally from a 10-point deficit but they finished the game shooing 50.6 percent from the field. Forward David West scored 21. Playing his former Bobcats teammates for the first time, Emeka Okafor had 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Peja Stojakovic made 7-of-12 shots for 18 points. New Orleans native D.J. Augustin led the Bobcats' reserves with 13 points. Guard Stephen ..."
February 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Without hesitation, rookie point guard Darren Collison got the New Orleans Hornets into their offense quickly. After only five to 10 seconds elapsed off the 24-second shot clock, the ball had already been swung around to three or four players. With All-Star point guard Chris Paul sidelined four to six weeks to recover from knee surgery, the Hornets' best chance to remain a contender in the Western Conference is getting their offense going with ball movement, with a number of players having productive performances. The Hornets relied on that kind of production Saturday night to end a three-game losing streak and defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 104-99 in front of a sellout crowd of 19,164 at ..."
February 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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It began to slip away for the New Orleans Hornets after newly signed free-agent guard Jason Hart stole the ball from Philadelphia's Elton Brand, leading to a layup by Julian Wright for a two-point lead early in the second quarter. But any chance for a momentum swing ended after three minutes elapsed before New Orleans made its next shot. That was all the time Philadelphia needed to take control of the game and force the Hornets to fight back from a double-digit deficit for the fourth consecutive game. The Hornets were unable to mount a comeback and lost 101-94 to the 76ers in front of 15,162 on Friday night at the New Orleans Arena. New Orleans (26-24) suffered its fourth consecutive ..."
February 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Hornets signed free agent point guard Jason Hart to a 10-day contract on Friday morning. The move was prompted because rookie shooting guard Marcus Thornton is sidelined with a sore lower back. "I just thought we could use a little bit of insurance at that (point guard) spot and so I decided it was something to move ahead with,'' Hornets General Manager/Coach Jeff Bower said With All-Star point guard Chris Paul out for four to six weeks after requiring knee surgery Thursday, Thornton had handled the backup point guard duties. Now Hart, who is expected to play tonight against Philadelphia, will handle that role behind starter Darren Collison."
February 5
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul will be sidelined approximately four to six weeks after undergoing successful arthroscopic knee surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., on Thursday. Paul's meniscus in his left knee was torn after colliding into a camera while trying to save a pass overthrown by forward David West in last week's overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls at the New Orleans Arena. After the game, Paul revealed he initially twisted the knee in the Jan. 27 game against Golden State and hit it in the same spot when he collided with the camera."
February 4
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Despite requiring knee surgery on Thursday, New Orleans Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul was named Western Conference Player of the Month for January. Paul led the conference with a 11.9 assists average and 2.4 steals per game, while averaging 20.8 points in guiding the Hornets to a 12-5 record. The Hornets' win total was the most among teams in the Western Conference. "Due to my injury, it is bittersweet,'' Paul said in a statement. "But I will do everything it takes to get back healthy and return.''"
February 4
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Hornets' James Posey is accustomed to playing on the wing to get after small forwards with his pressure defense. But he had a dual job Wednesday night with All-Star point guard Chris Paul scheduled for knee surgery today. With the Hornets in transition until Paul returns, Posey spent substantial time in the backcourt catching passes and initiating the offense when either point guard Darren Collison or shooting guard Marcus Thornton ran into problems. Despite the effort, Posey could not save the Hornets from losing their third consecutive game at the New Orleans Arena 103-99 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in front of 12,884. The loss snapped the Hornets' 10-game winning streak ..."
February 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul will undergo arthroscopic surgery for a meniscus tear in his left knee in Pensacola, Fla., on Thursday, Coach Jeff Bower said before Wednesday's shootaround. The surgery will be performed by Dr. James Andrews. Paul will likely miss up to a month and not play in the Feb. 14 All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. But Bower said the time frame on Paul's return will not be set until following the surgery."
February 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets rookie guard Marcus Thornton glances at the Western Conference standings every day and recognizes how tight the race is to earn one of the eight playoff seeds. Only 2 1/2 games separate the San Antonio Spurs, seeded fifth, from the Memphis Grizzlies, seeded eighth. New Orleans entered Monday night's game against the Phoenix Suns as the eighth seed. But after a 109-100 home loss, the Hornets dropped to 10th behind the Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder. "It's crazy; you win and you might jump up to six or seven," Thornton said. "With all the teams, they are all like one of those games away. So you just can't depend on one game to get you there or knock you out." A few ..."
February 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Hornets are expected to give an update on All-Star point guard Chris Paul's status on Wednesday, spokesman Dennis Rogers said after Tuesday's practice. Paul is sidelined indefinitely with an injured left knee. Coach Jeff Bower said an MRI test was performed Sunday and they remain in the process of having it reviewed by several top orthopedists before a final determination is made that likely will involve surgery."
February 2
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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With New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury, rookie Darren Collison was handed the job of directing the team again Monday night. But unlike last Saturday night, when he helped the Hornets come back from a 21-point deficit to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime, he could not pull off the same miraculous feat after New Orleans trailed by 20 points against the Phoenix Suns. Rookie shooting guard Marcus Thornton almost did, but his 25-point performance was not enough to keep the Hornets from losing 109-100 in front of 13,874 at the New Orleans Arena. It is the first time the Hornets have lost back-to-back home games since November. New ..."
February 2
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets Coach Jeff Bower said the team is in the process of gathering further evaluations to determine if knee surgery is the best course of action for injured All-Star point guard Chris Paul. Bower said an MRI test was performed Sunday, and those results will be reviewed by several top orthopedic specialists from around the country before a decision is made, but Paul is sidelined indefinitely. "It's likely there is going to be a surgical procedure," Bower said. "But as I said, we're in the fact-finding stages right now, gathering as much information as possible for decisions to be made for the next steps." Paul will miss the Feb. 14 All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium in ..."
February 2
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets Coach Jeff Bower said they are in the process of gathering further evalations to determine if knee surgery is the best course of action for injured All-Star point guard Chris Paul. Bower said an MRI test was performed Sunday and those results will be reviewed by several top orthropedist specialists from around the country before a decision is made, but Paul is sidelined indefinitely. "It's likely there is going to be a surgical procedure,'' Bower said."But as I said, we're in the fact-finding stages right now, gathering as much information as possible for decisions to be made for the next steps.'' Paul will miss the Feb. 14 All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium in ..."
February 1
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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When his team trailed by a 21-point deficit against the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday night, New Orleans Hornets rookie point guard Darren Collison did not hesistate to break through small gaps for layups and send passes inside to Emeka Okafor on pick-and-roll plays. Collison said what mattered only was not letting his teammates down again like in Friday night's 108-106 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls when he dribbled out the Hornets' final possession and was unable to get off a shot or pass before Derrick Rose stole the ball as time expired. Against the Grizzlies, Collison was thrust in the starting lineup in place of All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who is sidelined with a bruised left ..."
January 31
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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As his teammates went through their pregame shooting drills before Saturday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Darren Collison was on the bench getting last-minute instructions from assistant coach Robert Pack. It was that kind of night for Collison, advice coming from everyone after he was abruptly thrust into the starting lineup when it was determined that All-Star point guard Chris Paul could not play because of a bruised left knee. Trying to offset Paul's 20-point average proved not too big of job for Collison to handle, as he helped the Hornets rally from a 21-point deficit to pull out a stunning 109-102 overtime victory against the Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. It was the ..."
January 30
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson thought his path in the lane was clear like it had been throughout the opening three quarters. However, from nowhere Hornets point guard Chris Paul came up quickly from behind to swipe the ball away before hitting a 3-pointer. It was plays like that that enabled the Hornets to rally from a 15-point third-quarter deficit and send the game into overtime. Yet, despite the effort, the Hornets still could not avoid losing 108-106 to the Bulls in front of 16,578 at the New Orleans Arena on Friday night. In overtime, the Hornets missed four consecutive shots after forward David West made a layup for a 104-102 lead. But the game was not decided until the final ..."
January 30
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Devin Brown saw the writing on the wall. It was scribbled there a month ago when the New Orleans Hornets asked him to take a pay cut to accommodate a trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Brown politely declined for two reasons: he didn't want to sacrifice the cash, and he wanted to be part of New Orleans' turnaround, which has the Hornets in fierce contention for a Western Conference playoff spot after a dismally slow start. When the Hornets shipped him to the Chicago Bulls on Monday in exchange for backup center Aaron Gray, he understood the business and packed his bags for the Windy City. "Ever since the deal that I almost went to Minnesota, something was going on, " Brown said Friday ..."
January 30
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Hornets rallied from a 15-point deficit in regulation, but they could not prevent mistakes in overtime that resulted in a 108-106 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night at the New Orleans Arena. In overtime, the Hornets missed four consecutive shots after David West made a layup for a 104-102 lead. The game was not decided until the final possession after Peja Stojakovic came up with a steal against Derrick Rose. But Darren Collison dribbled out the Hornets' final possession, unable to get a pass or shot off before time expired. Fourth Quarter David West's layup with 30 seconds remaining gave the Hornets a two-point lead. But with seven seconds remaining, West's errant ..."
January 30
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets backup forward James Posey is sidelined indefinitely with a strained right Achilles tendon, Coach Jeff Bower said before Friday's shootaround at the New Orleans Arena. Posey suffered the injury during the second quarter of Wednesday's 123-110 victory against the Golden State Warriors. Posey had been playing effectively, making game-clinching shots in back-to-back victories against Memphis and Minnesota."
January 29
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul earned his third consecutive All-Star appearance Thursday when the league's coaches selected him as a Western Conference reserve for the Feb. 14 game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Paul was selected by the league's 30 coaches, who were required to pick two guards, two forwards, a center and two additional players for each team. However, for the first time in three years, Hornets forward David West was not picked by the coaches. Last year, West beat out Denver's Carmelo Anthony for the final reserve spot for the West team. "Being named an All-Star three straight years is an unbelievable honor," Paul said in a statement. "With so many great ..."
January 29
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul said he's happy to make his third consecutive All-Star appearance, but wasn't surprised that Utah's Deron Williams and Portland's Brandon Roy joined him as reserve guards on the West team for the Feb. 14 game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. "I'm not surprised at all, you know in the West you could probably make an All-Star team just with the guards,'' Paul said late Thursday night by telephone. "Its full of guards and you think of guys like Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker and Aaron Brooks who are other great guards in the West.'' Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash were selected as the Western Conference starting ..."
January 28
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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If you know where the New Orleans Hornets were financially, you have to be impressed with where they are now. Finally, after managing to trim $7 million from the payroll since last summer, New Orleans is under the salary cap – which means it won't have to pay the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax that'll be imposed on teams that are over the salary cap at the end of this season. Most significant: The team got there by giving up nothing substantive. Rasual Butler, the starter at shooting guard last season, was traded to the Clippers during the offseason. Backup center Hilton Armstrong was given to Sacramento two weeks ago."
January 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Hornets shipped seldom-used backup point guard Bobby Brown to the Los Angeles Clippers for a conditional 2014 second-round draft pick Tuesday and are now under the expected luxury-tax threshold. Since the season began, the team has trimmed more than $7 million from its payroll via trades. Brown has not been part of rotation of late. He has played in two of the past 12 games. The trade cut $736,420 off the payroll."
January 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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There were whispers last fall that LSU basketball alumnus Marcus Thornton had told associates on the Tigers' team that he would be starting for the Hornets by midseason. "Nah," Thornton said, moments before Game No. 44 of the regular season, three games past the midpoint of the schedule. "I didn't say that." If Thornton did confide to friends that he'd be in the starting lineup, he was awfully prescient. Thornton, acquired by the Hornets from the Miami Heat on draft night for two future second-round draft choices, made his starting debut Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers, hours after New Orleans traded guard Devin Brown to the Chicago Bulls in part because of Thornton's ..."
January 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul was in a jovial mood considering Monday night's opponent. The Portland Trail Blazers haven't exactly been kind when it comes to Paul's overall health since he came into the NBA in 2005. First off when Paul was a rookie, he tore a ligament in his right thumb when his hand became tangled in the jersey of Trail Blazers guard Steve Blake. On Nov. 13, in Jeff Bower's first game as coach of New Orleans, Paul sprained his left ankle. Against, you guessed, the Trail Blazers. "I'm saying my prayers," Paul said, half-joking, half-seriously. On Monday night, Paul remained upright and healthy throughout, flirting with a triple-double -- scoring 24 points to go ..."
January 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Almost one month after the Hornets attempted to trade shooting guard Devin Brown to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a deal scrapped when Brown refused to give up a portion of his salary to make the trade work, New Orleans shipped Brown to Chicago on Monday for backup center Aaron Gray. Brown, who started 37 games for the Hornets this season after he was inserted into the starting lineup on Nov. 8 against the Los Angeles Lakers, has seen his scoring output diminish greatly over the last six games, while rookie shooting guard Marcus Thornton has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence offensively. Brown has not had a double-digit scoring game since Jan. 13, when he had 10 in a win against the Los Angeles ..."
January 25
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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It's no surprise why the New Orleans Hornets have won two of their past three games and were competitive in Saturday's second half against the Denver Nuggets in the second of back-to-back games. Quick starts and staying out of double-digit holes have greatly aided the Hornets' ability to put together a run recently to get within striking distance of the postseason seedings. A simple formula, but one that can at times be devilishly difficult to attain. When New Orleans' season-best six-game winning streak was snapped Jan. 11 at Philadelphia, the Hornets found themselves down 27-12 after the first quarter. In a Jan. 18 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Hornets trailed after one quarter ..."
January 24
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Not one to blow smoke or toss casual bouquets, Nuggets Coach George Karl said the Hornets have improved greatly since they defeated his team 98-92 on Dec. 18 at the New Orleans Arena. Yet, Karl said his team is better, as well. "You've got two teams that are 7-3 and 8-2 (in their last 10 games); we're playing well too," Karl said. "Charlotte, New Orleans and us are probably the hottest teams in the league right now from a standpoint of win and lose." And Saturday night in the Pepsi Center, both teams played the way they have in those last 10 games, but the Nuggets came out on top, 116-110 in overtime, thanks to two critical 3-pointers in the extra period by guard Arron Afflalo. The ..."
January 22
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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If New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul makes his third consecutive All-Star Game appearance, he will have to be selected by the league's coaches as a reserve. In fan voting, Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash were selected as the starters with Paul finishing third with 1,055,789. Bryant had 2,456,224 and Nash finished with 1,222,235. Paul started last season's game in Phoenix after overcoming more than a 157,000 vote deficit in the final two weeks to earn his spot. But he predicted this morning that he would not return as a starter. "I'm not going to be a starter, but it would mean a lot to be voted by the fans',' Paul said. "That means all those people ..."
January 21
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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On Wednesday night, Hornets backup forward James Posey made his biggest contribution after clutch plays were needed to mount a comeback against the Memphis Grizzlies. Posey's layup with 1.1 seconds remaining and his persistent defense against forward Zach Randolph throughout the fourth quarter carried the Hornets to a 113-111 victory in front of 14,238 at the New Orleans Arena. With the score tied at 111, Posey got the inbounds pass from Peja Stojakovic, then looked to give the ball to Chris Paul -- but he was double-teamed. Taking the initiative, Posey then beat rookie DeMarre Carroll to lane and made a layup over O.J. Mayo to give the Hornets a two-point advantage. He was fouled on the ..."
January 20
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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On Monday afternoon against the San Antonio Spurs, the Hornets lost for the seventh time after scoring fewer than 19 points in the first quarter. Losing 97-90, New Orleans was outscored 29-16 and held to 33.3 percent shooting during the quarter. And during a four-minute stretch in the quarter, the Hornets made only one shot as the Spurs extended their lead to nine. Having poor starts has been a trend that started in the Oct. 28 season opener at San Antonio, when the Hornets were held to 13 points in the first quarter before losing 113-96. The Hornets' last three losses have come after scoring fewer than 19 points in the first quarter. In last Friday's 110-104 overtime loss to the Detroit ..."
January 19
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Comparatively speaking, the Hornets under Coach Jeff Bower are in the gestation period compared to the San Antonio Spurs under Coach Gregg Popovich. And it's hard enough to beat San Antonio as it is; the Spurs don't really require much aid. So what you get is Spurs 97, Hornets 90 in a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday matinee at the New Orleans Arena on Monday, the winner able to take advantage of every crumb given to it by the loser, which trailed by 13 after the first quarter, 15 after the first half and 17 entering the final 12 minutes."
January 19
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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With the trade deadline approaching and the Hornets still about $500,000 above the luxury tax threshold, Coach/General Manager Jeff Bower said the team has had various discussions and are actively monitoring teams. "If there's something that presents itself that will help us and give us some flexibility, then we will look at something," Bower said before Monday's game against the San Antonio Spurs at the New Orleans Arena. "Like every team, we will continue that up until the trade deadline." The trade deadline is Feb. 18, and any team with a payroll above $69.9 will have to pay $1 for every dollar they are above that figure. After trading Hilton Armstrong's expiring contract two weeks ..."