im starting to think the hornets have a legit shot this year

[daboywonder2002]

to come out the west. yes the west is tough. but i like their starting 5 and i think their talent can overcome lack of playoff experience. byron scott has plenty. so does peja. i think if peja comes to play and doesnt choke like his playoff label says. then the hornets may make noise. think about it, last year boozer and deron had no playoff experience yet they made it all the way to the wcf's.

[methius]

They'll lose to the Spurs in the first round.

[carrottop12]

Well that is a big if as far as Peja goes, overcoming not being able to compete in the playoffs is not an easy thing to do.

Another thing to recognize is what do other guys on your team have as far as big game situations go.

You brought up Deron and Boozer, both had extensive tournament experience in college, and both played in the Championship game. So honestly, those playoff games may not have been the biggest games of their lives. And they had a good playoff guy like Fisher.

I don't doubt that they could succeed in the West, they are a solid team. But coming out of the West is a whole other story.

San Antonio and LA are the teams to beat, and lately the Suns are going under the radar and they have really started to click with Shaq. Honestly, as good as the Hornets are, I think talent wise they are below average with most other teams in the Western playoff push right now.

They could, because like you said Utah did last year, but it's no easy path.

[Texas Longhorns]

They are too young IMO.

[magicfan4life05]

i just wanna know why has peterson sucked so bad this year?

[joe.linnen]

[quote="Batronuj"]Well that is a big if as far as Peja goes, overcoming not being able to compete in the playoffs is not an easy thing to do.

Another thing to recognize is what do other guys on your team have as far as big game situations go.

You brought up Deron and Boozer, both had extensive tournament experience in college, and both played in the Championship game. So honestly, those playoff games may not have been the biggest games of their lives. And they had a good playoff guy like Fisher.

I don't doubt that they could succeed in the West, they are a solid team. But coming out of the West is a whole other story.

San Antonio and LA are the teams to beat, and lately the Suns are going under the radar and they have really started to click with Shaq. Honestly, as good as the Hornets are, I think talent wise they are below average with most other teams in the Western playoff push right now.

They could, because like you said Utah did last year, but it's no easy path.[/quote]


I'm incline to agree with you because the Jazz faced the Rockets( Boozer and Okur destoyed Yao), the Warriors( That Jazz had the size up front), the Spurs they really didn't have a chance.

This year the west is just too strong for the Hornets to just walk to a title.
They would have to see either the Lakers, Rockets, Jazz, Suns, Spurs, Mavericks, or Warriors. The only team that wouldn't want to face the Hornets would be the Rockets without Yao in the middle.

Lakers 1-2 (one game left)
Golden State 1-1 (one game left)
Spurs 2-2
Mavericks 1-2 (one game left)
Suns 0-4
Rockets 2-2
Jazz 2-1 (one game left)

I change what I said before, they won't get past the second round if they make that

[RoyceDa59]

When it comes to a legitimate chance at making it to the finals, I still think the Hornets are the 6th best team in the West. In my opinion, in order, for most likely to least likely to win the WCC;

1. Spurs
2. Lakers
3. Suns
4. Mavericks
5. Jazz
6. Hornets
7. Warriors
8. Rockets
9. Nuggets

The seedings will definately have a HUGE impact on who has the best chance to take the West. Matchups will favour certain teams over others and it will most likely be the best playoffs we've seen in a very long time.

I think the 2nd round would be an achievement for the Hornets this season.

[Pats19andO]

They are too young IMO.

[a-rod]

They are too young IMO.

Their not too young, they just don't have playoffs experience...

[hermes]

they have a good shot, the west is tough and is someone gets hot they could make the finals, but they'll be looked at as underdogs because of their lack of playoff experience

[2poor]

They have tons of guys with "playoff experience," they just haven't been there together as a team. Chris Paul is the only starter who hasn't been in the playoffs, and I don't think I'm alone when I say that I'm not too worried about how Paul will [mentally] handle the playoffs. Most of their bench has seen the playoffs too. Julian Wright, a rookie, is the only one who hasn't seen the playoffs and is currently playing significant minutes off the bench.

[carrottop12]

Again, that first playoff game is a doozie for those who haven't been there, or those who haven't been there in a while.

Chandler has played in two first round series, both losses, David West played in one series and lost in the first round, and that was 4 years ago and he was a non factor, Peja's numbers are down for his playoff average and his shooting percentages are way down during that period. Mo Pete has also played in 3 playoff series, 1 in the past 6 years in which he was a non factor and his numbers were terrible compared to his career averges.

All in all it seems like the Hornets have quite a few unproven playoff guys so there will be a lot of pressure for Paul to perform, should be fun to watch.

[NO-KG-AI]

Well that is a big if as far as Peja goes, overcoming not being able to compete in the playoffs is not an easy thing to do.

Another thing to recognize is what do other guys on your team have as far as big game situations go.

You brought up Deron and Boozer, both had extensive tournament experience in college, and both played in the Championship game. So honestly, those playoff games may not have been the biggest games of their lives. And they had a good playoff guy like Fisher.

I don't doubt that they could succeed in the West, they are a solid team. But coming out of the West is a whole other story.

San Antonio and LA are the teams to beat, and lately the Suns are going under the radar and they have really started to click with Shaq. Honestly, as good as the Hornets are, I think talent wise they are below average with most other teams in the Western playoff push right now.

[b]They could, because like you said Utah did last year, but it's no easy path.

I'm incline to agree with you because the Jazz faced the Rockets( Boozer and Okur destoyed Yao), the Warriors( That Jazz had the size up front), the Spurs they really didn't have a chance.

This year the west is just too strong for the Hornets to just walk to a title.
They would have to see either the Lakers, Rockets, Jazz, Suns, Spurs, Mavericks, or Warriors. The only team that wouldn't want to face the Hornets would be the Rockets without Yao in the middle.

Lakers 1-2 (one game left)
Golden State 1-1 (one game left)
Spurs 2-2
Mavericks 1-2 (one game left)
Suns 0-4
Rockets 2-2
Jazz 2-1 (one game left)

I change what I said before, they won't get past the second round if they make that

Umm, we are 2-1 against LA, 2-1 against Dallas, and 4-0 against the suns.

I didn't think we were legit contenders for a while, but I have to admit, I'm starting to believe, especially with Julian Wright coming on strong down the stretch.

[Warspite]

Im rooting for them. The Pistons and Celtics would have much easier times with them then any other team.


Honestly any of the top 6 WCF teams could make the Finals and its going to come down to health, coaching and whos hot. Either way I wouldnt expect any team that comes out of the west to win more than 1 game against the better, more experienced, tested, healthier and rested EC opponet.
The Pistons and Celtics wont face an opponet untill they play each other of the caliber of every WC team 1-6. The Hornets will likely play the WCFs in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rd of the playoffs while the Pistons and Celtics sweep the sub .500 teams of the EC.

[TAI8]

Im rooting for them. The Pistons and Celtics would have much easier times with them then any other team.


Honestly any of the top 6 WCF teams could make the Finals and its going to come down to health, coaching and whos hot. Either way I wouldnt expect any team that comes out of the west to win more than 1 game against the better, more experienced, tested, healthier and rested EC opponet. The Pistons and Celtics wont face an opponet untill they play each other of the caliber of every WC team 1-6. The Hornets will likely play the WCFs in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rd of the playoffs while the Pistons and Celtics sweep the sub .500 teams of the EC.

How can you say that when we killed the team that embarrassed the team that had five IIRC consecutive ECF? The only team in the east that would put up a fight against the Spurs is Boston. Detroit is overdone. Cleveland is a question mark. Orlando is too young and inexperienced.

[Deuce33]

I pray to God the Lakers meet the hornets in the playoffs... It'll just mean more rest for our team until the next round

[NO-KG-AI]

Laker fans are mighty cocky for a team that hasn't done anything.

[andykeikei]

Laker fans are mighty cocky for a team that hasn't done anything.

Please don't blame the entire fans base for one stupid comment. Most of us won't agree with him. And I think we will have the best shot next season, not this one. It pains me to say this, but the Celtics is the team to beat.

[BruceO]

after watching the wizards beat NO, twice in a row in a solid way I started to wonder how far NO can go. When I look at the west I don't think I can confidently bet for NO against Dallas, LA, Suns, Denver, Utah, Houston, San antonio. Even Golden state. I think in a series teams can find a way to beat NO.
I actually think NO isn't going past first round. At the most its not going past second round. First round is where I'm looking for the Hornets to exit. I don't see NO going past all those teams in the west and winning three west series and one east vs Boston or Detroit, or Cleveland, or even washington fully healthy. Thats too many teams that can beat NO in a series for me to say NO is going somewhere.

[NO-KG-AI]

Boston lost twice in a row to Washington too.

And no, Houston, PHO, GS, or Denver won't beat us.