In the 2008-09 season so far, New Orleans Hornets has a record of 22-12. The team has achieved the fourth rank in the Western Conference. This performance cannot be categorized as a disappointment. Rather than offering a challenge to elite roster’s like Los Angeles, Cleveland and Boston, the Hornets have become a part of the second tier of teams classified as good but not great.
Shortcomings
The Hornets do not have a third scorer. Peja Stojakovic was assigned this responsibility two years back along with a five year, sixty million dollar contract. The reason was that in the past he was very successful in Sacramento. At present, he is 31 and due to many surgeries he fails to relieve the offensive pressure off David West and Chris Paul. Also, he was never a great defensive player in the past and considering all of the above the coach Byron Scott may soon cease favoring him. The condition of Tyson Chandler is not hale. In the previous couple of years, he has offered energy, grabbed rebounds and altered shots. In the current season, he has had a sore foot and this has affected his efficiency and records. His timing is not proper. Depth is a big problem in the team. With the exception of James Posey, who is the big ticket free agent, none of the reserves have been consistent scorers. Morris Peterson has been struggling even since he was demoted to the bench.
In the present declining economic state, it is essential to collect revenue from each home playoff game. For this the solution is to finish close to the top of the Western Conference. And simply being good would not suffice for New Orleans Hornets.