[TimesPicayune] Hornets in for tough season in the West
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Hornets in for tough season in the West
Scott says he's ready for challenging clubs that await N.O.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
By John Reid
Staff writer
When Byron Scott agreed to a three-year deal in June to
coach the Hornets, he expected challenges.
On Monday, Scott discovered how much of a challenge he
and the Hornets face in their first season in the rugged
Western Conference.
Scott makes his Hornets' coaching debut Nov. 3 against the
Dallas Mavericks -- now a division rival -- in the opener
at New Orleans Arena. It's the third consecutive season
the Hornets will start at home.
Indeed, three of the Hornets first four games are against
Western Conference leaders -- Dallas, the Minnesota
Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers.
New Orleans gets a homecourt advantage early, with six of
the first eight games at home. But the Hornets pay it back
in December, when nine of 15 games are on the road.
With the switch to the West, the Hornets will make four
Western trips instead of two. Starting on Nov. 22 at Utah,
the Hornets will take their first-five game trip of the
season, which includes stops at Golden State, Phoenix, Los
Angeles to play the Lakers, before concluding against the
Denver Nuggets on Nov. 29.
In December, the Hornets have another five-game trip.
They'll play the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 19, the Los
Angeles Clippers on Dec. 21, the Lakers on Dec. 22, the
Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 26, and the Indiana Pacers on
Dec. 27.
"The first 25 or 27 games, we have a bunch of road games,
but other than that, it always works out in the end," Scott
said. "Somewhere down the line the schedule is going to turn
in your favor. I'm never really big on the schedule, because
it always has its plus and minuses. So that's not a big
concern of mine.
"I love challenges. That's the way I've always looked at it.
I learned that from the very best, Jerry West. He always said
"If they don't like a challenge, you shouldn't be in this
game.' Schedules don't scare me, because you've got to play
these guys anyway. It's just a matter that you are prepared
and ready to play."
The Hornets move this season to the Southwest Division with
the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies and
Mavericks. The Hornets play each team four times -- twice at
New Orleans Arena. It is the only division in the NBA in which
every team made the playoffs the previous season, although the
Hornets qualified in the East, which boasts the champions
Detroit Pistons but is weaker top to bottom.
The Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, come to New Orleans on Dec. 17
and Feb. 16.
The Rockets, led by Tracy McGrady who was acquired in a trade
from the Orlando Magic this summer, will play at the Arena on
Jan. 26 and March 25.
"I think when you look at our division with San Antonio,
Dallas, Houston and Memphis, three of those teams were 50-game
winners last season, and Houston wasn't too far behind," Scott
said. "So I would have to say this is the toughest division."
Among the Hornets' top featured home games, Shaquille O'Neal
makes his only New Orleans appearance with the Miami Heat on
April 2. In a blockbuster trade this summer, the Heat acquired
O'Neal in exchange for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant
and a future first-round pick. Last season, the Heat eliminated
the Hornets (41-41) in the first round of the playoffs.
"You don't have to see the big guy too many times until one of
these days we hopefully see him in the finals," Scott said.
"I think with him going to Miami, obviously the balance has
not necessarily shifted, but it's probably more balanced now
than it has been in a long time."
The Pistons make their only appearance at the Arena on Dec. 4.
For the third consecutive season, the Lakers will make only
one trip to New Orleans, on Nov. 9. The Hornets have had
sellouts for both Lakers' games the past two seasons.
In another change, the NBA is back in business in Charlotte,
N.C., with the expansion Bobcats. The Hornets played 14
seasons in Charlotte before they relocated to New Orleans after
the 2001-02 season. The Hornets make their first return to
Charlotte Coliseum on Dec. 14. The Bobcats play in New Orleans
on March 25, and the game will be televised on ESPN.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, coached by former
Hornets coach Paul Silas, play in New Orleans on March 28.
Philadelphia's 76ers star Allen Iverson makes his only
appearance on Jan. 28.
For the second consecutive season, home games at the Arena
will tip off at 7 p.m., with the exceptions occurring on Feb.
27 against Denver, March 6 against Toronto and April 10
against the Portland Trail Blazers. Those games will tip off
at 6 p.m., because they are played on Sunday.
The Hornets will play nine home games on Friday nights and
seven on Saturday nights. Seventeen games will be played on
Wednesdays, the most on any night of the week.
The Hornets want to improve their overall attendance numbers
significantly from last season, when they ranked 28th among the
league's 29 teams with a 14,332 per game average.
Later this month, the Hornets will start their marketing push
to sell mini- and full-season ticket packages.
"We're very anxious to get the 2004-05 season underway and
welcome back the wonderful fans who have been with us since we
arrived in New Orleans," Hornets owner George Shinn said in a
statement. "And with our move to the Western Conference and a
new head coach in Byron Scott, it will be a great chance for
new fans to see the superstars of the NBA and how fun,
entertaining and exciting Hornets games are in person."
. . . . . . .
John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3405.
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