[外電] Hornets still seeking elusive first victory
原文出自nola.com
http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1100766880326100.xml
Hornets still seeking elusive first victory
Suns' Stoudemire scores 38 points
Thursday, November 18, 2004
By Benjamin Hochman
Staff writer
Amare Stoudemire had little trouble with the Hornets' defense
Wednesday night, routinely plowing toward the basket, often
the only obstacle in his way being an orange rim.
Stoudemire tied a career high with 38 points as the Phoenix
Suns defeated the winless New Orleans Hornets 95-84 at New
Orleans Arena. And though his offense was impressive, it was
the Hornets' defense -- again -- that contributed to
Stoudemire's big night.
"We didn't fight him," said Hornets coach Byron Scott, whose
team fell to 0-7. "We just allowed him to go down there.
(Center Jamaal Magloire) didn't do anything to really force
him out. He allowed him to get deep position in the post.
You do that to a great player like Amare, he's going to score.
"What I call 'green' is our post-front. We did a terrible job
of it. When we did push him out, and we were supposed to come
down there and double-team him, he split the double team."
The loss in front of 11,359 continues the team's losing streak
-- its worst start in franchise history. While the Hornets did
outrebound the Suns 47-33, the defense was sluggish, allowing
the Suns (6-2), playing the second game of a back-to-back, to
shoot 52.9 percent from the field. And Phoenix banged its way
to the free-throw line for 24 attempts, and made 15.
The Hornets attempted two free throws, making both. The two
free throws attempted tied an NBA record and surpassed the
franchise mark that was set at Milwaukee on Saturday night,
when the Hornets were 3-for-3 from the line.
"It's unheard of," Scott said.
Playing its second game without All-Star point guard Baron
Davis, the Hornets played in spurts offensively. The Hornets
shot 44 percent from the field, but seldom got a big shot
when needed. New Orleans was 2-for-15 on 3-point attempts,
including 0-for-7 in the fourth quarter. Shooting guard David
Wesley led the team with 19 points, and Darrell Armstrong, his
backcourt mate, had 11 on 5-for-17 shooting.
"We double-teamed and tried to make them win on taking jump
shots," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said.
"As players and as a team, we have to have more determination
to fight back," Armstrong said.
Suns point guard Steve Nash, who had 18 assists Tuesday night
against Dallas, had 12 against the Hornets -- with four
turnovers -- and scored 16 points. He kept the Phoenix offense
consistently fluid, setting up jump shooters. Forward Shawn
Marion finished with 23 points, shooting 9-for-16. And guard
Joe Johnson was 4-for-7 for nine points.
"With a point guard like Steve, the game comes a lot easier
to me," said Stoudemire, who scored 34 points against Dallas
on Tuesday.
he second quarter has been forgettable all season for New
Orleans. Against the Suns, the Hornets were outscored 24-17
in the period. For the season, the Hornets have been outscored
187-133 (26.7-19.0) in second quarters.
But Stoudemire's surge in the third and fourth quarters was
the difference. The Suns led 42-39 at the half, but in the
third period Stoudemire was productive. The former Rookie
of the Year made six of nine shots and scored 15 points.
He routinely got position on Magloire in the quarter, on
one play twisting around Magloire for a dunk -- all before
Magloire could begin to move his feet. Scott briefly covered
his face in disgust.
The Hornets stuck around in the fourth quarter, cutting the
Suns' lead to 80-74 with 8:30 left on a David West dunk. With
six minutes left, a Wesley jumper cut the deficit to 86-78.
But on the next possession Stoudemire worked his way into the
lane, got by West, fumbled the basketball, snatched it back
before Lee Nailon could get a hand out and rattled the rim
with a dunk.
Scott, again, walked away from his bench and covered his face,
and then called a timeout. The Suns' lead didn't get lower than
eight after that.
. . . . . . .
Benjamin Hochman can be reached at bhochman@timespicayune.com
or (504) 826-3405.
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