I know, more sports stuff, but really, this was cool. And after reading Brandi’s entry on blogging every day this month, I figure I’ll give it a shot too. So last night I went to my first Hornets game of the season. I had renewed my season tickets last year, and changed my seat location. I didn’t go to the home opener on Friday because I was running the HALF MARATHON the next morning, so my parents sat in my seats. My friend Brandon and I left work and got down to the Arena about 7 pm. The game didn’t start until 8:30 central time because the NBA and ESPN like to make money. If they wanted to show a doubleheader, then why couldn’t they get a game that was being played in CALIFORNIA for the late game?
Back to my new seats….they are way better than last year. I almost had words with a lady two rows in front of me last year when I’d yell about how terrible David West was playing. She turned around a couple of times like she was going to say something, but never did. I kind of yell a lot at games. This year some guy on the front row of my section yells about EVERYTHING, so I’m not the only one. More people seemed in tune with the game, and I didn’t have my neighbor leave during the 3rd quarter no matter what is happening. Plus it’s a snap to get to the seats and to leave, no more walking around half the arena. They also shoot tshirts up to my section and film a lot of the in game video near me. So hopefully I’ll get in the background of some promotion thing and be ‘that guy’. It should be a good location for this year.
After last week’s debacles against the Spurs, Celtics, and Knicks, I wasn’t expecting much. The Hornets really haven’t shown they have learned from that 58 point embarrassment during the playoffs last year. They still play weak defense up front. However, they were playing the Mavericks. The Hornets have kind of owned the Mavs the past couple of years IMO. Even the laziest PF I’ve ever seen in my life, David West, gets up for a game against Dirk. So despite the recent results, I had hope the Hornets would play the Mavs well.
The game was back and forth, and the Hornets jumped out to an early lead, that was eventually whittled away. It was tight at the half, and the third quarter the Hornets opened up another lead. I thought Chris Paul was shooting really well, but they weren’t pulling away like I thought they should. Then they blew it in the 4th quarter. Their defense had multiple breakdowns and then at the end, they were having to hope for a miracle.
The Mavs were ahead 94-92 and the Hornets had the ball. Chris Paul misses a shot, but there was still going to be time on the play clock if they could get a stop. They didn’t. Nobody boxed out 58 year old Erick Dampier who tipped in a shot with 16 seconds to play. Four point lead with 16 seconds, NOT GOOD. The Hornets inbounded and got a quick score. They started intentional fouling which ended up giving the Hornets the ball with 13 seconds left down 3. Instead of passing to an open shooter, Chris Paul tried to show off to Dallas’ back up PG. The refs called an offensive foul. The backup PG was going to the line for 2 shots, then David West gets a tech for whining to the refs about the call. Three foul shots with 9 seconds left. Then the miracle began. Dallas missed ALL THREE FREE THROWS. If you heard a choking sound around 11 pm last night, that was the Mavericks. So 9 seconds left Hornets get the ball and I kept thinking they should pass it to Peja, my favorite Hornet, because even though he had missed all of his shots in the game, he was due to make one. They inbound the ball, Peja catches, shoots and SCORES! GO CRAZY! It was awesome!
Look at Jason Kidd, it’s like he knows what’s going to happen!
The Hornets were able to pull away in OT since Dirk had fouled out and they had all the momentum. Peja didn’t score another basket in OT, so he ended up with 3 points off the game saving 3 with six seconds to play. Thanks to the game starting so late, and then having to go drop Brandon off at his car, I didn’t get home until after midnight. Not cool NBA, not cool.
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