Hornets sting Lakers, Bryant injured: NBA Playoffs

This is becoming interesting. Chris Paul and his New Orleans Hornet teammates are giving the defending champion LA Lakers all they can handle, beating LA 93-88 on Sunday and tying their series at 2 games a piece.

The key for the Hornets, CP3. Chris Paul had a triple double, 28 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists and led his team to the win. As for the Lakers, their main man, Kobe Bryant, 17 points. Bryant was seen leaving the game on crutches, but said he'd be ready for game 5.

Either way, this series is quickly becoming a lot of fun, we'll see who can pull it out.

Your game highlights from SI.com:

What Is This Western Conference You Speak Of...???

To quote Lawrence Welk... a one anna two...

Both go down...
What in the wide world of sports happened there...???

Chris Paul showed why the Atlanta Hawks made a mistake in not taking him in the draft as he and his New Orleans Hornets in Los Angeles...
((HT: NBA/ESPN/nba.com))


And, to go even one better, who are these Memphis Grizzlies...??? Being all pesky and knocking off San Antonio like that in Game 1 of their series...???
((HT: NBA/TNT/nba.com))


If you just wanna see the Battier three, here it is...
((HT: Yahoo!Sports))

He also became a father Sunday...
Here's local coverage from our friends at MyFoxMemphis...

Grizzlies Stun Spurs in 1st Playoff Win: MyFoxMEMPHIS.com

Oh, there was SOME normalcy as the Thunder held off Denver...
Durant and Westbrook combined for 72 in the win...
((HT: NBA/ESPN/nba.com))

Chris Paul injured, taken from court on stretcher

Chris Paul/Courtesy: Scott Shaw-The Plain Dealer

Really tough day in Cleveland for the New Orleans Hornets and their star player Chris Paul. Yeah, the Hornets won the game, beating the Cavs, 96-81 on Sunday, but Paul had to be taken off the court in the 3rd quarter on a stretcher after colliding with Ramon Sessions of Cleveland while chasing a loose ball.

More from the Cleveland Plain-Dealer RIGHT HERE

The good news, Paul was responsive and aware of what was going on. The bad, it appears Paul suffered a concussion. 

Paul got a CT scan at the Cleveland Clinic and was given the OK to go back to the arena. He left with the Hornets for Chicago later in the evening.

No word on his availability for New Orleans in the immediate future.

Here's some video of the collision:

Cuban Mad At NBA For Hornets Trade

And, I think, the HQ is in agreement with him this time...

The New Orleans Hornets have been owned by the league since early December. Which, technically, means that the owners are responsible for 1/29th of the operating costs.
When the team is allowed to make a trade that adds a pro-rated salary figure to the operating costs, that gets guys like Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban all fired up.

Here's JW Stewart with details inside the localized SportsCenter
((HT: ESPN))


"I don't have a problem if they go dollar-for-dollar, great, more power to them," Cuban said. "You could see if it was like a marquee guy and he's going to bring in lots of dollars. No disrespect to Carl Landry, but I don't see that's the way it works. It's just wrong. I'm one of the owners. The league is supposed to just give them a budget and it never dawned on me that the budget would say you can spend more money to bring in players."

Cuban looks at every business he has with a businessman's acumen. While the Mavs certainly are one of the bigger play-toys he has, it's still a business. When an investment is supposed to be break-even or profitable, it's one thing. When you're propping up someone else's business, it's something else entirely.

Especially, if there's no immediate return...

Jarrett Jack charged with DUI

Jarrett Jack Booking photo/Courtesy: gwinnett co.sheriff's/AJC.com

((ht: ajc.com))

This...isn't good. Especially on NBA All-Star weekend. New Orleans Hornets guard and former Georgia Tech standout Jarrett Jack, spent the early morning hours of Monday in trouble with the law.

The reason...he was pulled over in Snellville, Georgia and charged with DUI.

Read the story from AJC.com RIGHT HERE

We knew, and covered Jack when he was at Tech and we know he has a lot of ties to the Atlanta area. But we wonder what the bloody hell he was thinking? While he was borderline "Over-the-limit", he should never have put himself in that situation.

Jack hasn't been an incredible success in the NBA, playing for 4-teams in the past 6-years. But he's been a solid backup player and carved out a moderately successful career for himself. No, this won't cost him his job, but it will make his employers nervous, whether he's convicted or not. Professional sports owners don't like their investments having legal issues, and while there are far worse things he could have done, a DUI is fairly high on the list of no-no's.

Here's Jack hitting a game winner in the ACC Tourney several years ago against North Carolina...somewhere on the baseline in the group of cameras, was yours truly...

DEVELOPING: NBA Completes Hornets Purchase

The NBA has announced that its board of governors has given its anticipated approval of the purchase of the New Orleans Hornets.

Commissioner David Stern announced back on the 6th that the league intended to buy the Hornets from majority owner George Shinn and minority owner Gary Chouest.

Shinn had been trying to sell the club to Chouest since last spring but negotiations stalled and Chouest backed out of Round One of negotiations.

Stern says the franchise is worth about $300 million and that the league will look to sell the club to a more permanent owner, preferably one that would continue to operate the team in New Orleans.

The Hornets were founded in Charlotte by Shinn in 1988 and moved to New Orleans in 2002. According to the league, Jac Sperling, a New Orleans native and sports executive with over 20 years of sports-industry experience, will serve as the team’s chairman and representative on the league's Board of Governors.

Team President Hugh Weber will continue directing the day-to-day activities of the team.

Here's Paul Murphy's piece on the local groups trying to keep the Hornets local...
((HT: WWL-TV))

New Owners For Hornets...???

((HT: WWL-TV))

Monday, New Orleans attorney Morris Bart made an offer to buy 10 percent of the team. Bart said former minority owner Gary Chouest, who passed on buying the team outright, is still interested in the franchise.

"You have to have the major investor and hopefully that would be Gary Chouest who has expressed to me in the last few days that he is still interested," said Bart. "He's interested in acquiring more than 50 percent of the team."

But, remember, Chouest was interested, but not under current terms put out by George Shinn and/or the NBA.

Bart and a group of local investors would buy the minority share of the team...

The current lease agreement expires in 2014...
Paul Murphy explains...

Will the NBA buy the New Orleans Hornets? UPDATE--Answer is yes!

Hornets Logo/Courtesy: sportige.com

It sure looks like they will. The guy who owns the team. Perennial chaotic owner George Shinn no longer wants to be the owner. We aren't exactly clear why.

Minority owner Gary Chouse (he owns 35 percent of the team) wants to buy them....but. Though there was an agreement in place for that to happen back in May, it still hasn't happened. Chouset, hasn't spoken to anyone, much less the media, so we don't know why.

Read a pretty good summary from NOLA.com RIGHT HERE

The team, can opt of their lease if attendance doesn't average 14,735 fans per game by the end of January. They aren't on pace for that.

For their part. The NBA hasn't commented publicly as to what they intend to do, but the belief by most is they'll step in because they desperately want the team to stay in New Orleans. Remember, this is the team that started their lives in Charlotte, but moved when Shinn didn't want to stay there after having some "issues".

It sure sounds like the league will have to take over. The question is..."Will they have anymore luck finding a buyer?". Maybe. Nobody knows. This hasn't happened before.

**UPDATE MONDAY AFTERNOON**--The NBA announced today that they are going to buy the team for somewhere around $300 million. We assume they will try and flip it to another owner since Chouse has indicated he won't be buying the team.

Here are the Hornets, knocking off the team we all love to hate, the Miami Heat. Thanks YouTube:

Is Charlotte In NBA Contraction Crosshairs...???

((HT: FoxCharlotte.com))

Late last week, you remember NBA commissioner David Stern mentioning the possibility of contracting teams to make up for the US$800-million he wants to trim from his losses...???

As a result, the Boston Globe reports three teams- Charlotte, Memphis, and New Orleans Hornets- could be the first three off the books... one of those "anonymous sources" agreed on the three teams mentioned above...

The Bobcats ranked 22nd in attendance last season, the Hornets ranked 23rd, and the Grizzlies 28th.

Charlotte could be oh-for-two if this happens...

Fox Charlotte Steve Lyerly has some immediate feedback...


The idea behind Stern's "$800M number" is, realistically, more like him wanting to cut $500M or so. Trimming two of the three franchises could do that.

According to Forbes Magazine's franchise evaluations from 2009, the Bobcats, the Griz, and the Hornets were 25th, 29th, and 28th in value, respectively.

Charlotte ((US$278M)) had US$15M less in operating revenue than the year before. The Griz ((US$257M)) value dropped 13-percent, and the Hornets ((US$267M)) dropped 6-percent in value.

Short of the Nets before the Prokhorov sale, each had the three highest debt rankings in the league. Stern would be cutting dead weight, and the HQ thinks the Griz Michael Heisley would mind the least.

More when we know more...

George Shinn Looking For A New Dance Partner

A person familiar with negotiations says talks over the possible sale of the NBA's New Orleans Hornets between majority owner George Shinn and minority owner Gary Chouest have reached an "impasse" and that Shinn now wants to speak with other possible buyers.

Shinn's preference is to deal only with investors who want to keep the Hornets in New Orleans. Shinn and Chouest have yet to publicly discuss the sale.

Shinn, who underwent recent treatment for prostate cancer, has said he wants to focus more on his charity work, his faith and write a book.

Chouest, who bought 25 percent of the club in 2007, owns a Louisiana company that builds and operates boats for the offshore energy industry.

Obviously, more when we know more, but...

The HQ would like to remind everyone about the last time Shinn got a wild hair up someplace and decided he didn't like where he was...

((HT: d4w4c4/NBA))

Do These Clothes Still Fit...???

Remember the "Tyson Chandler to Oklahoma City" deal we talked about yesterday...?
Forget we ever mentioned it...

The Hornets announced on Wednesday that the Oklahoma City Thunder did not medically clear the center and therefore rescinded the trade. Chandler would have gone to the Thunder for forwards Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith.

"We welcome Tyson back with open arms," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said in a statement. "We went into this trade to garner more frontcourt depth to add to our team as we continue our push towards the playoffs. We expect Tyson and the rest of our big guys to step up to the challenge."

“We were pleased to add Tyson to the Thunder roster,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said. “During the course of the physical examination and outside consultations some questions arose that gave us cause for concern. We felt that this course of action was the best for our organization.”

Chandler, who is averaging 8.8 points and 8.3 rebounds this season, has been bothered by foot problems and has played in only 32 games. He is set to make $12.3 million next season.

The Hornets were looking to clear cap room, and a lot of it.
Now, they get to figure out how turf toe clipped a deal. And will the Hornets try again before the end of tomorrow...?

Your Tuesday Update On The "Logo"

With the NBA trade deadline coming up Thursday, there are going to be a lot more rumors coming around with players heading from one team to another...

Something may happen, most won't...

Phoenix has already said, through perilously-close-to-being-fired-himself GM Steve Kerr, that neither Amare Stoudamire nor the Big Jabberwocky will be traded now that Alvin Gentry is patrolling the bench.

The New Jersey Nets are looking to trade Vince Carter to Houston or Portland. The four-letter's Chad Ford lets us know that the two teams are squawking over what they're getting and what they're giving.

Portland is looking to send Raef LaFrentz, Travis Outlaw, and Sergio Rodriguez. Spare parts on both sides could add players and eliminate contracts.

Houston, initially, had Tracy McGrady in the mix. But Rockets owner Leslie Alexander nixed that one. Now, it looks like Josh Boone and Carter would travel for some combination of Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Luther Head, and Carl Landry.

Dallas, San Antonio, and Cleveland all were in play at some point.

One deal did go down... Tyson Chandler ((pictured in his old threads, thanks newsok.com)) was making too much money in the eyes of New Orleans ownership. So he was sent to Oklahoma City ((Gee, thanks)) for Joe Smith, Chris Wilcox, and the rights to draft pick DeVon Hardin.

Thunder GM Sam Presti addresses the deal below...
((HT: Newsok.tv))

State of Louisiana Needs To Pay Saints and Hornets

No, that's not the beginning of an editorial column...

The state actually owes the two franchises ((Drew Brees of the Saints is pictured thanks, David Grunfeld/nola.com)) around $27.5-million...

Ed Anderson starts us off from the Times-Picayune talking about the budget shortfall starting July 1.

"The state owes the Saints $23.5 million this year and next year to play in the Dome as well as $10.4 million in other contractual inducements, like concessions and parking revenues. The 2010 budget also calls for the Superdome Commission to pay the Hornets $7.16 million in inducements plus about $4.2 million in revenues from parking and concessions.

Besides the inducements to the two teams, ((Senior VP for SMG Services Doug))Thornton said, insurance costs have increased at the Dome and a bond deal sold after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to renovate the stadium and refinance older bonds has a debt payment of $18.2 million looming for next year, up $9.2 million from this year.

The hotel-motel tax in Orleans and Jefferson parishes is expected to generate about $31 million in the fiscal year starting July 1 and other revenues are expected to bring in another $10.1 million. But the tax revenues are not keeping pace with projections, he said."

Thornton admitted at the Louisiana Sports Entertainment Board meeting Wednesday that there is not deal in place currently to keep the Saints in the Superdome past the end of their lease. The two sides are working on it, but nothing is close...

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is already faced with a US$341-million shortfall for the remainder of this fiscal year and is staring a US$1.1-billion shortfall for the 09/10 fiscal year ((source- bayoubuzz.com)). The proposed deficit for 2009/2010 is listed, currently, at US$2-billion. Jindal is going to have to trim close to US$700-million to balance this year's dollars to minimize the damage in 09/10.

New Orleans is trying to line itself up for the 2013 Super Bowl and needs to have its plans submitted to the Shield by April.

Those of us at OSG HQ know how important sports are to the state of Louisiana. But aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina are still being felt. The Multi-Colored Newspaper came out with the number the other day that close to US$4-billion still hasn't been spent on FEMA programs that were supposed to be administered. Also, there was the news that only 50 or so FEMA trailers are in use in Jefferson Parish. All the others are gone.

But we maintain that you need to focus on people first. Sports can help you rebuild. On that point we can rally for plenty of space here on site. But if the Benson and Shinn families can't make it work, and the University of New Orleans is on the verge of cutting athletic programs and may have problems keeping their Division I status because of economic issues, and you can't help any of them...

Rebuild from the inside-out...

A pair of jeans with patches all over them to keep them fashionable just looks ugly over time.