In the Lane: Rough Week

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When this week began the Hornets were healthier, happier, and hopeful. Two games into a four-game, five-day week they are less healthy, less happy, and less hopeful. How could fortunes change so quickly for a team that has overcome so much this season?

The answer is simple: a loss to Philadelphia, the worst team in the Eastern Conference, and a loss to below .500 Toronto, after leading by as many as 15 points in the second half.

The daunting schedule that presented itself to the team this week included games in four different cities and two countries: Philadelphia, Toronto, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City. That is another reason the two losses to begin the busy week hurt so much. The Sixers had just 11 victories prior to their upset of the Hornets, while the Raptors (although just one half game out of first place in the Atlantic Division) were two games below .500.

So, those were a pair of games Byron Scott had penciled in as W’s before play began, but warned his team about taking them for granted. He did so at a Monday practice and again at Tuesday’s shoot around. Still, human nature as it is the Hornets allowed Philadelphia to dictate the tempo early on and then waited too long to shift into high gear before losing in the City of (no) Brotherly Love. The next night north of the boarder the Hornets dominated the Raptors for more than 40 minutes, but watched helplessly as Toronto secured the ball (only one turnover in the second half), shot the ball with the clock stopped (Chris Bosh attempted more free throws in the fourth quarter than the Hornets did in the entire second half), and defended well late in the game (six Hornets turnovers in the final quarter).

As for the team’s health, both David West and Bobby Jackson returned from injuries; but, as has so often been the case this season where for every step forward there appears to be at least one step back, West twisted his left ankle with 1:40 to go in the first quarter on Wednesday and never scored another field goal after returning to the ballgame.

Yes, the Hornets are only a few games out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. And yes, the imminent return of star point guard Chris Paul bodes well for a second half run. But the Toronto game marked the halfway point of this 2006-2007 NBA season for the Hornets, so time is of the essence if this club is going to reverse its fortunes and extend its 82-game season.

Here’s a breakdown of the final 41 games for the Hornets:

As you can see the schedule is favorable for the Hornets on many levels. There’s a major advantage with 23 of 41 remaining games versus below .500 opponents and they have one more home game. On the negative side the Bees have 13 back to backs still to play, begin the month of February with five straight games against playoff-bound teams, and conclude the season on a three-game road trip, including the final two on the west coast.

Without overanalyzing the schedule it’s obvious the Hornets have their work cut out for them. They must climb over five teams, get healthy, and jell over a very short period of time. If they do then their two year playoff drought will end.