Gameday Preview: New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets
By Joshua Lea
The New Orleans Pelicans are hosting the Charlotte Hornets tonight in the Big Easy. This is a game that the Pelicans need to win to get back on the right track.
The New Orleans Pelicans are hosting the Charlotte Hornets tonight in the Big Easy. This game isn’t as sexy as the matchup on Thursday against the Spurs. This is because Charlotte isn’t a playoff team, and they aren’t in a good position internally either. Still, the Pelicans must think of there playoff dreams and put this game away early.
New Orleans slid one spot down last night following the OKC Thunders victory at home against the Sacramento Kings 106-101. OKC is 40-29 on the season and has a half-game led in the standings. Portland still maintains the number three spot with a two-game lead over OKC.
Charlotte has capable playmakers in Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, and Dwight Howard. Walker is averaging 22.2 points a game this season. Howard is a walking double-double, and Batum is starting to finally show signs of his old self after battling an injury for most of the season.
Charlotte is one of those teams that remains a head-scratcher in the NBA. They have talent, and they have seemingly all the right pieces to make a playoff run. yet, they haven’t seen the second round of the NBA postseason since 2002. Their last playoff appearance was during the 2015-16 season against the Miami Heat. The Heat would win that series in seven.
This season rumors surrounding Kemba Walker have run rapidly throughout the league. From his overall value to the team, to the trade deadline. Walker was the subject of trade rumors during this season more so than seasons past. However, no move was made and Walker still resides with the Hornets despite any lack of leadership in the front office.
Revisiting the most talked about NBA trade that was vetoed
The Hornets are currently contacting teams and solidifying interviews for a new GM position. The front-runner continues to be former Los Angeles Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak who during his tenure in Los Angeles almost pulled off one of the most controversial trades in NBA history.
Yes, I’m talking about the deal that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers, Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets and Lamar Odom to New Orleans. This deal would have paired Paul with Kobe Bryant which could have been serious trouble for the rest of the NBA.
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Had the trade actually gone through, GM Dell Demps would have brought Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Lamar Odom, Goran Dragic and a 2012 pick to New Orleans in exchange for Paul. This deal continues to be talked about as a “what if” moment in NBA history.
However, NBA commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade and instead Chris Paul was moved to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The ESPN matchup predictor gives New Orleans a 62% chance at victory tonight. However, Charlotte is riding high after defeating the Phoenix Suns 122-115. That win ended a five-game losing streak for the Hornets.
Rest in paradise Craig Mack
One thing about the NBA that I’ve always enjoyed is the league’s direct connection with hip-hop culture. This morning, I woke up to the news of the passing of MC Craig Mack at the young age of 46. As a 34-year old Hip-Hop fanatic, I am sad to hear of his passing.
He along with countless others made music during my childhood that I still listen to this day. If you love hip-hop as I do, listen to his album Project: Funk da world. The album dropped in 1994 and is a classic.
Craig Mack will forever fall into the category as a New York MC. He along with Notorious B.I.G., OBD, Big Pun, Big L, Jam Master J, Prodigy (Mobb Deep), Adam Yuch (Beastie Boys), and Heavy D are New York artist who helped make hip-hop what it is today.
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If you’ve seen the movie Straight Outta Compton, you might recall the scene where Eazy-E met Ice Cube in the club following all drama between Ruthless and Death Row records. As Eazy-E approached Ice Cube, the music playing in the background of the club was Craig Mack’s hit single “Flava in ya ear”. That’s the level Craig Mack was on in the early 1990’s, may he rest in paradise.