New Orleans Hornets - playoff sleepers?

[Nick]

I was having a look at the New Orleans roster today, and i realised that when healthy, they would have one of the most complete lineups in the league:

PG- C. Paul
SG- D. Mason
SF- P. Stojakovich
PF- D. West
C- T. Chandler
---
6th man - Bobby Jackson

They seem to have every basis covered:

Perimeter scorer
Peja Stojakovich
(aswell as Chris Paul)

Perimeter defender
Desmond Mason
(aswell as Chris Paul)

Inside scorer
David West
(and sort of Desmond Mason at times. Mason is also useful as a finisher. Perfect when you have a player like Chris Paul.)

Inside defender
Tyson Chandler (also one of the best rebounders in the league to boot. Like Mason, Chandler is useful as a finisher)

Playmaker/Team leader
Chris Paul

Bench spark
Bobby Jackson
(Rasual Butler aint too shabby either off the bench.)

The hornets are currently 9th in the West. If they can make it to the playoffs, and if stojakovich can come back before playoff time, i think they could suprise some people.

What's most scary is that the team is reasonably young. Paul, Chandler and West are yet to enter their primes and will only improve from here (particulary Paul), Stojakovich and Mason aren't exactly old. Chandler could become the key player people invisioned him being when he was drafted by becoming one of the top defenders/rebounders in the league. And Paul could become an MVP worthy kind of player eventually.

If they keep their roster in tact over the next few years, i think they could be quite scary.

[Slamduncan]

I thought they were 8th. anyway, I believe this also.

[Matt]

Had Chris Paul, West & Peja not been out all at the same time this team would have probably been 6th seed or better. Right now, they are probably looking at a playoff spot and could/should take Denvers 7 seed. Might even knock Lakers from 6th.

They have a nice 9 man rotation, and their 10,11,12th men are amongst the best in the L. This team is pretty deep.

[Andrew]

If the playoffs started tomorrow they'd be in there at the eighth seed. I wouldn't count any of the teams hanging around that final spot in the West out just yet. If Peja returns I can see them making some noise and perhaps stealing a couple of games but I don't see them upsetting any of the top four teams in the West and getting out of the first round this year.

[BigKaboom2]

I think the experience factor might preclude them from doing any serious damage. Their lineup is good but I'm not sure they know how to win a playoff series.

[Lamrock]

They are currently 8th right now, and I see them sneaking into the sixth seed and with all the weak teams hovering between 7th and 12th, playoffs shouldn't be too hard. If half their team would've stayed healthy, they would be #6 in the west.

The Hornets are one of my favorite teams. If not for a terrible March, they would have been in the playoffs last season.

[TheBigEasy]

Its just the injuries. If all had stayed healthy all season .. we'd have a record similar to the Jazz or Rockets right now.

We might sneak in on the 8th spot, or even 7th ... but I doubt they'd upset someone. 7th or 8th seed means Phoenix or Dallas in the first round. We might become a team nobody wants to play in the post season, but I seriously doubt we'd be good enough to kick either of the two out of the playoffs.

Next year tho ... one can just hope everybody stays healthy, so that we can really show what we can do.

[[Q]]

well, they were hanging around sixth last year until they fell off in the last month or two. this was also minus Peja & Bobby & Pargo.

[Axel]

The Hornets are one of my fav teams to watch. Tyson Chandler is a real contended for MIP this year. He's improved leaps and bounds since his days with Chicago. Last night against the Sonics, he had 19 rebounds (10 offensive) and 15 points. He started off really slow, but in past weeks, he routinely averages 10 - 15 pts, and 13 or so rebounds. I think the only thing the Hornets lack right now is a consistent perimeter shooter, and if Peja comes back around March or so, he's obviously one of the best shooters ever...

Definetly a playoff team.

[The X]

I can't see them sticking with the Mavs or Suns in a series, maybe the Suns better, but I think they could give teams like the Spurs, Jazz & Rockets some problems in a series....good luck to them, hopefully they meet up against Spurs or Rockets....