January 11, 2008

As we approach the halfway point of the 2007-08 regular season, we caught up with TV play-by-play broadcaster Bob Licht to find out his thoughts on the 23-12 Hornets.

Hornets.com: Thanks for joining us Bob to discuss the current state of the Hornets. At 11 games over .500, New Orleans has established itself as one of the NBA’s surprise success stories. If someone had told you back in October that the Hornets would be within 1 ½ games of first place in the Western Conference on Jan 11, what would your initial response have been?
Licht: Believe it or not I would not have been shocked; pleasantly surprised, yes, but not shocked. The Hornets only had five back-to-backs in the 2007 portion of their schedule and only played Southwest Division opponents six times. In addition, the favorable early schedule had the Bees playing only seven playoff teams in their first 17 games. Still, they are where they are for two reasons: (1) They are beating the teams they’re supposed to beat and (2) They are making statements against the Western Conference elite with a pair of wins over Phoenix, one historic victory over Dallas, and large W’s in Denver and at the L.A. Lakers. This is a very good team with at least three All-Star caliber players. San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas are all one major injury away from falling behind the healthy Hornets.

Opposing fans on the road have taken even more notice of Chris Paul this season, another sign of his elevated status among NBA stars.

Hornets.com: Chris Paul is emerging as a legitimate early-season MVP candidate. In your trips this season to other cities and arenas, what are people around the league saying about Paul’s fantastic third NBA campaign? Is there a slightly different crowd reaction to CP3 than there was in his first two seasons?
Licht: Second question first. Road crowds are loudly booing the Bees this season which to me indicates they fear this team; specifically regarding Chris Paul, teams do a lot of oohing and ahhing. There is more respect for an obvious All-Star. Fans are targeting CP a lot more with their verbal abuse…which of course is another sign that he is an emerging superstar.

As for what people outside of New Orleans are saying about Paul this season, you don’t have enough space in this column to record it all. Broadcasters and writers agree that he is the most unstoppable point guard in the league today. They’re amazed by his speed. They’re in awe of his improved shooting. They universally agree that he’s a fun-loving, pure point who can punish opposing point guards in the fourth quarter. Some in the media have told me he is “hell to deal with” and “one of the top individual threats in the game”. Allen Iverson says that CP3 is “a player coaches need to fear.” The daily double-teams he faces is an indication that everyone in the Association is game-planning to alter his routes to the lane and diminish his impact on games. It’s not working.

Hornets.com: Speaking of the road, what has been the difference between this year’s Hornets and the 2005-06 and 2006-07 clubs, who went 14-27 and 15-6, respectively, in away contests. The Hornets have already won 14 road games in 19 tries this season.
Licht: This is a more mature team. Chris Paul’s improved all-around game on both ends of the floor sets the tone for this group. There’s more experience on the floor and in the locker room (i.e. a healthy Peja and the addition of Mo Pete). Good, experienced teams tend to play better on the road. Although this team is young in age it is experienced (for instance, Tyson Chandler is in his seventh season but is 25 years old). On their recent West Coast sweep they got off to fast starts in each game. That takes the crowd out of games, enables the team to gain confidence each quarter, and alleviates pressure on the bench since they are entering games with a lead.

Hornets.com: What is your assessment of the Hornets’ remaining January schedule, which is chalk full of home games?
Licht: Five of the nine January home games come against sub-.500 teams. They’ve also beaten three of the four winning teams on the slate. I know Byron Scott is looking forward to piling up the wins this month because the Hornets’ schedule in the final three months is among the most difficult in the NBA:
* Each remaining month begins with a road trip
* 10 of 15 games in March are against playoff teams
* 7 of 10 games in April are against playoff teams
*17 of their final 25 games this season are against playoff teams
*8 of 16 (half) of the team’s back-to-backs come in the final 25 games of the season

Hornets coach Byron Scott has a chance to potentially join Chris Paul with the Western Conference squad during the 2008 NBA All-Star Game.

Hornets.com: There has been considerable talk locally and nationally about Paul’s bid to become a first-time All-Star with the game being played here in New Orleans. Wouldn’t it be incredible to see Byron Scott earn the right to be the Western Conference’s head coach, if the Hornets can compile the conference’s best overall record?
Licht: Byron Scott doesn’t get the credit he deserves for keeping this squad together through the most challenging circumstances in league history. The temporary relocation over the previous two seasons plus the return home to New Orleans has actually helped bond the team, and Scott has been the glue that has kept them focused on the importance of staying involved in the community and winning games on the court. He hasn’t received enough credit for helping Chris Paul steadily improve during his first three seasons. He was the first to warn the league that he had the best rookie in the game, and then indicate how much stronger and smarter he had gotten in season two. This season he predicted his point guard would very soon be the best at his position in the game. He’s close to that right now. Tyson Chandler and David West have also flourished under B-Scott. If this group stays healthy there’s a reasonable chance he will guide the West team.

Hornets.com: Tyson Chandler and David West have both produced big leaps in production again this season. How do you account for the improvements that the two up-and-coming stars have made in 2007-08?
Licht: Chandler’s Team USA experience this summer helped his confidence immensely. After he grew leaps and bounds a season ago, going from forgotten for the Bulls to reliable for the Hornets, he has taken the next step by averaging a double-double and becoming a legitimate offensive threat. Rebounding comes so naturally for him that he will always be among the league leaders.

West is a tireless worker. He came to camp ready to lead the team in scoring for the third consecutive season. I believe he has become ambidextrous. Opponents can’t play him to go left or right… he’s comfortable using either hand. He has extended his range and improved his low post efficiency. West is a good fit with Chris Paul… working the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop perfectly with his backcourt mate. Two other reasons stand out: he’s healthy and he’s an intelligent guy with a professional approach to the game.

Hornets.com: One of the obvious reasons why New Orleans has performed so well has been the strength of its starting five, which does not have any major weak links. Is it conceivable that people around the league underestimated the Hornets’ first unit when many picked this club to miss the 2008 playoffs?
Licht: Morris Peterson’s free-agent signing was somewhat under the radar this summer. He was never listed on any of the “key free agent signing lists” that I saw entering this season. His defense has surprised me. If the Hornets’ starting five was underestimated it may have been based on the uncertainty over Peja Stojakovic’s health. Very few prognosticators probably thought Chris Paul would become the best point guard in the league, or Tyson Chandler would be an automatic double-double, or David West would elevate his game for the third straight season. That’s why most crystal balls belong at flea markets on Saturday morning.

Hornets.com: The bench has become a major topic of discussion lately, particularly after Byron Scott decided to drastically alter his rotation. What is the answer to solving some of the reserve unit’s inconsistencies?
Licht: The Hornets’ bench problem is not a Rubik’s cube. Reliable reserves from a season ago haven’t duplicated their performances. Rasual Butler, who started the season on fire, hasn’t found his shot. Jannero Pargo has been consistent as a starter, hitting double figures in all four of his starts, but hasn’t been consistent filling in off the bench. Bobby Jackson’s shot has also been very inconsistent. Injuries to Melvin Ely and Ryan Bowen, while not the total reason for the inconsistencies, haven’t helped. Hilton Armstrong’s great preseason (leading the team in scoring) hasn’t translated into significant on-court improvement in the regular season. Julian Wright and Marcus Vinicius are too inexperienced to have an impact this season. Byron Scott has openly stated the need to trade for reinforcements prior to the Feb. 21 deadline. He’s also stated his lack of desire for signing a D-Leaguer to a 10-day contract. Obviously, the coach isn’t confident the current group will help limit starters’ minutes significantly down the stretch.

The recent bench shakeup by Byron Scott has led to increased minutes for second-year swingman Marcus Vinicius.

Hornets.com: For one of the few times over his two NBA seasons, Marcus Vinicius has been on the floor in successive games, part of Scott’s bench shakeup. What will he have to do to cement a permanent spot in the rotation?
Licht: What every reserve must do to stay in Byron Scott’s rotation: make open shots, play sound defense, and bring energy every time he enters a game.

Hornets.com: Conversely, what do Rasual Butler and Julian Wright, both of whom did not play during the three-game month-opening road trip, need to focus on to return to the mix?
Licht: Butler’s season-long slump is perplexing. He’s a great rhythm shooter who appears to have lost confidence. His main NBA skill is shooting and he just needs to shoot his way out of the slump. It may happen in practice. Eventually he will break out of it and be the instant offense he showed the last two seasons. He missed a pair of practices this week due to flu-like symptoms, so he’ll need to fully recover before getting back on board. Wright has hit the rookie wall. He only played in 71 games over two college seasons. He is also recovering from illness a week ago. I’m sure we’ll see Ju-Ju back in the mix before the month is over.

Hornets.com: What impact do you think the return of Melvin Ely will make on the second unit?
Licht: He’s a big, energy guy whose presence was missed over the 12 games he missed due to the fractured left eye socket. He was playing consistently off the bench prior to the horrendous injury suffered at Denver. He can play in the middle for Chandler, or be paired on the court with TC or Hilton to add size up front. He’s a well-liked player whose presence on the bench and in the locker room is a positive for this team.