Western Conference Second Round: Hornets vs. Spurs
Hornets vs. Spurs
It’s the king of the hill vs. the new kid on the block.
It’s last year’s NBA title winners squaring off with this year’s Southwest Division title winners.
The defending league champion San Antonio Spurs have won four NBA crowns since 1999, establishing themselves as professional basketball’s model franchise. They are what the New Orleans Hornets would like to become someday. The question is, are the youthful Hornets ready to join the savvy Spurs among the NBA’s elite teams during these playoffs? Or will they be forced to wait until next season and beyond?
San Antonio is the league’s oldest, most veteran-laden team, with 11 players in their 30s. Although many of its players are approaching the tail end of their careers, each member of the Spurs’ star-studded trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili is still in his prime.
Conversely, New Orleans’ roster includes eight players who are under the age of 30, highlighted by the emerging trio of Chris Paul (whose 23rd birthday is May 6), Tyson Chandler, 25, and David West, 27. Two other members of the Hornets’ playoff rotation, Hilton Armstrong and Julian Wright, are 23 and 20, respectively.
The Spurs possess an obvious advantage over the Hornets in experience, but the results from the clubs’ 2007-08 regular seasons were virtually identical. Both teams finished the campaign at 56-26. They split four head-to-head matchups, with the Hornets going 1-1 in New Orleans and 1-1 in San Antonio. Both teams finished 10-6 in divisional games. Ultimately, the third tiebreaking step – conference record – enabled New Orleans to break the deadlock with San Antonio. Even in that category, the Hornets (34-18 vs. Western Conference opponents) narrowly edged the Spurs (33-19).
Here’s a look at the projected lineups for what appear to be two evenly-matched teams:
POINT GUARD
Chris Paul vs. Tony Parker
Two of the quickest players in the NBA go head-to-head. Both men fared well offensively during the four regular-season matchups. Paul averaged 22.0 points and shot 53.4 percent from the field, while Parker put up 19.8 points per and connected on 50.8 percent of his shots. Paul’s primary defensive task will be to prevent Parker from getting into the lane, where he scores frequently. The 25-year-old French guard is one of the NBA’s best finishers around the basket among guards, with a knack for dropping in floaters and layups over opposing big men.
SHOOTING GUARD
Morris Peterson vs. Michael Finley
Most of the action between these two NBA veterans will take place on the perimeter. Although both players were known for their slashing ability earlier in their careers, they’ve drifted further from the hoop in recent seasons. During the 2007-08 regular season, over half of the 30-year-old Peterson’s shot attempts came from beyond the three-point arc. Meanwhile, three-pointers represented 47 percent of the 35-year-old Finley’s field goals this season. Both players are relied on for perimeter defense and timely shooting.
SMALL FORWARD
Peja Stojakovic vs. Bruce Bowen
At the Hornets’ offensive end, this matchup could go a long way toward determining the series winner. Stojakovic is New Orleans’ premier three-point threat and has provided clutch baskets in late-game situations all season. Bowen is regarded as one of the NBA’s most effective individual defenders, earning a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive first or second team for seven straight years. Offensively, Bowen only attempts about five shots a game, but is a dangerous three-point shooter when left open, particularly in the corner.
POWER FORWARD
David West vs. Tim Duncan
The 27-year-old West, a first-time All-Star this season, was a Spurs fan as a youngster, idolizing San Antonio Hall of Fame center David Robinson. Duncan helped Robinson win his first NBA championship in 1999, when the Spurs knocked off the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. The now 32-year-old Duncan is one of the most difficult players to defend at power forward, utilizing an array of post moves and skilled footwork that have earned him the nickname “The Big Fundamental.” On defense, the Spurs must respect West’s ability to consistently make 18-foot shots.
CENTER
Tyson Chandler vs. Kurt Thomas
Defense and rebounding will be the emphasis for both players in this series, although Thomas possesses a reliable mid-range jump shot that has provided a chunk of his offense during a 13-year NBA career. It’s possible that the 6-foot-11 Duncan will be matched up at times against the 7-foot-1 Chandler, partly because at 6-9, Thomas will have a four-inch disadvantage against the Hornets’ pivotman. The Spurs’ Fabricio Oberto also receives key minutes at this position and started two first-round games vs. Phoenix.
BENCH
Hornets
Jannero Pargo was called the team’s “unsung hero” of the first round by Peterson. Pargo was New Orleans’ fourth-leading scorer at 14.6 points per game, including a 30-point effort in Game 3. … Julian Wright continued to show glimpses of his finishing ability on offense and stingy one-on-one defense vs. the Mavs. … Bonzi Wells only averaged 16.6 minutes vs. Dallas, but has a history of giving the Spurs trouble with his size and unique post-up skills for a guard. … Second-year center Hilton Armstrong averaged 11.0 minutes in the Dallas series, partly due to Chandler’s foul trouble.
Spurs
Manu Ginobili was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, leading the Spurs in scoring at 19.5 points per game during the regular season despite starting only 23 times. ... Fabricio Oberto is a rugged, savvy center who has played with Ginobili on the Argentina national team. … Brent Barry is a 36-year-old three-point specialist who cannot be left open on the perimeter. … Ime Udoka is a scrappy, hustling defender and often fires three-pointers from the corners. … Longtime playoff participant Robert Horry played the fewest minutes of his career in 2007-08 but has made countless clutch postseason baskets, earning him the nickname “Big Shot Bob.”
