2008 Playoff Blog - Jannero Pargo
Hornets guard Jannero Pargo has waited his entire NBA career for an opportunity like this. After playing on four different teams over six seasons in the league, the 6-foot-1 reserve was a significant contributor during the Hornets’ 56-26 campaign, best in franchise history. One of the team’s most personable players, the 28-year-old will be blogging on Hornets.com throughout the 2008 playoffs.
May 7, 2008
FAN UP NEW ORLEANS
When I came out before Game 1 on Saturday and saw all the fans wearing those gold shirts, I thought it was really special. I thought it symbolized not only how the team has come together, but also how the fans here have come together to support us. How this whole city has come together as a whole. It means a lot to this organization to have the fans behind us like that. And I think it really helped us during the game.
I love the “Woooo!” chant that the fans do when CP scores or makes a good play. It’s really cool. That chant and the “MVP” chant for Chris, they both show how much the fans are getting into the game. The whole atmosphere at the games is just making it an even better experience for us in the playoffs.
The fan support has been crazy. I even looked up in the stands the other day and saw a couple people wearing a Hornets T-shirt with my name on the back. Honestly, I’ve never seen that before since I’ve been in the NBA. It was amazing to see.
They play the “Woooo!” clip for Chris, but they don’t have anything for me. They asked me before the season if there was something I wanted them to play for me, but I couldn’t think of anything at the time. Now that I think about it, maybe something from Lil’ Wayne would be nice. Something like that Lil’ Wayne song “Poppin’ Bottles.”
ON THE DEFENSIVE
A lot of people might not be talking about it, but I think the biggest part of why we’re winning is defense. We have improved tremendously on the defensive end, especially in the third and fourth quarter. I think defense has been a part of my game for a long time, but it’s just starting to get noticed now because we’re on a bigger stage. I’m happy that people are starting to recognize me for that.
THE PEJA HEADS
Those big Peja heads are great. I think he is embarrassed by them, but we love them. When I first saw them, I couldn’t believe it. I saw about three of them in a row and the workers were running around the stadium, holding them up. I thought they were cool.
MAY 2, 2008
A MEMORABLE FIRST ROUND
I don’t really read all the different newspapers, so I wasn’t aware of what people have been writing or saying about me playing well in the Dallas series. I have noticed after practice that there has been a little bit more attention from the media. But anytime you have success, you have to take it the right way. I’m just trying to stay grounded, and do the same things I’ve been doing. And not get too big-headed or whatever.
I thought I played pretty well against Dallas. It was not so much how well I played, but when I played well. I think in Game 2 and Game 4, I came in and gave us a big spark when we needed it. That really helped catapult us to wins. Whenever you can help a team win a game in the playoffs, it’s huge. I’m really just thankful for the opportunity. I’m thankful that the coaching staff and my teammates have trust in me.
I got some calls from a lot of my friends I played with in college after the series and a lot of people I play with in the summer. They know what I can do, so they’re happy to see me get a chance to go out there and play my game.
UP NEXT: PARKER, GINOBILI
The big thing for our guards to do against the Spurs is we’ve got to control those guys and keep them out of the paint. We have to force them to shoot jump shots with a hand in their face. We know we’re not going to shut those guys out, because they are two great players. We have to contain them and make them take jumpers. If they beat us that way, then so be it.
I actually was (simulating) Manu Ginobili on the scout team in practice. Normally you don’t see me going to the basket a lot, but since I was supposed to be Manu, I drove in quite a bit! I was trying to get in the lane and throw up some awkward shots that he takes and makes. He’s been making those for years. Hopefully I did a good job. Hopefully that will make it a little bit easier for Mo Pete to guard him after seeing that.
AN EYE ON THE HAWKS
I’ve been friends with Joe Johnson since college at Arkansas, so I’ve been watching every game of that Atlanta-Boston series. Those have been exciting games. For the Hawks to win two games is unbelievable. To be honest, I didn’t expect them to win one. Right now they have a series and a chance to force a Game 7. It’s been very exciting to watch.
I was really happy to see what Joe did during the fourth quarter of Game 4 (when Johnson scored 20 points to lead a Hawks comeback win). He’s been a great player throughout his career. At Arkansas, after he left for the NBA, I kind of watched some of the things he did to get to this level. To see him have that kind of success, I’m very happy for him.
April 28, 2008
THE KIDD FOUL
I’m not surprised at all that Jason Kidd didn’t get suspended for Game 5. We didn’t want him to get suspended. We want the Mavericks to be at full strength and have their best team out there on the floor. That way, if we get the win, it won’t be tainted at all.
Personally, I didn’t think he deserve to be suspended. He did exactly what he was supposed to do. It’s the playoffs. You don’t give up any layups, no matter what the score is. He wanted to give a hard foul and that’s what he did. He didn’t apologize, but I didn’t expect an apology. It’s basketball. Whatever happens out there on the floor, you leave it there. I didn’t have anything personal against Jason Kidd before the play. I don’t have anything against him after the play. It was a hard foul and he was playing the game the right way.
I saw the replay and the fall, but I don’t think Kidd realized how small I am (6-foot-1, 175 pounds)! I think he brought out some of that old-man strength, and threw me down probably a little harder than he wanted to. When the play was happening, I knew it was going to be a hard foul. That’s why I tried to jump into him, to try to create some contact myself. It was a tough, playoff-type foul. No big deal.
LONG ROAD TO NBA
For the fans who know my story, who know my situation and know how hard it was for me to even getting into the league, and later for me to get playing time, they can appreciate it. Hard work pays off. I think they can identify with me.
I think people realize what I can do, after being in the league for six years. I didn’t play very much early in my career, but I think over the past two years, I’ve shown what I can do. It’s not like every game I’m going to go out and score 30 points like I did in Game 3. I have to do whatever the team needs, which sometimes means playing tough defense. I’m shooting the ball with confidence. Chris Paul has done an excellent job of getting into the lane, so a lot of times when I shoot a three-pointer, I’m by myself. It’s tough to miss those shots. You have to give the team a lot of credit, because we’re really creating for each other.
UNCHARTED TERRITORY
I didn’t realize that no New Orleans NBA team has ever won a playoff series (including the New Orleans Jazz in the 1970s and the Hornets), but people are definitely going to be very excited at Game 5. Words can’t describe how supportive the fans have been. We’re really looking forward to a sellout crowd, to them fanning up and them being excited for the game. Their presence has been important all year. Whenever we’ve won games at home, they’ve been a big factor.
April 22, 2008
THE DOUBLE-TEAM EFFECT
We knew that Dallas was going to try to do whatever they could to focus on Chris Paul after what he did in the first game. We’re professionals. Whenever you double-team a guy, especially on the perimeter, it’s going to create wide-open shots. We stepped up to the challenge. If they’re going to challenge us to make open shots, that’s what we have to do to win games. The last couple days of practice, we all got a lot of shots up. We were able to knock those open shots down in Game 2.
We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now. Our two All-Stars – Chris Paul and David West – we’re playing off those guys. We’re feeding off their energy, and they’re creating a lot of things for themselves and for our whole team. With those two guys leading the way, we know we can win.
BOUNCING BACK IN GAME 2
The first game was just a bad case of me wanting to do well in the playoffs (when Pargo shot 1-for-9 from the field). I put too much pressure on myself. I had wide-open shots, but I just couldn’t make them or even come close. In Game 2, I came with the approach of just playing the way I’ve been playing all year, and let whatever happens happen (Pargo finished with 10 points, including 2 three-pointers).
ON TO DALLAS
The last game of the regular season in Dallas, we felt like we had complete control of the game, until late in the third quarter, when they surprised us with their trap. We were kind of stunned and didn’t really know what to do against it. But if we could’ve handled it then the way we have in the playoffs, I think we would’ve won that game. We just needed a day or two to prepare for it and adjust to it. We’re pretty ready for it now, although I’m not even sure if we’ll see it again. So we feel pretty good about going into Dallas and being confident, feeling like we can win. If we play the same way we did in these first two games, we’ll be right there at the end with a chance to win. We’re prepared as we ever will be to go there and play in Dallas.
NEW ORLEANS FANS UP
This whole year, even when we didn’t have sold-out crowds, whenever something exciting happened, you knew about it, because the fans were loud. The fans have always been loud and there have been a lot of times where you couldn’t hear while you were on the court. Now, with the playoffs starting, it’s just been magnified to a whole other level.
We’ve had the support of the fans all year, but now with what is happening in the building, you’ve got to give the fans a lot of credit for the way we’ve been playing at home. We just want to thank them a lot for their support.
April 18, 2008
DIRK WANTED HORNETS, NOT LAKERS
When Dirk Nowitzki said it was important for Dallas to win against us Wednesday (to avoid the top-seeded Lakers in the first round), we definitely thought, “They’d rather play us than the Lakers.”
But as much as they wanted us, we wanted to play them as well. We feel like we match up with them great, and they must feel the same way about us. Both teams got what they asked for, so now it’s time to throw the ball up and play. Now we have to give them what they asked for. We’re going to go out there and we’re going to respect them. The best way to respect them is to play hard and try to beat them.
HIVE READY FOR GAME 1
In terms of what to expect from our fans, I think it’s going to be bananas on Saturday. I think for something like the last 14 or 15 home games, it’s been sold out in the arena. The crowd has been really loud. I don’t expect anything less from them. The playoffs are here. It’s going to be even more intense, and even louder.
One concern going in that you might have, with a team that’s in the playoffs together for the first time, is that they may just be happy to be there. But I can tell you right now, that’s not the case at all with this team. We came into this season knowing that we were good enough to make the playoffs. We have a lot of guys who have been in the playoffs before, just not with the Hornets. Now that we’re here, we want to do whatever we can to win games and go as far as we can.
Against Dallas, we need to focus on defense and rebounding. If we defend them well and control their transition points, we’ll be fine. We’ve given up too many fast-break points against them, so we have to limit that aspect.
STRUGGLES IN BIG D
The Hornets haven’t won in Dallas in a few years (losing 13 straight, including going 0-6 during Chris Paul’s three seasons), but it’s not a concern. What happened in the past is the past. We feel like we controlled the game there Wednesday, but we let it get away from us with some stupid mistakes in the third quarter.
But we have homecourt advantage against them, so all we have to do is take care of home, and we win the series. We need to do that, and play as hard as we can on the road and try to steal some games.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
This has been a great season, to have made a big impact on a great team. It’s big for me. And it says a lot about where I came from. I’m just going to continue to work hard and do whatever I can to help my team win. We’re definitely looking forward to the playoffs starting, because we feel like we have a great team that can go deep. We can’t wait to get started.
May 7, 2008
FAN UP NEW ORLEANS
When I came out before Game 1 on Saturday and saw all the fans wearing those gold shirts, I thought it was really special. I thought it symbolized not only how the team has come together, but also how the fans here have come together to support us. How this whole city has come together as a whole. It means a lot to this organization to have the fans behind us like that. And I think it really helped us during the game.
I love the “Woooo!” chant that the fans do when CP scores or makes a good play. It’s really cool. That chant and the “MVP” chant for Chris, they both show how much the fans are getting into the game. The whole atmosphere at the games is just making it an even better experience for us in the playoffs.
The fan support has been crazy. I even looked up in the stands the other day and saw a couple people wearing a Hornets T-shirt with my name on the back. Honestly, I’ve never seen that before since I’ve been in the NBA. It was amazing to see.
They play the “Woooo!” clip for Chris, but they don’t have anything for me. They asked me before the season if there was something I wanted them to play for me, but I couldn’t think of anything at the time. Now that I think about it, maybe something from Lil’ Wayne would be nice. Something like that Lil’ Wayne song “Poppin’ Bottles.”
ON THE DEFENSIVE
A lot of people might not be talking about it, but I think the biggest part of why we’re winning is defense. We have improved tremendously on the defensive end, especially in the third and fourth quarter. I think defense has been a part of my game for a long time, but it’s just starting to get noticed now because we’re on a bigger stage. I’m happy that people are starting to recognize me for that.
THE PEJA HEADS
Those big Peja heads are great. I think he is embarrassed by them, but we love them. When I first saw them, I couldn’t believe it. I saw about three of them in a row and the workers were running around the stadium, holding them up. I thought they were cool.
MAY 2, 2008
A MEMORABLE FIRST ROUND
I don’t really read all the different newspapers, so I wasn’t aware of what people have been writing or saying about me playing well in the Dallas series. I have noticed after practice that there has been a little bit more attention from the media. But anytime you have success, you have to take it the right way. I’m just trying to stay grounded, and do the same things I’ve been doing. And not get too big-headed or whatever.
I thought I played pretty well against Dallas. It was not so much how well I played, but when I played well. I think in Game 2 and Game 4, I came in and gave us a big spark when we needed it. That really helped catapult us to wins. Whenever you can help a team win a game in the playoffs, it’s huge. I’m really just thankful for the opportunity. I’m thankful that the coaching staff and my teammates have trust in me.
I got some calls from a lot of my friends I played with in college after the series and a lot of people I play with in the summer. They know what I can do, so they’re happy to see me get a chance to go out there and play my game.
UP NEXT: PARKER, GINOBILI
The big thing for our guards to do against the Spurs is we’ve got to control those guys and keep them out of the paint. We have to force them to shoot jump shots with a hand in their face. We know we’re not going to shut those guys out, because they are two great players. We have to contain them and make them take jumpers. If they beat us that way, then so be it.
I actually was (simulating) Manu Ginobili on the scout team in practice. Normally you don’t see me going to the basket a lot, but since I was supposed to be Manu, I drove in quite a bit! I was trying to get in the lane and throw up some awkward shots that he takes and makes. He’s been making those for years. Hopefully I did a good job. Hopefully that will make it a little bit easier for Mo Pete to guard him after seeing that.
AN EYE ON THE HAWKS
I’ve been friends with Joe Johnson since college at Arkansas, so I’ve been watching every game of that Atlanta-Boston series. Those have been exciting games. For the Hawks to win two games is unbelievable. To be honest, I didn’t expect them to win one. Right now they have a series and a chance to force a Game 7. It’s been very exciting to watch.
I was really happy to see what Joe did during the fourth quarter of Game 4 (when Johnson scored 20 points to lead a Hawks comeback win). He’s been a great player throughout his career. At Arkansas, after he left for the NBA, I kind of watched some of the things he did to get to this level. To see him have that kind of success, I’m very happy for him.
April 28, 2008
THE KIDD FOUL
I’m not surprised at all that Jason Kidd didn’t get suspended for Game 5. We didn’t want him to get suspended. We want the Mavericks to be at full strength and have their best team out there on the floor. That way, if we get the win, it won’t be tainted at all.
Personally, I didn’t think he deserve to be suspended. He did exactly what he was supposed to do. It’s the playoffs. You don’t give up any layups, no matter what the score is. He wanted to give a hard foul and that’s what he did. He didn’t apologize, but I didn’t expect an apology. It’s basketball. Whatever happens out there on the floor, you leave it there. I didn’t have anything personal against Jason Kidd before the play. I don’t have anything against him after the play. It was a hard foul and he was playing the game the right way.
I saw the replay and the fall, but I don’t think Kidd realized how small I am (6-foot-1, 175 pounds)! I think he brought out some of that old-man strength, and threw me down probably a little harder than he wanted to. When the play was happening, I knew it was going to be a hard foul. That’s why I tried to jump into him, to try to create some contact myself. It was a tough, playoff-type foul. No big deal.
LONG ROAD TO NBA
For the fans who know my story, who know my situation and know how hard it was for me to even getting into the league, and later for me to get playing time, they can appreciate it. Hard work pays off. I think they can identify with me.
I think people realize what I can do, after being in the league for six years. I didn’t play very much early in my career, but I think over the past two years, I’ve shown what I can do. It’s not like every game I’m going to go out and score 30 points like I did in Game 3. I have to do whatever the team needs, which sometimes means playing tough defense. I’m shooting the ball with confidence. Chris Paul has done an excellent job of getting into the lane, so a lot of times when I shoot a three-pointer, I’m by myself. It’s tough to miss those shots. You have to give the team a lot of credit, because we’re really creating for each other.
UNCHARTED TERRITORY
I didn’t realize that no New Orleans NBA team has ever won a playoff series (including the New Orleans Jazz in the 1970s and the Hornets), but people are definitely going to be very excited at Game 5. Words can’t describe how supportive the fans have been. We’re really looking forward to a sellout crowd, to them fanning up and them being excited for the game. Their presence has been important all year. Whenever we’ve won games at home, they’ve been a big factor.
April 22, 2008
THE DOUBLE-TEAM EFFECT
We knew that Dallas was going to try to do whatever they could to focus on Chris Paul after what he did in the first game. We’re professionals. Whenever you double-team a guy, especially on the perimeter, it’s going to create wide-open shots. We stepped up to the challenge. If they’re going to challenge us to make open shots, that’s what we have to do to win games. The last couple days of practice, we all got a lot of shots up. We were able to knock those open shots down in Game 2.
We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now. Our two All-Stars – Chris Paul and David West – we’re playing off those guys. We’re feeding off their energy, and they’re creating a lot of things for themselves and for our whole team. With those two guys leading the way, we know we can win.
BOUNCING BACK IN GAME 2
The first game was just a bad case of me wanting to do well in the playoffs (when Pargo shot 1-for-9 from the field). I put too much pressure on myself. I had wide-open shots, but I just couldn’t make them or even come close. In Game 2, I came with the approach of just playing the way I’ve been playing all year, and let whatever happens happen (Pargo finished with 10 points, including 2 three-pointers).
ON TO DALLAS
The last game of the regular season in Dallas, we felt like we had complete control of the game, until late in the third quarter, when they surprised us with their trap. We were kind of stunned and didn’t really know what to do against it. But if we could’ve handled it then the way we have in the playoffs, I think we would’ve won that game. We just needed a day or two to prepare for it and adjust to it. We’re pretty ready for it now, although I’m not even sure if we’ll see it again. So we feel pretty good about going into Dallas and being confident, feeling like we can win. If we play the same way we did in these first two games, we’ll be right there at the end with a chance to win. We’re prepared as we ever will be to go there and play in Dallas.
NEW ORLEANS FANS UP
This whole year, even when we didn’t have sold-out crowds, whenever something exciting happened, you knew about it, because the fans were loud. The fans have always been loud and there have been a lot of times where you couldn’t hear while you were on the court. Now, with the playoffs starting, it’s just been magnified to a whole other level.
We’ve had the support of the fans all year, but now with what is happening in the building, you’ve got to give the fans a lot of credit for the way we’ve been playing at home. We just want to thank them a lot for their support.
April 18, 2008
DIRK WANTED HORNETS, NOT LAKERS
When Dirk Nowitzki said it was important for Dallas to win against us Wednesday (to avoid the top-seeded Lakers in the first round), we definitely thought, “They’d rather play us than the Lakers.”
But as much as they wanted us, we wanted to play them as well. We feel like we match up with them great, and they must feel the same way about us. Both teams got what they asked for, so now it’s time to throw the ball up and play. Now we have to give them what they asked for. We’re going to go out there and we’re going to respect them. The best way to respect them is to play hard and try to beat them.
HIVE READY FOR GAME 1
In terms of what to expect from our fans, I think it’s going to be bananas on Saturday. I think for something like the last 14 or 15 home games, it’s been sold out in the arena. The crowd has been really loud. I don’t expect anything less from them. The playoffs are here. It’s going to be even more intense, and even louder.
One concern going in that you might have, with a team that’s in the playoffs together for the first time, is that they may just be happy to be there. But I can tell you right now, that’s not the case at all with this team. We came into this season knowing that we were good enough to make the playoffs. We have a lot of guys who have been in the playoffs before, just not with the Hornets. Now that we’re here, we want to do whatever we can to win games and go as far as we can.
Against Dallas, we need to focus on defense and rebounding. If we defend them well and control their transition points, we’ll be fine. We’ve given up too many fast-break points against them, so we have to limit that aspect.
STRUGGLES IN BIG D
The Hornets haven’t won in Dallas in a few years (losing 13 straight, including going 0-6 during Chris Paul’s three seasons), but it’s not a concern. What happened in the past is the past. We feel like we controlled the game there Wednesday, but we let it get away from us with some stupid mistakes in the third quarter.
But we have homecourt advantage against them, so all we have to do is take care of home, and we win the series. We need to do that, and play as hard as we can on the road and try to steal some games.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
This has been a great season, to have made a big impact on a great team. It’s big for me. And it says a lot about where I came from. I’m just going to continue to work hard and do whatever I can to help my team win. We’re definitely looking forward to the playoffs starting, because we feel like we have a great team that can go deep. We can’t wait to get started.
