Peja Out, Peterson Questionable For Sunday's Game
Saturday, December 8, 2007
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com
After appearing in each of the first 20 games of the 2007-08 regular season, small forward Peja Stojakovic has been ruled out for Sunday's game vs. Seattle, with a strained groin muscle. Shooting guard Morris Peterson (strained back muscle) is being listed as questionable. Meanwhile, Julian Wright sustained a sprained right foot in the Memphis game and was undergoing treatment Saturday at the Alario Center.
It's not clear when Stojakovic could return to the lineup, but Byron Scott said the team will be cautious and not try to get him back on the floor until the injury is completely healed,
Scott said he is planning to move Rasual Butler into the starting lineup as a result of Stojakovic's absence. If Peterson cannot go, Wright would also be a starter and matched up defensively against Seattle top scorer Kevin Durant. Scott also did not rule out the possibility of Wright missing Sunday's game.
"If (Saturday's practice) is any indication, it's possible that he won't play," Scott said after watching Wright not look 100 percent while going through a shooting drill.
Hornets.com Chats With Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum
One of the great parts of being a credentialed media member at Hornets home games is the chance to interview some of the most well-respected people in my profession, sportswriting. On Wednesday I got a chance to meet Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum, who graciously answered a handful of questions about the team. McCallum and ESPN The Magazine's Chris Palmer have been in town to work on stories for their respective publications. The two chatted quite a bit during Wednesday's game vs. Detroit about books they've written on the NBA.
McCallum penned an outstanding book about the fast-breaking, 2005-06 Phoenix Suns titled "Seven Seconds or Less," while Palmer's tome "The Sixth Man" provided a unique, insider's look at what the life of an NBA player is really like.