Desperate to end a three-game losing streak, the New Orleans Hornets got needed help Wednesday night with the return of shooting guard Eric Gordon, who had missed the previous four games with a bruised right knee. But even with Gordon scoring a team-high 22 points, it wasn’t enough for the Hornets to prevent a 101-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in front of 12,387 at the New Orleans Arena.

The Hornets (2-4) were ineffective again in the fourth quarter as their losing streak reached four games.

This time they blew a six-point lead after turning the ball over six times and allowing 60 percent shooting (12 of 20) in the final period by the 76ers. The Hornets, who have not won since a Dec. 28 game against the Boston Celtics, were outscored 34-20 in the quarter.

In every game during the streak, they have been outscored in the fourth quarter, including 24-16 in Monday night’s 94-90 loss to the Utah Jazz.

“We have to look at film before I make a rash decision,’’ Hornets coach Monty Williams said. “I know there are some things I can do better to help our guys.’’

It was Gordon’s first game back since he made the winning shot with 4.2 seconds remaining in New Orleans’ season-opening 85-84 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 26.

Unlike his game in Phoenix, Gordon missed six of seven shots in the fourth quarter Wednesday night. He finished 8-of-22 and went 1-of-6 from 3-point range.

“We had too many lapses on defense where they hit some tough shots and we weren’t scoring offensively,’’ Gordon said. “We hurt ourselves by taking too many jump shots and not attacking the rim.’’

Gordon opened the game by hitting his first four shots, including a 3-pointer. His 11-point first quarter helped the Hornets take an early 13-point lead that eventually went to 14 before the first half ended with the Hornets leading 47-40.

Behind Gordon’s 20 points, the Hornets led 73-67 after three quarters, but they could not hold their momentum.

“I told our guys when you look back at a game like this, average teams lose, and teams that want to be good they find a way to win,’’ Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said.

Forward Thaddeus Young’s dunk spurred a 6-0 run that enabled the 76ers to surge ahead 89-83 with 4:18 remaining. Hornets guard Jarrett Jack made two free throws and a close-range shot to cut the deficit to 89-87.

However, point guard Jrue Holiday answered by hitting his third 3-pointer in the quarter that allowed 76ers to extend their lead to 98-89 with 46.7 seconds remaining. Besides Holiday scoring 14 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth, Philadelphia had five steals in the quarter.

“Holiday made some big plays for them down the stretch, but we should have never been in that position,’’ said Hornets backup center Chris Kaman, who scored 10 points and had eight rebounds.

John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3407.

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The new-look New Orleans Hornets didn’t have a problem Friday night maneuvering around the Phoenix Suns’ defenders to get up desired shots. They just couldn’t make enough of them to stay unbeaten after a 2-0 start.

In their 93-78 loss to the Suns in front of 15,790 at the New Orleans Arena, the Hornets missed too many layups, 3-point attempts and mid-range shots.

“I didn’t have our team ready to play tonight,’’ Hornets Coach Monty Williams said. “I thought our offense affected our defense. We have to understand there is a certain way we have to play. This was a big-time learning experience for us.’’

Trailing by 18, the Hornets had five stretches Friday night of missing five or more consecutive shots. In the fourth quarter, the Hornets made only six-of-24 shots and they were held to 16 points in the third quarter.

With that kind of woeful shooting, it prevented the Hornets from getting their second win this week against the Suns, who were seeking to end their worst start in 15 years after losing their first two games.

It was the Hornets’ first loss to the Suns in five games, which dates to last season. For the first time after three games, the Hornets surrendered more than 90 points.

“To hold them under 30 percent shooting is something that’s really good for us,’’ Suns Coach Alvin Gentry said. “It wasn’t our offense, it was our defense that won the game.’’

In Monday’s opener in Phoenix, the Hornets won 85-84 with guard Eric Gordon hitting the winning shot with 4.2 seconds remaining.

But Gordon sat out his second consecutive game Friday with a bruised right knee. Unlike in Wednesday night’s 97-78 victory against the Boston Celtics, when the Hornets had five players score in double figures, the Hornets’ defensive play couldn’t offset their offensive ineptitude.

Appearing to look more like a work in progress with nine new players than in the previous two games, New Orleans made only 28.9 percent of their shots (26 of 90). It overshadowed a dominate rebounding performance with the Hornets holding a 57-47 edge.

After scoring a game-high 21 points against the Celtics, Jack made only six-of-20 shots against the Suns for 12 points. Jack sat out Monday’s game against the Suns because of serving a one-game suspension for his DUI arrest never Atlanta.

Besides Jack, center Emeka Okafor never got into an offensive flow. Okafor didn’t take his shot until nine seconds remained before halftime. He went 2-of-6 from the field for 10 points.

The Hornets’ frontcourt of Carl Landry, Chris Kaman and Okafor had been a strength in the previous two games. But they combined to make nine-of-27 shots. Kaman may had the toughest time, missing five of six shots before finishing with four points.

Landry led the Hornets with 17 points, but he made only six of 16 shots.

Shooting 31 percent, New Orleans was fortunate to go into halftime trailing 52-45. For the first time this season, they trailed by a 10-point deficit after forward Hakim Warrick’s dunk made the score 43-33 with 3:35 left before halftime. In the second quarter, the Hornets could not prevent a stretch of missing nine straight shots that led to a Suns’ 14-6 run.

In the third quarter, the Hornets were held to 16 points, which helped the Suns extend their lead to as much as 18.

“We obviously didn’t shoot the ball well,” Jack said. “We compounded it by not playing well on the other end defensively, as well. When you don’t do those things, these are the types of outcomes you’re going to get.”

That’s all for today.

New Orleans Hornets

It is difficult for me to properly convey the joy in my heart as a New Orleans Hornets fan at the outset of the 2011-12 NBA season. The Hornets top players left, David Stern mismanaged the Chris Paul trade and the national media left us for dead. However, early on in the NBA season, the Hornets are undefeated which is more than many so-called superior teams can say. Take a closer look at five “random” NBA teams with worse records than the Hornets.

New York Knicks: 1-1

The first indication that Chris Paul wanted to leave the Hornets was when he indicated that he’d like to play for the Knicks. New York played horribly in the 2011 NBA Playoffs and things aren’t much better in this NBA season. The only thing keeping the Knicks from being winless is an early season NBA matchup versus the old Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics: 0-3

I’m sure most Celtics fans will blame their 0-3 start on the loss of Paul Pierce. However, the Hornets are still undefeated in this NBA season despite Jarrett Jack and Eric Gordon each missing a game. The Hornets won their home opener over the Celtics by 19 points. It may be awhile before the Celtics are contenders in the NBA again.

Dallas Mavericks: 0-2

Of all the NBA teams with worse records than the Hornets, the Mavericks have been the least impressive. The 2011 NBA champions look like a totally different team this year. I thought Lamar Odom would help compensate for the loss of Tyson Chandler, but I was mistaken. The Hornets should finish ahead of the Mavs in the Southwest Division.

Los Angeles Lakers: 1-2

I was mortified at the prevalence of Lakers fans in the New Orleans Arena during the Hornets NBA Playoff series versus L.A. I wonder what all of those fans are thinking now. David Stern laid waste to the Lakers in the failed trade with the Hornets. Once one of the best teams in the NBA, the Lakers may no longer be the best NBA team in L.A.

Los Angeles Clippers: 1-1

I still can’t figure out why Chris Paul preferred playing for the Clippers to the Hornets. The Clippers never make the NBA Playoffs and the Hornets usually do. Early on, it looks like the Clippers need more than Paul and Blake Griffin to become an elite NBA team. I can’t wait for the Hornets to play the Clippers in New Orleans on March 22.

Other “random” NBA teams with worse records than the Hornets

Chicago Bulls: 1-1, Orlando Magic: 1-1, Utah Jazz: 0-2, Memphis Grizzlies: 0-2

Patrick Michael was born in New Orleans and currently resides in the Big Easy. A loyal New Orleans NBA fan, Patrick was a diehard New Orleans Jazz fan and now cheers for the Hornets. Patrick was in the New Orleans Arena the night the Hornets were one win away from the Western Conference Finals.

Sources

“2011-12 NBA Season Summary,” basketball-reference.com

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A new beginning? You can call it that, if you look back on the six-season era of CP3. What you had Wednesday night was a welcome-back-home to the man that spanned both eras.

I say this remembering it was at an early stage of last season, with the New Orleans Hornets on their way to coming out of the starting bocks a surprising 8-0, that I posed the question to Chris Paul.

“What do you think about your rookie head coach?’’

There was no hesitation.

“He knows how to relate,’’ came the reply from the All-Pro point guard. “All coaches are busy sending messages. In some cases, not all messages are received. Coach (Monty) Williams makes contact, and that has plenty to do with the man and his personality. You get the message because you respect the messenger.’’

The messenger at the time was 39, the youngest head coach in the NBA, and once he started talking you realized you were dealing in mutual admiration.

“Right now,’’ said Williams, “Chris could be a head coach in this league. I’m more impressed than I was before I got to know him. He knows so much more than I did at his age. His attention to detail is amazing, and when it comes to individual defense, team defense, everyone has bought into what coach is selling.’’

Dell Demps, the General Manager who hired Williams from a list of candidates, says, “whenever Monty’s involved, it’s a soft sell. Monty has a special calmness about him. He doesn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve. But, inside, you’ll find a competitive fire and a smart man.’’

There was the Hornets coach Wednesday, preparing to bury the Boston Celtics 97-78, preparing for the first home game in an abbreviated season of 66 games, wondering how long it would take him to assess what he had. .

Only four games into his rookie season, Williams figured it was going to take at least 25 games of an 82-game season to find out “how good, how bad, we were.’’

All he knew then was he had the best point guard, the best pick-and-roll player, in the game, and he had to do his best to keep Chris Paul as fresh as possible.

Now he’s dealing with virtually a new roster, still getting acquainted with one another, in some cases still getting acquainted with the English language.

In a way, Williams has been dealing with nothing but change from Day One on the job.

“It continues to be a learning process for most of us,’’ he said, ‘’and that’s what makes it so interesting. It’s not an excuse.’’

Williams had no excuses last season when his 12-3 Hornets lost their first home game to the San Antonio Spurs, in the hands of Gregg Popovich, the man who helped shape Williams’ coaching career.

“I was outcoached by a lot,’’ said Monty who watched a 17-point halftime turn into a 14-point loss. After shooting 62 percent in the first half, the Hornets went 5-for-15 in the third quarter and turned the ball over five times to bring the Spurs back in the game.

“Coach Pop made move after move after move, and I had no answer,’’ said Williams.

The way he handled that defeat told me the Hornets had someone who could rock with the punches that would come and never look back.

On Thursday, you had Williams’ ball club, with a roster of nine new faces, without his top scorer, Eric Gordon, the hero of an opening game victory, send a serious message as to what you can accomplish with a take-it-to-you defense for a full 48 minutes.

Quite simply, the Hornets held a team known for its aggressive defense with one that not only limited the men in green to 78 points, but also limited them to 37 percent shooting, by forcing nine turnovers, by forcing seven steals, by blocking a dozen shots.

Meanwhile, Williams watched five of his players hit in double figures, led by Jarrett Jack’s 21 and Carl Landry’s 20.

He also watched 7-footer Chris Kaman come off the bench and contribute 27 minutes that included 12 points, some from the outside, nine rebounds and three blocks.

All things considered, two games into a new start, there’s more sunshine than clouds.

Welcome home, Monty Williams.

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Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 10:12 PM

In season-debut, Jack wanted to contribute any way he could.

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Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 5:07 PM

T-P Hornets beat writer John Reid previews tonight’s home opener against the Celtics.

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The new-look New Orleans Hornets, still trying to establish an identity since Chris Paul’s trade to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month, make their home debut tonight at the New Orleans Arena against the Boston Celtics. Eric Gordon, who was one of the players acquired in exchange for Paul, is emerging as the team’s top scoring option.

In the Hornets’ 85-84 season-opening victory at Phoenix on Monday night, the talented fourth-year guard made the winning 20-foot jumper with 4.2 seconds remaining and finished with a team-high 20 points.

“We want to utilize his talent,’’ Hornets General Manager Dell Demps said of Gordon, who was acquired Dec. 14 with center Chris Kaman and forward Al-Farouq Aminu from the Clippers.

“He scores the basketball, that’s what he does. I anticipate him being our leading scorer, but we want to utilize all his  talents.’’

In his debut with the Hornets, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound shooting guard had four rebounds, a steal, a block and three assists in 39 minutes.

Gordon attacked the basket several times for layups and helped to get the Hornets in their sets against the Suns.

Similar to last season when they advanced to the playoffs before losing in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Hornets are trying to make defense their identity.

Gordon and the rest of the Hornets’ newcomers appear to have bought in to Coach Monty Williams’ top priority. New Orleans held Phoenix to 39.5 percent shooting and had nine steals and five blocks.

“Whatever the situation, I always try to make the best situation for it,’’ Gordon said. “I’m still trying to fit in and figure out things throughout the offense, but I can put the ball on the floor and create for others.”

With nine new players, however, the Hornets are a work in progress. They made only 13 of 21 free-throw attempts and missed 16 of 18 attempts from behind the 3-point line.

The Hornets appeared to be in trouble after small forward Trevor Ariza missed two free throws with 35.4 seconds remaining and the Suns leading 84-83. However, the Suns’ Jared Dudley missed a jumper with 16.9 seconds remaining, which paved the way for Gordon’s heroics. On Phoenix’s final possession, Markieff Morris overthrew a pass intended for guard Steve Nash as time expired.

New Orleans faces a veteran Boston team tonight that is expected to be without All-Star forward Paul Pierce, who has a bruised right heel. Without Pierce, the Celtics lost 106-104 to the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. They lost to Heat on Tuesday night.

“We want to get the new guys used to how we do things,’”Williams said. “We’re looking for carryover. Those guys have been in different situation because they have had different coaches. I’ve talked with Eric, and I think he’s had seven different coaches since high school, so he knows how to make adjustments. He’s had so many styles and schemes.”

Hornets starting point guard Jarrett Jack will be back in the lineup tonight after serving a one-game suspension for last season’s DUI arrest near Atlanta. Without Jack, Marco Belinelli started at point guard, and he appeared to have problems getting the Hornets into their offensive sets. After newly acquired guard Greivis Vasquez replaced Belinelli, the Hornets’ offense began to flow better.

“I know everybody is thinking it’s going to be a down year for us,’’ Williams said. “It’s never crossed our minds. We don’t talk about it, and we certainly won’t give in to it.

“Starting with our defensive mind-set, I feel we got the players who want to do things necessary to win games.”

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New Orleans Hornets starting point guard Jarrett Jack will return to the lineup for Wednesday night’s home opener against the Boston Celtics at the New Orleans Arena. He missed Monday night’s season opener after serving a one-game suspension for last season’s DUI arrest near Atlanta.

Without Jack, Marco Belinelli earned his first career start at point guard, but appeared to have problems getting the Hornets into their offense quickly enough before the Suns were able to set up in their halfcourt defensive sets. After newly acquired guard Greivis Vasquez replaced Belinelli, the Hornets’ offense began to flow better.

Shooting guard Eric Gordon made a 20-foot jump shot with 4.2 seconds remaining to lift the Hornets to a 85-84 victory against the Suns. Gordon scored a team-high 20 points in his debut game.

New Orleans (1-0) are now preparing to play a veteran Boston team that is expected to be without All-Star forward Paul Pierce, who has a bruised right heel. Without Pierce, the Celtics lost 106-104 to the New York Knicks on Christmas Day.The Celtics play the Miami Heat tonight.

“I know everybody is thinking it’s going to be a down year for us,’’ Hornets Coach said Monty Williams, who gave his team Tuesday off after their long flight from Phoenix.  “It’s never crossed our minds. We don’t talk about it and we certainly won’t give in to it. Starting with our defensive mindset, I feel we got the players who want to do things necessary to win games.’’

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The descriptions regarding expectations for the New Orleans Hornets this season have run the gamut, all in the negative. Last in the West. Third-worst in the NBA. Train-wreck. Headed for the bottom.

Ghastly.

“That’s just fuel for the fire,” said power forward Carl Landry, ready to embark on his first full season in New Orleans — and first as the starter at that position — tonight when the team opens the season at Phoenix. “That makes us want to go out there and work that much harder to win ball games and prove everybody wrong.

“Most of the guys on this team have been the underdog most of their lives. It’s nothing new to any of us. All (Coach) Monty Williams and the front office expect of us is to go out and play hard, and that’s what we did in the first two preseason games (both against the Memphis Grizzlies) and what we’re going to continue to do for the rest of the season.”

A year ago, even with two veteran All-Stars (Chris Paul and David West) providing 40 percent of the team’s starting lineup, no one expected the Hornets to run off eight consecutive wins to open the season with a rookie head coach calling the shots, extending that to an 11-1 mark that helped create an excitement that carried through to a first-round playoff appearance against the Los Angeles Lakers.

But this edition of the Hornets’ roster is void of superstar faces with the exit of Paul.

And when Paul went to the Los Angeles Clippers, any positive vibes regarding a possible postseason return for the Hornets went with him.

At least by way of the national media’s way of thinking.

Williams has seen the dismal assessments. He said he really can’t disagree with the projections.

“To be honest with you I think they’re right on point,” Williams said. “They’re right to not expect anything from us. We’re inexperienced. We don’t have a group that’s been together for a while. We have a relatively young team.

“What people expect out of us, I try not to get caught up with that. Maybe you can use it as motivation, but I know that everybody is thinking this is going to be a down year for us. It never crossed our minds. We don’t talk about it, and we certainly won’t give in to it.”

The Hornets will be short-handed in the backcourt tonight against the Suns because starter Jarrett Jack will be serving a one-game, league-imposed suspension for a driving under the influence incident during last year’s All-Star break.

Who starts at point guard against Phoenix has yet to be determined.

Landry will be taking over the power forward spot occupied by the departed West — he signed as a free-agent with the Indiana Pacers — since 2003.

It’s possible that newly acquired Eric Gordon could man the point, and Marco Belinelli — last season’s starter at the two-guard spot — will be back in that role for the one game before returning to the bench for Wednesday night’s home opener against the Boston Celtics when Jack returns and Gordon assumes the off-guard starting spot. Or the Hornets could go with newly acquired Greivis Vasquez at point guard.

The trade of Paul also bolstered New Orleans’ bench, bringing former All-Star center Chris Kaman and promising small forward Al-Farouq Aminu.

Additionally, Hornets reserve forward/center Jason Smith has another season of experience, which, Williams said, greatly improves his team’s depth. Gordon’s foot speed, and Landry’s quickness also provide upgrades.

After a lockout-truncated training camp and just two preseason games, tonight’s regular-season opener should provide a better understanding of whether the Hornets will live down to the grim prognostications.

“We have so many guys who are in a different role,” Williams said. “Jarrett is the starting point guard. Marco was a starter last year. Now he’s coming off the bench. We have a new starting power forward. Jason wants a bigger role this year. Kaman, he wants to play.

“We’re a bit faster than we were last year. Eric is explosive, probably more explosive than anybody we’ve had since I’ve been here. Trevor (Ariza) is explosive. Jack pushes the ball. Carl is a bit more athletic than David was, but David is so skilled, so it’s hard to say. I do know our backup five is a ton better than most people in the league’s backup five. Chris Kaman could start on a number of teams and may end up starting this year. You just never know.”

That’s all the news for today.

The New Orleans Hornets have formed a partnership with trumpeter Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra to showcase local musicians and their songs during home games at the New Orleans Arena this season.

Starting with Wednesday’s pre-season home game against the Memphis Grizzlies, a house band of local musicians will perform courtside during game breaks on the “Irvin Mayfield’s I Club Stage.”

Pre-recorded messages and performances by local musicians also will appear regularly on the Arena’s video screens.

Mayfield will officially launch the music program, called “Inspired to Play,” at the Hornets’ home opener Dec. 28 against the Boston Celtics. The Grammy Award-winning trumpeter will perform the national anthem and a new Hornets theme song that he composed.

In addition to the live in-game performances, NOJO is attempting to build a database of 300 songs (existing and original) that will provide in-arena music during the games. (Musicians interested in participating should contact Stephanie Mayne, Director of Programming at NOJO at 504.862.3531 or smayne@thenojo.com.)

The announcement was made Tuesday morning inside Mayfield’s I Club in the lobby of the J.W. Marriott hotel. Two Hornets Honeybees flanked the entrance to the first-floor nightclub, where inside sax player Khris Royal played on the bandstand.

“We’re going to make sure New Orleans music pervades each Hornets game,” NOJO President and CEO Ronald Markham said.

“This is not a one-off deal,” Mayfield said. “This isn’t going to be a band that shows up every so often. This will be part of the Hornets brand.”

Hugh Weber, New Orleans Hornets president, agreed.

“This is a teaming up of assets to make something bigger, and better,” he said. “It’s the first time a sports team has ever taken an endeavor like this to this level.”

New Orleans is a “city on a roll,” NOJO Chairman Ron Forman said. He hopes, he added, that local music at games will affect sports fans in the same manner as it did, for example, the many young recovery volunteers who came to help after Hurricane Katrina and were seduced by the city’s culture. They get into the music, he said, “and they don’t want to go back to Topeka.”

The music won’t necessarily have to end after the final point is scored. After each Hornets home game, fans who present their game ticket stub from that evening will get free admission to the show at the I Club.

The New Orleans music playlist is still a work in progress. From the looks of the nine-member “Inspired to Play” committee, the choices are likely to be diverse: Besides the long-term stakeholders in the New Orleans cultural economy, such as the Recording Academy’s (and the Bucktown Allstars’) Reid Wick and Jan Ramsey, Offbeat Magazine publisher, the group also includes young musicians, such as 24-year-old Royal and 26-year-old indie-rocker John Michael Rouchell.

Rouchell, who’s an avid basketball fan, says he sees his part in “Inspired To Play” as an opportunity to, essentially, DJ a Hornets game.

“The music’s for the people,” he said. “I’m going to be the one pushing for bounce and ’60s soul. Picture DJ Jubilee’s ‘Get It Ready’ as entrance music. Kinda smokes, yeah?”

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The New Orleans Hornets are involved in Chris Paul(notes) trade talks, and according to sources involved in the talks, have targeted guards Stephen Curry(notes) and Eric Gordon(notes). ESPN is reporting that the Hornets are talking with the Los Angeles Clippers about acquiring Gordon and simultaneously talking with the Golden State Warriors about trading for Curry.

Both Golden State and Los Angeles have worked hard to build up a roster through the draft, and youth is the best asset that those two franchises currently have. With the Clippers, Gordon, DeAndre Jordan(notes) and Blake Griffin(notes) comprise three good young players. On the Warriors, Curry and newly drafted Klay Thompson(notes) from Washington State University give that team a lot of depth on the roster as well. Now the Hornets would like to take some of that youth in exchange for an All-Star point guard.

Trades like these ones are always easier if the parts would stay in place for several seasons. The problem is that Paul is in the last year of his contract with the Hornets, so if he gets traded, he could still hit free agency in the next offseason. The Warriors and Clippers need guarantees that Paul is willing to sign a contract extension; otherwise it doesn’t make sense to give up assets like Gordon or Curry. Curry is becoming a star for the Warriors, and he could join the ranks of big NBA stars if the team actually started winning ballgames.

It sure seems like Paul is going to get traded by New Orleans before the beginning of the regular season, but it is equally unclear which franchise is going to join the deal. There are certainly a few teams that could use a nice rental like Paul for the 2011-12 season, but several top contenders would love to give up spare parts to get him. The New York Knicks probably want him the most, but have zero real assets to offer in return. Then there is the Boston Celtics, who could offer someone like Rajon Rondo(notes), but also get no guarantee that Paul will stay after this year.

A deal is out there with the Los Angeles Lakers if the Hornets would take either Pau Gasol(notes) or Andrew Bynum(notes) in a trade, but neither is a player that will put people in the seats for years to come. They are good players when healthy, but they just don’t have the talent level to take over games by themselves. That’s what Paul offers and teams around the league fully realize the value he could bring in a blockbuster trade.

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Sources:

NBA Main Website

Yahoo NBA Site

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a hard-core NBA fan that looks forward to an exciting 2011-12 season now that the lockout has come to an end. Ryan is also a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.

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Gotta run!.

The beginning and end of the Hornets’ newly released schedule pose favorable scenarios for a fast start and a similar ending — depending, of course, on what kind of roster the team can put together before opening night.

NBA schedule-makers could have been much harsher on the Hornets this season, but New Orleans gets by with just one back-to-back-to-back set of games out of a possible three, and the entirety of the compressed 66-game slate released by the league Tuesday night looks quite similar to the original schedule made moot by the 149-day lockout.

New Orleans opens the season on the road Dec. 26 against the Phoenix Suns, as expected, because the building adjacent to the New Orleans Arena will be busy as the Saints play a Monday night game against the Falcons.

Yet, half of the Hornets’ games this season will take place as originally scheduled, including what becomes the regular-season home opener Dec. 28 against the Boston Celtics.

The shortened schedule also benefits the Hornets in that they’ll play defending champion and Southwest Division foe Dallas only three times – two at home – instead of the customary four. The same holds for Houston.

New Orleans picked up one additional nationally televised ESPN game, against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Feb. 17. But the league also gave the Hornets another national game, on TNT, at Golden State on April 24. Six other games will be televised by NBA TV, and Cox Sports Television will telecast 65 of the 66 games, the exception being that TNT game against the Warriors.

Of the 33 games on the new schedule identical to the original schedule released in July, 19 Hornets’ home games retain the same date and opponent, and the same can be said for 13 road games.

There was one marquee casualty from the two months lost to the lockout: New Orleans fans will not receive a visit by defending Eastern Conference champion Miami, although the Hornets visit the Heat on Jan. 30.

The Knicks, scheduled to play the Hornets here on April 4, will not play in New Orleans this season.

On the road, the Hornets will not travel to Boston, Atlanta, Toronto, Washington or Philadelphia, and will make only one visit against the Lakers, while Los Angeles and new coach Mike Brown come to New Orleans Arena twice, on March 14 and April 9.

The Hornets will play 12 Eastern Conference teams just once and three (Chicago, Charlotte and Indiana) twice.

An interesting wrinkle because of the shortened schedule — 16 games were eliminated from the customary 82-game calendar — is several back-to-back home games in New Orleans Arena, including three times in March.

The NBA is extending the regular season until April 26, with an expected start of the first round of the playoffs one week later than customary, on April 28.

New Orleans will play 10 of its first 17 and 12 of the first 19 games at home, including two in December (Celtics and Suns on Dec. 30) and 10 in January, a month that includes four road-home back-to-backs. The Hornets were 28-13 last season in New Orleans Arena.

There are several pockets of the schedule that appear daunting.

The Hornets will play five games in eight nights away from home Feb. 15-22 (including the only back-to-back-to-back), four games on the road in five nights March 5-10, and five game in seven nights away from March 26-April 1.

The Hornets’ longest home stand is five games, April 7-15.

•••••••

Jimmy Smith can be reached at jsmith@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3814.

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The five must-see New Orleans Hornets games this season. Check out the full schedule here.

Dec. 28 vs. Boston Celtics. The regular-season home opener, nearly two months late, provides fans with perhaps the final opportunity to see the Celtics’ “Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. It’s unlikely Boston will be able to keep this group together beyond this year. And it will give fans the chance to see just what kind of Hornets’ roster the team will have put together in the compressed free-agency period, as well as whether New Orleans was successful in retaining Chris Paul and re-signing forward David West.

Jan. 11 vs. Oklahoma City. This will be the only opportunity for New Orleans’ fans to see the Thunder, expected by many to contend this season for the Western Conference title. Oklahoma City is led by reigning NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant and point guard Russell Westbrook, one of the most potent combinations in the league. The Thunder pushed eventual NBA champion Dallas to the brink in the conference finals last summer. OKC plays just this one game in New Orleans Arena.

Jan. 21 vs. Dallas Mavericks. The defending NBA champion, with NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, aging point guard Jason Kidd and the league’s most dynamic off-the-bench player, Jason Terry, play the first of two games against the Hornets in New Orleans, where Dallas has had recent difficulty winning. It’s uncertain whether the Mavs will have retained the rights to former Hornets center Tyson Chandler, a free agent, who was an integral part of the Mavs’ first-ever championship in beating the Miami Heat.

Feb. 8 vs. Chicago Bulls. The best player in the league – at least that’s what it said on his most valuable player trophy last year – Derrick Rose brings the Bulls here for a game that was originally scheduled as the Hornets’ regular-season opener on Nov. 2. It just takes place three months later than expected, thanks to the 149-day lockout. Rose leads a young Bulls team that is expected to seriously challenge the star-studded Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference title.

March 14 vs. Los Angeles Lakers. That’s a long time to wait for the Lakers, who eliminated the Hornets in six games in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, to make their only appearance in New Orleans Arena. And less than one month later, sandwiched around the Hornets’ only game against L.A. on its home floor (not counting two against the Clippers who also play in Staples Center), the Lakers return to New Orleans on April 9.

Not much else going on in the NBA world today.

With only a week remaining before free agents can sign contracts, the Hornets may have the hardest challenge of any NBA team to retool their roster.

New Orleans is the only franchise in the league with only five players under contract. Since last Wednesday, when general managers could begin contacting the agents of available free agents, Hornets General Manager Dell Demps has been scrambling to get his targets in line.

The NBA is finally back to business after an agreement was reached to end the 149-day lockout. With a shortened 66-game regular season set to begin on Christmas Day, general managers such as Demps are working long hours to get their rosters in order.

League sources confirmed the Hornets are interested in re-signing both David West and Carl Landry. But the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors have shown the most interest in West, and Landry has been targeted by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Former LSU forward Glen “Big Baby’’ Davis, a free agent who has played four seasons with the Boston Celtics, has listed the Hornets as one of the teams he would consider if offered a deal. Small forward Josh Howard could be another player the Hornets might pursue.

Although the league granted permission for team officials to grant media interviews last week, Demps has not been made available yet.

Teams can sign free agents to contracts beginning Dec. 9, the first day training camps open. The season is set to begin on Christmas Day, and the Hornets could open on Dec. 26.

“Our front office has done a great job so far since I’ve been here,’’ backup guard Jarrett Jack said. “A lot of people looked at the Marcus Thornton trade last season and thought that was something that was going to hinder us further on down the line. But adding someone like Landry, coincidently, David goes down, and he comes in and steps forward for us.

“I’m sure they are going to do a great job of providing us with the necessary parts and pieces we need to be competitive.”

However, it could be difficult for the Hornets to attract free agents with the uncertainty involving All-Star point guard Chris Paul’s future with the franchise. Paul has not indicated if he will sign a long-term extension, and the Hornets have listened to trade offers.

Despite swirling trade rumors concerning Paul, the Hornets are trying to carry over momentum gained last season when they advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2009 and before losing to the Lakers in six games in the first round under Coach Monty Williams.

Paul said he didn’t know who all the available free agents are, but the most important thing the Hornets could do is find out what West wants to do.

“At the end of the day, he’s going to do what’s best for him and his family,’’ Paul said.

At $42 million, the Hornets have the sixth-lowest payroll in the league. They will have just less than $16 million to spend on free agents and would stay under the projected $58 million salary cap.

“I felt we did pretty good last year, considering we had so many new bodies with a first-year coach,’’ forward Trevor Ariza said. “We’ve got to deal with the cards that we have, not worry about anybody else and try to get it done.’’

Ariza, who lives in Los Angeles, said he did not try to entice any free agents to consider New Orleans. However, Jack said he told some free agents about the benefits of playing in New Orleans.

“I live in Atlanta, so there are various guys that come in and out of the gym, and I’m always throwing New Orleans out there as a nice landing pad. But I’m confident our front office will be able to handle that and are up to the task to do that and get ready for the season.’’

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John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3407.

There is the quick update of the day.

The New Orleans Hornets still plan to offer star point guard Chris Paul a long-term extension, but they have listened to trade offers from several teams including the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, sources confirmed Wednesday.

Paul has not said publicly if he wants to opt out of his current deal with the Hornets or push for a trade before the NBA season begins on Dec. 25.

But ESPN reported Wednesday that Paul would not sign an extension if he was traded to the Celtics, who are interested in parting ways with All-Star guard Rajon Rondo. Hornets officials said General Manager Dell Demps would not be available for comment today.

Hornets players can begin using the Alario Center practice facility on Thursday for the first time since the lockout began July 1. With free agency starting Dec. 9, the Hornets have only five players currently under contract.

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