Posted: Thursday, August 18, 2011, 9:14 PM

The basketball coach compares the intensity of Drew Brees to Chris Paul.

The New Orleans Hornets close out the 2010-11 regular season home schedule with a game against the Utah Jazz at 7 p.m.

The Associated PressNew Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul will be focused against Utah, or so says his coach Monty Williams.

We’ll be updating the game throughout. Check out our updates here:

The New Orleans Hornets close out the 2010-11 regular season home schedule with a game against the Utah Jazz at 7 p.m.

The Associated PressNew Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul will be focused against Utah, or so says his coach Monty Williams.

We’ll be updating the game throughout. Check out our updates here:

The New Orleans Hornets close out the 2010-11 regular season home schedule with a game against the Utah Jazz at 7 p.m.

The Associated PressNew Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul will be focused against Utah, or so says his coach Monty Williams.

We’ll be updating the game throughout. Check out our updates here:

Hornets fans didn’t know what to expect last summer when, coming off a very disappointing season, the team hired a new general manager and a new coach.

But GM Dell Demps and Coach Monty Williams got to work, revamping the team’s roster and philosophy to emphasize a swarming defense. It hasn’t been a bumpless ride, with off-court turmoil and a number of injuries, including a season-ending knee injury for power forward David West. But the Hornets are heading to the playoffs — and that’s no small achievement considering the team’s transformation.

The Hornets clinched its playoff ticket Wednesday with a gritty, come-from-behind win over the Houston Rockets. With a week to go in the regular season, the team now will be playing for seeding.

“I told our guys, ‘Don’t exhale’,” Coach Williams said. “We have more work to do.”

He’s right.

But fans are thrilled that the Hornets will be playing past mid-April — way, way past it, we hope.