reflections
April 19th, 2008 Round 1: Hornets-Mavs Preview

By Wesley O.

ChandlerHoward

This is it, this is what we’ve been waiting for. We will now find out whether or not the Hornets’ 56-win season was a fluke. Ironically, the Hornets are facing a Mavericks team that won 67 games last season but were eliminated early in the first round by the Golden State Warriors. If New Orleans is to advance, they must limit their mistakes and fight until the very last possession each and every night. The Hornets and Mavericks split the season series at two games a piece, and both teams averaged similar team stats throughout the season, but that’s beside the point.

Dallas has much more playoff experience and are built for a title run, while New Orleans is still raw and coming off a shaky finish to the regular season. Now, the Hornets do have some players that have been to the playoffs before such as Peja Stojakovic, Bonzi Wells and Morris Peterson, but the rest of the team has either never made it or have only had limited playing time in the postseason.

Head coach Byron Scott has twice taken a team to the Finals before, and he can certainly do it a third time with this young squad. Still the question remains, will it be the Mavs who prevent the Hornets from advancing to the second round or themselves? My prediction, the Hornets win this series in seven games.

Game 1- 4/19 @NO 7:00 ET (ESPN)
Game 2- 4/22 @NO 7:00 ET (TNT)
Game 3- 4/25 @DAL 8:00 ET (ESPN)
Game 4- 4/27 @DAL 9:30 ET (TNT)
*Game 5- TBA
*Game 6- TBA
*Game 7- TBA

* - If necessary

New Orleans Hornets
PaulPetersonPejaWestChandler
G- Chris Paul G- Morris Peterson F- Peja Stojakovic F- David West C- Tyson Chandler

Series Leaders
(Regular Season)
G Chris Paul: 21.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 11.6 APG, 48% FG
F David West: 20.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 48% FG
F Peja Stojakovic: 16.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 43% FG, 44% 3PT

Dallas Mavericks
KiddStackhouseHowardNowitzkiDampier
G- Jason Kidd G- Jerry Stackhouse F- Josh Howard F- Dirk Nowitzki C- Eric Dampier

Series Leaders
(Regular Season)
F Dirk Nowitzki: 23.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 48% FG
F Josh Howard: 19.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 45% FG
G Jason Terry: 15.3 PPG, 3.2 APG, 46% FG

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