Hornets Dive Bomb Rockets 90-69

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main

Bonzi Wells came off the pine for the New Orleans Hornets Wednesday night and scored a game high 25 points, Chris Paul and David West each recorded a double-double and the Hornets held the Houston Rockets to shooting just 34.1% (28-82) from the floor for the game. Add all the ingredients listed above shake vigorously and you have the recipe for a good old fashioned butt kicking which is what the Hornets did the Rockets winning by the score? of 90-69.

Houston had their post-Celtics hangover Wednesday night, a malady that has effected many teams in the Association after losing to Boston this season. It was combined with the natural hangover that is going to come at the end of a long winning streak. As our Kyle Stack put it so eloquently last week, the Houston Rockets are? not a great team. They like the Colorado Rockies in the National League last season, are a good team that rode a great wave. That’s certainly not saying that they are incapable of riding another great wave. However they could also keep washing up on the beach. The New Orleans Hornets however have the makings of a greatteam. They have perhaps the best young point guard in the Association today in Chris Paul, an All-Star forward in David West, a cagey veteran in Peja Stojakovic, and a credible candidate for comeback player of the year in Tyson Chandler. Chandler’s NBA IQ has increased at an incredible rate this season. Even in a game like Wednesday when he could not get into an offensive flow, he grabbed a game high 15 boards, and a game high four blocked shots. And they have a bright young coach in Byron Scott. Their future is bright, if not this year then some time very soon.

Houston came out of the blocks strong at the start of the game grabbing a 24-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. New Orleans pulled back into competition by the end of the first half as Houston was ahead 44-39 as the the two teams?went to their respective locker rooms. But the second half the Hornets turned up the intensity, they took over in the third quarter as they finished the period in a 9-4 flurry, to pull even with the Rockets heading into the fourth deadlocked at 59-59. New Orleans scored the first 7 points of the fourth quarter, and it was as if the Rockets were a beach ball that someone had let the air out of. They physically deflated in the final quarter scoring an embarrassing 10 points, and the game became a rout.

Bonzi Wells? scored 25 points, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 2 rebounds, in the New Orleans victory.? David West scored 23 points, 11 boards, 2 steals, 1 assist, 1 block, Chris Paul scored 21 points, 10 assists, 4 steals, 4 rebounds. Peja Stojakovic scored 11 points, 3 steals, 3 rebounds, 2 assists.

Houston was led by Tracy McGrady who scored 15 points,?5 rebounds,?3 assists, 2 steals. Luis Scola scored 14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, Shane Battier scored 14 points as well, 6 rebounds, 1 steal. Dikembe Mutombo recorded a double-double as the Ancient Warrior scored 10 points, grabbed 13 boards, and blocked 3 shots, Rafer Alston scored 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals.? New Orleans improves to 46-21, Houston is 46-22.

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