<font face="Tahoma"><div align="center"> Chicago Bulls @ New Orleans Hornets When- January 5th, 2005 Where: New Orleans TV: CSN- Chicago Last Games New Orleans 90, Boston 108 Chicago 80, Detroit 87 Skiles played for 10 seasons in the NBA with five different teams (Milwaukee, Indiana, Orlando, Washington and Philadelphia). He appeared in 600 games, including 371 starts, and averaged 11.1 ppg and 6.5 apg, while shooting .889 from the free throw line (4th best in NBA history). He still holds the NBA record for most assists in a game with 30, set on Dec. 30, 1990, as a member of the Orlando Magic. That same season, Skiles was named the NBA?s Most Improved Player, when he averaged a career-best 17.2 ppg and 8.4 apg. An All-American at Michigan State, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round (22nd overall) in the 1986 NBA Draft. As a senior in high school he scored 39 points in the state finals to lead Plymouth High School to the Indiana State Championship in 1982. Skiles was born in LaPorte, Ind., on March 5, 1964, and is the fourth-youngest active coach in the NBA, behind Golden State?s Eric Musselman (11/19/64), Seattle?s Nate McMillan (08/03/64) and New Jersey?s Lawrence Frank (08/23/70). He has two sons, Scott, Jr. (15) and Sean (11), and one daughter, Shelby (8). <font color="Red">Chris Duhon</font>-PPG 3.8 RPG 2.0 APG 4.0 <font color="Red">Kirk Hinrich</font>-PPG 15.8 RPG 3.9 APG 6.6 <font color="Red">Luol Deng</font>-PPG 12.9 RPG 5.2 APG 2.3 <font color="Red">Antonio Davis</font>-PPG 5.5 RPG 5.3 APG 1.0 <font color="Red">Eddy Curry</font>-PPG 15.0 RPG 6.4 APG .8 <font color="Red">Ben Gordon</font>-PPG 13.5 RPG 2.40, APG 1.8 Chris Duhon, leads all rookies in assists per game average. One of the biggest reason he starts for the team he allows Hinrich to play shooting guard, and use his perimeter shooting more often, while also allowing Ben Gordon to come off the bench and give the team some instant offense. Chris Duhon has been solid for the team all year like said before with his passing ability and ability to hold on to the ball he averages a total of 1.68 turnovers a game he also ranks ninth in the ational Basketball Association in Assists Per 48 Minutes (9.8). He is also a player who gives us a proven winner on the court handling the ball he was part of two Final Four teams in college, and also was the only player in ACC to finish with 1,000 points, 800 assists, 475 rebounds so he will be a good overall player in the future for us probably not a future long term starter, but a very good role player for the team with his winning attitude. He will provide us with what Bobby Jackson proivdes the Kings with in the future hopefully. Kirk Hinrich, has been solid so far this season for the team much like he was last year for us he ranks currently eleventh in the National Basketball Association in Assists Per Game(6.6), and ranks seventh in the league in Assists Per Turnover Ratio (2.86). If there is one small very minor down side to Hinrich's game its the three ball not that he shoots bad from three (35%), but he shoots to often he ranks fifteenth in the league in Three Point Field Goals Attempted. He won Chicago Bulls player of the year in his first season with the team last year, and is looking to get the award one more time he is off to career high in points per game, rebounds per game, and steals per game. He is however shooting a lower three point field goal percentage this year which may hinder the Bulls chances at times. Luol Deng, in his first season with the Bulls is making a case for the rookie of the year award he has averaged so far this season very good overall numbers he ranks third amoung rookies in points per game average only behind fellow teammate/ rookie of the year canidate Ben Gordon. He has been consistant for the team to say the least he will look to continue it tonight for us against a less than talented New Orleans team. Antonio Davis, is the solid leading vetern on the floor for a very young Bulls team he is not what he use to be in his prime, but he provides the young guys with a vetern leadership attitude on the floor and in the locker room which is what the management was looking for from him when they traded Rose, Marshall and Baxter to the Raptors for him, Williams, and Jeffries one of the reasons he is the only one still on the Bulls roster today out of those three. Eddy Curry did not play against the Pistons do to being sick, but is expected to return to face the Hornets this game he will probably hopefully dominate the paint the Hornets do however have PJ Brown a very under rated player who will be a good defender. Curry is playing for a contract this season with the Bulls he is averaging a career high in points per game and rebounds per game so far this season as he is in the best shape of his career. Has still not lived up to expectations, but he is getting there. Lastly, Ben Gordon, our sixth man of the year (hopefully) he is averaging 13.5 points per game like you know from looking up in this thread which is good enough to rank him second amoung all rookies in points per game average only behind fellow UConn star Okafor. He should be starting had it not been for his three bd starts earlier in the year he ranks currently nineteenth in the NBA in Points Per 48 Minutes (27.4), and fourth in the NBA in three point field goal percentage (.473). * Keep turnovers low the Bulls have two guys in there back court that rank high in the National Basketball Association in Assists Per Turnover Ratio, but they also have a who ranks first in the NBA in turnovers per 48 minutes in Ben Gordon he needs to be smarter tonight and take care of the ball do not make careless turnovers like trying to do to much and bouncing the ball off your foot or other careless mistakes such as that. * Stay cool when you are down the Bulls have a tendency to lose confidence when they are down early in the last thirteen games they have gone 8-5 because they have gotten off to early leads and held them, but when they have fell behind they have had a tendency not to put up much of a fight to get back in the game am I saying this is something they do all the time? no, but its something they do 65% from the time at least. * Hit the boards they have to get more rebounds from Curry he is 6'11" and averages only six rebounds although, that is a career high for him it could be a hell of a lot better for him. I think against a Hornets team in which they have Jamal Mashburn, and Jamal Maglouire everyone on the Bulls team should look to hit the boards not just the big guys. Byron Scott was named head coach of the New Orleans Hornets on May 28, 2004. As the seventh coach in franchise history, Scott will use the experience of two trips to the NBA Finals as head coach of the New Jersey Nets and three NBA titles as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers to help the Hornets become a championship-caliber team. Scott comes to the Hornets after three-and-a-half seasons in New Jersey, during which time he compiled a 149-139 (.517) record and took the Nets from the bottom of the Eastern Conference (only three teams were worse the season before he arrived) to one of the NBA?s elite teams. He posted a 26-56 mark in his first year with the Nets (2000-01), but that record was not a sign of the times to come. Scott guided the Nets to a 52-30 record and a trip to the NBA Finals in the 2001-02 season, just his second as a head coach at any level. The 52 wins were a Nets franchise record and represented the sixth-best turnaround (26 games) in NBA history. The team enjoyed several other franchise firsts, including an Atlantic Division title, the best record in the Eastern Conference and hitting the 50-win mark. The Nets? team success translated into individual honors for Scott, as he was named head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star Team during the 2002 All-Star Game in Philadelphia. As good as the Nets were in the regular season, their march through the playoffs was even more impressive. Scott led the team to victories over the Pacers, Hornets and Celtics before they fell to the L.A. Lakers in the Finals. <font color="aqua">Baron Davis</font>- PPG 19.5 RPG 2.50 APG 6.1 <font color="aqua">JR Smith</font>- PPG 4.0 RPG .9 APG .6 <font color="aqua">Lee Nalon</font>-PPG 14.9 RPG 4.7 APG 1.5 <font color="aqua">Rodney Rogers</font>- PPG 5.8 RPG 3.2 APG 1.6 <font color="aqua">PJ Brown</font>-PPG 10.8 RPG 9.0 APG 2.4 <font color="Aqua">Jim Jackson</font>- 13.3 PPG 4.8 RPG 3.6 APG The New Orleans Hornets, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good Baron Davis is back, the bad on that note he is yet to shake off the rust and is shooting worst from the field then Shaq from the line. He is however scoring for the team and that is always good considering before he entered the mix the team had no one averaging over fifteen points a game. Now the ugly they are still looking to trade him and with his injuries over the years who knows what they could get in return for him. Could get a star or a role player who knows. PJ Brown, the good, the bad, the ugly. He is averaging double digit scoring one of the two consistant Hornets starters this season to do so he is almost averaging a double double as well, the bad he is the Hornets second elading scorer if you dont count Davis why is that bad? he only averages 10 points a game. The ugly like Baron Davis the Hornets are also willing to part with PJ in a rebuilding effort meaning at this point they are willing to trade one of the only players who scores, there mark key guy, and almost anyone else as well who is not young or does not have a expiring contract. JR Smith the........... well just the bad. He is shooting 29% from three point range, 32 % from the field, and is starting what does that say for the depth on this team I do not think he will be starting for long once the Jim Jackson siutation gets resolved which is probably best for him to learn from the bench to get a better feel for the NBA game behind a vetern. Injuries have really destroyed the Hornets season thus far and it does not look like that will change any time soon so guess Hornets fans need to get use to that, and look forward to the draft, and possibly being next years Suns or having Mashburn make a come back like that that Hill has made this season next year possibly. * Well the only thing I can really say is take practically everything you have done up to this point in the year, and do the exact opposet, because obviously it is not working for this team. Porbably I know its early, but considering there record, and being in the western conference. This team needs to look at the direction they want to go in for the future. Make some trades that they think will help them get to that point. As for this game well I guess with Baron abck they should push the break and try to catch the Bulls out of position as much as they can. Key Matchup Projected Stats Baron Davis: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists Kirk Hinrich: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists Well this game dont mean to sound bias, but hopefully will be a Bulls win if they are planning on making a playoff push they got to get these free bee games. I dont want to sound like I am hating on the Hornets, but I take the Bulls in this one by at least fifteen points final score 80-95 Bulls win.</font></div>
i predict the bulls to win this one . they have really been playing great this season. Though whenever something seems like a for sure thing the opposite usually happens. so dont be surprised if the hornets get this game. but if the hornets do take this game i believe that B dizzle has to have a massive game where he gets everyone involved especially himself ( offensive wise ) .
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Quickness:</div><div class="quote_post">i predict the bulls to win this one . they have really been playing great this season. Though whenever something seems like a for sure thing the opposite usually happens. so dont be surprised if the hornets get this game. but if the hornets do take this game i believe that B dizzle has to have a massive game where he gets everyone involved especially himself ( offensive wise ) .</div> They have been playing great AT TIMES.....not all season. But, they should win. Last I checked they were winning and Ben Gordon hadn't even begun to contribute. Hopefully, the Bull continue to play well and win this one.
