<div align="center"> <font color=""White"">@</font> <font color=""MediumTurquoise"">New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (4-5)</font> @ <font color=""DarkRed"">Philadelphia 76ers (6-5)</font> Time: Monday, Nov. 21, 7:00pm vs. Hornets TV: CSN, NBATVHighDef <u>Probable Starting Five</u> <font color="DarkRed">Philadelphia 76ers</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""DarkRed"">PG</font>- Allen Iverson <font color=""DarkRed"">SG</font>- Andre Iguodala <font color=""DarkRed"">SF</font>-Kyle Korver <font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Chris Webber <font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Steven Hunter</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Maurice Cheeks</font> ____________________________ <font color=""MediumTurquoise"">New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""MediumTurquoise"">PG</font>- Chris Paul <font color=""MediumTurquoise"">SG</font>-Kirk Snyder <font color=""MediumTurquoise"">SF</font>-Bostjan Nachbar <font color=""MediumTurquoise"">PF</font>- David West <font color=""MediumTurquoise"">C</font>- Chris Anderson</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Byron Scott</font> <u>Injury Report</u> <font size=""1""> S. Dalembert (Out) Obtained: Nov 2, 2005 Injury: Right quad strain S. Claxton (questionable) Obtained: Nov 19, 2005 Injury: Ankle injury P. Brown (questionable) Obtained: Nov 19, 2005 Reason: Personal J. Smith (doubtful) Obtained: Nov 16, 2005 Injury: Left ankle sprain </font></div> <u>Game Most Valuable Player</u> [IMGR]http://www.nba.com/media/sixers/iverson2_200_030420.jpg[/IMGR] Allen Iverson has been stroking the ball these past two games shooting 50% from the field in each of the last two contests. Iverson has also scored double digit points in the first quarter of each of the last two games. He is currently ranked first in the league in scoring so to say I expect him to have a big game is not going out on a limb. AI has also been creating for his teammates this season as he is ranked third in the league in assists. Allen has yet to score less than 25 points in a game this year. He will be matched up against a very young player in Chris Paul despite how great Paul has been this season there is nothing to suggest he will be able to stop Iverson in this contest. <div align="center"><u> Predicted Numbers: 40 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds</u></div> <u>Keys to the Game</u> <ul><font color="DarkRed">Don?t under estimate the Hornets</font> the Hornets have taken down some good teams this season in the Rockets and Kings so if you take them likely they can pull out a win. They have played pretty good basketball this season, and seem to have a winning attitude for the first time in years thanks in large part to the sensational play by Chris Paul. The 76ers can not come into this game thinking it will be a cake walk.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">If you get a lead, hold on to it </font> the 76ers are frustrated everyone this season with their inability to hold on to large leads. They have had a double digit lead in each of the last three contests, and have allowed the other team to come back, and in the most recent contest (Cleveland) they actually allowed them to come all the way back and win. Cheeks has to get these guys focused, and keep them focused for 48 minutes. They could very well be 8-2 at this point if they played all 48 minutes of the game.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Get rebounds</font> you can?t win the game without the ball. The 76ers have been out rebounded by five rebounds a game this season. It is incredible that they are over .500 giving up those rebounding numbers. Cleveland killed them on the offensive boards, and that was one of the biggest reasons why they where able to come back in that game. The Hornets have Chris Anderson who has had a 18 rebound game this season, and PJ Brown (if he plays) who is a double double guy when he is on the court. If the 76ers don?t box out those guys will take advantage.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Defense</font> the 76ers need to go back to playing defense the way they played against the Lakers. Stop allowing other teams to take your guys one on one while everyone else just stands around and watches.[/list] <ul><font color="MediumTurquoise">Get Chris Paul going early</font> Paul has had over 20 points during each of the last two contests, and three times so far this season when he plays well the team wins. He has played outstanding basketball during the time JR Smith has been out. If they get him going early they will be in a great position to win.[/list] <ul><font color="MediumTurquoise">Give Mason some playing time</font> this guy is a player who can give you at least 15 a night if he is getting playing time I don?t know what Scott is thinking he has not played Mason over 20 minutes so far this season. This Hornets team is playing solid basketball with a couple of their main weapons being none factors Smith due to injury, Mason due to playing time, imagine what they could do if those two start contributing.[/list] My Prediction: The Hornets have been the feel good story of the season so far this year in the NBA. However, don?t expect them to win tonight with Claxton out, and Smith out as well. The 76ers will be able focus all their attention of defense on Chris Paul which will in turn disrupt the entire Hornets offense. I think the Hornets can put up a great fight, but at the end of the day the 76ers pull out the win. Final score 110-98.
Nice preview, BKS. If the Hornets really do suffer from all those injuries, than I think we can expect a win from the 76ers, but not a total blowout. Maybe by a couple of points. Who knows, maybe the Hornets can even snatch a road win from the 76ers. They beat Orlando yesterday despite their injuries. The absences might just influence the Hornets to play harder and step up more. I'm rooting for them this game!
good match up between cp3 and ai, btw did ai ever score in the second half???? j.r. came back strong and off the bench, speedy claxton shot bad but made all 9 freethrows... if the sixers didnt score 65 points in first half the hornets would have a chance to win
Well Iverson didn't play the last 14 minutes of the game, but yeah I don't think he scored in the second half. He had 24 at the half, if I'm not mistaken.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting rookie789:</div><div class="quote_post">good match up between cp3 and ai, btw did ai ever score in the second half???? j.r. came back strong and off the bench, speedy claxton shot bad but made all 9 freethrows... if the sixers didnt score 65 points in first half the hornets would have a chance to win</div> Allen Iverson did not play in the second half the 76ers had a comfortable lead, and have a big game coming up against the Bucks so they rested him the entire second half basically outside of two minutes in which he played at the start of the third. Chris Paul has great vision for a rookie I can recall three or four passes he made during the game that just left me speechless even though he had a bad shooting night, and did not score as many points as he does regularly he found his teammates with ease. When he gets some experience, and cuts down his turnovers he is going to be nearly unstoppable. The Hornets have no shooters at all several times Chris found Snyder open on the perimeter only to have him miss a wide open shot every time. Nachbar the best three point shooter on the team struggled horrible as well. The 76ers just played zone the whole game knowing no one in the Hornets roster was hitting threes. Desmond Mason even air balled a shot at the end with no pressure on him once so ever. Today I saw why Scott does not play Mason more this is no where near the same Mason we saw last year with the Bucks his shot is no where to be found, and he no longer takes the ball to the basket he just floats around the perimeter taking long shots. He made one big play all game from what I recall. I don?t see him being in New Orleans long he will probably be shipped out for some draft picks or other good role players at the trade deadline unless he improves his game. JR Smith got owned by Steven Hunter at one point in the game when he went up for a dunk he just got it swatted right back into his face. Overall this Hornets team showed they still have a lot of growing to do before they even think about the playoffs.
