NBA
HORNETS BUZZ PAST NUGGETS
They’re starting to fill up the New Orleans Arena—and for good reason. The Hornets came within about 1,500 people of capacity on Monday night, but their game was up to total capacity as they beat the Denver Nuggets 117-93.
New Orleans didn’t waste any time in showing the visitors from Denver a bad time—outscoring them 33-
The anticipated showdown between the two little big men, Allen Iverson of the Nuggets and Chris Paul of the Hornets, Paul took the upper hand. They both scored 23 points—matching perfection at the free throw line (Iverson 6 for 6; Paul 8 for 8), but Paul also found time to dish out 17 assists. He came within one rebound of a triple double.
New Orleans’ balanced scoring attack saw six players reach double digits. Peja Stojakovic had 19, and Melvin Ely had 16.
Denver had to take on the hot Hornets (nine straight wins) without All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who is out with a sprained ankle.
The Hornets are now 32-12 and stand at the pinnacle of the Western Conference.
OTHER NBA SCORES
Dallas 103, Memphis 84
Charlotte 107, LA Clippers 100
Utah 97, San Antonio 91
NBA NOTES
• Imagine going into battle without your top three weapons. That was the LA Clippers’ dilemma on Monday as they hosted the Charlotte Bobcats. Elton Brand, of course, is still rehabbing his repaired Achilles’ tendon. But then Chris Kaman, Mr. Double-Double, bruised his left shin. And Corey Maggette got the flu. Result? Charlotte 107, LA 100.
• Jerry Sloan can still coach defense. And the got it in truckloads on Monday as Deron Williams was all over Tony Parker like a second shirt. TP managed just 5 points. Tim Duncan, Parker, and Manu Ginobilli combined for 15 turnovers against Sloan’s stingy Jazz. It got a little chippy in SLC with all the tight D. There were six technical fouls and one ejection in the contest.
• The big question in Oakland today is whether C-Webb’s knees can still take an NBA pounding. One of the game’s top passers during his long career, Chris Webber went unsigned by Detroit after seemingly finishing his career with his hometown team last spring. But now Don Nelson needs another big body, so he and Webber are looking past their 20th century feud and are going to see if they get along better in the 21st century.
NHL
AT-THE-HALF STANDINGS
EASTERN CONFERNCE LEADERS
ATLANTIC DIVISION
New Jersey Devils, 28-18-5, 59 points
Philadelphia Flyers, 27-16-3, 59 points
NORTHEAST DIVISION
Ottawa Senators, 31-15-4, 66 points
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Carolina Hurricanes 24-24-4, 52 points
WESTERN CONFERENCE LEADERS
CENTRAL DIVISION
Detroit Red Wings, 37-10-4, 78 points
NORTHWEST DIVISION
Minnesota Wild, 28-19-3, 59 points
PACIFIC DIVISION
San Jose Sharks, 27-15-7, 61 points
Dallas Stars, 28-20-5, 61 points
PLAYOFF PICTURE
As the NHL opens up its second-half, nearly every NHL team still has a shot at the playoffs. But which teams are in the driver’s seat as we begin the stretch-run? Here’s a look at the teams who would currently hold playoff positions.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Ottawa Senators
2. New Jersey Devils
3. Carolina Hurricanes
4. Montreal Canadiens
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
7. Boston Bruins
8. New York Islanders
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. Dallas Stars
3. Minnesota Wild
4. San Jose Sharks
5. Anaheim Ducks
6. Calgary Flames
7. Vancouver Canucks
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
FACT OF THE DAY
Here’s a look at the stats Chris Webber has accumulated since he joined the NBA in 1993:
Games: 822
Minutes played: 30,720
Rebounds: 8,092
Points: 17,147 (between Tim Duncan and Jeff Malone on he all-time list; about 65th or so in league history. Duncan has 17,048 points; Malone had 17,231.)
Assists: 3,508
SPORTS SPECTRUM INSIDER
Getting to the heart of what matters in life
TODAY'S FEATURE: CHRIS HANSON, PUNTER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
BIO NOTE: Hanson, who grew up in Georgia, played college football at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.
RECENT NEWS: In 2007, Hanson had 44 punts for an average of
FAITH QUOTE: “If you have a committed daily walk with God, you’re going to continue to grow—to walk the way He wants you to walk. You have to rely on Him more, which builds stronger character and builds your faith in Him.”
MINI MEMOS
Putting the SS spin on today's sports news
WISH GRANTED
The Baltimore Ravens should be happy top to bottom today now that Rex Ryan is still on board. The players liked him, and new coach John Harbaugh made it clear from the beginning that we wanted Ryan to return. After talking to a couple of other teams about vacancies, Ryan has returned to the Ravens, who allowed him to check around at other possibilities. He will be defensive coordinator and assistant head coach as he works with old friend Harbaugh.
WHO’S “KIDD”ING WHOM?
It appears that the end is near for the Jason Kidd era in New Jersey. But is that the best idea for both parties? It would seem that it would be easier to try to fix the Nets than to break up the triumvirate of Kidd-Jefferson-Carter and start all over. Clearly, these three are prodigious talents, and equally clearly, the team needs some support for them. The problem with the Nets is defense. They are giving up 100 points a game. A glance over at the stats of the Celtics, who also have a superstar triumvirate, reveals that they are giving up just 88 points a game. What makes a better defense? It usually starts with the coach. These guys are great athletes. They are not incapable of moving their feet, communicating, and refusing to allow opponents to run their offenses. Perhaps it’s time for the Nets to bring in a coach who can teach his men to stop opponents. Before giving up on this team, maybe the Nets should try a different approach with the players they have.
A GAME OF INGE’S
Brandon Inge was a Detroit Tiger when it was embarrassing to wear the Old English D. He molded himself into a popular player in Motown, carving out a spot at third base as the team moved from the basement to the penthouse. He endeared fans to himself with some remarkable plays at third, with his willingness to dive into the stands to get foul popups, and with his apparent joy for the game. But he has flaws in his game. He led the league in errors with 18 (but he also made some catches no other third baseman would make). He hit only .236 on a team with a batting average of .287. The Tigers, of course, upgraded at third by picking up Miguel Cabrera from the Florida Marlins. Now the popular Inge will have to move to a utility role—a hard demotion for a player who has started for so long. But Inge should take heart. On a team that has some aging but talented players, he should get plenty of opportunities to play. Inge can play every position on the diamond but the one in the middle of the infield—and he even did that in college. He’ll probably get into 130 games and get 400 at bats—and the chance to play for a team that could rival the Boston Red Sox as the preseason favorite to be the last team standing in October. Not a bad way to earn $6 million.
WHO IS HE?
Testing your knowledge of past sports stars—taken from “Legends” articles from the pages of Sports Spectrum magazine
FRIDAY’S MYSTERY PERSON
• Played in the 1967 and 1969 All-Star games
• Set an American League record for home runs by a shortstop with 40
• During his career, hit 210 home runs and knocked in 773 runs.
• Batted
WHO IS HE? RICO PETROCELLI
MONDAY’S MYSTERY PERSON
• He is best noted for one game. Thirty-five years ago, this hockey player was on the bench in the closing seconds of the decisive game in a series between the Soviet Union and Canada. The score was tied, and this player yelled to a teammate, Pete Mahovlich, to come off the ice so he could go on. There was less than a minute left in the game. With 34 seconds remaining, this player fired the puck past the Russian goalkeeper, and Canada won this monumental battle with the CCCP. Immediately, this player became a Canadian national hero.
WHO IS HE?
SPORTS SPECTRUM RADIO
SS DAILY INTERVIEW
To hear today's interview, go to the Sports Spectrum radio home page. It can be found at www.sport.org.
THE TUESDAY GUEST
TED KLUCK, Sports Spectrum writer
They hype is here. The Super Bowl is just days away, and it’s time to warm up the discussion about SB XLII in Glendale, Arizona. The newly sown turf is getting its final days of desert sun before moving inside the stadium, the teams are there for media day, and it's time to crank out the verbiage. Ted Kluck and host Frank Giardina will discuss their views of the two teams as they prepare for Sunday’s battle, and he’ll also look back at the 2007 season for stories of encouragement.
