New Orleans Hornets need David West and Tyson Chandler
Don't be deceived, even by the gutsy play and fantastic results. The Hornets aren't a better team without David West and Tyson Chandler.
True, it's a lot easier to arrive at that conclusion these days, having seen the Hornets win four out of the five games they've played without their starting power forward and center, watching them play some of their most passionate basketball of the season in the process.
But they're not a better team without West's 20 points and Chandler's eight rebounds per game. They're not improved minus Chandler's interior defense and West's midrange jumpers.
And the sooner New Orleans gets them back, the better.
It is quite admirable, though, the way the Hornets have held up since West suffered the back spasm that shelved him and Chandler sprained the ankle that made him a cheerleader.
They've not had to face the heaviest hitters the NBA has to offer, sure. Only Philadelphia and Denver were at or better than .500 at the time they played the Hornets during this run. But all a team can do is play the schedule it has; losing against sub .500 teams is far worse than beating them, and we sure wouldn't be giving New Orleans a pass if it was 1-4 over the last five games.
The rediscovery of a couple of players has been a pleasant surprise, and proof that the Hornets have the kind of players who don't get so down on themselves that they don't prepare and aren't ready to perform when called upon after not playing as much as they want.
Devin Brown didn't play a single minute in three consecutive games, and played a combined 10 minutes in the two games before that, and then scored 18 points in 24 minutes against Denver in a win. Julian Wright hadn't played much more than that when he scored 10 in the win against Indiana. And Ryan Bowen sat for a month - before playing on Jan. 23, he last had played on Christmas - before he was called on. He has given the Hornets nice minutes in each of the last two games against Philly and Denver.
New Orleans had banded together the way you'd hope a team would to make the best of what could have been a miserable situation. No matter what happens the rest of the year, we should remember this as the high point, all things considered.
Now, when West and Chandler do return, it's likely going to take a game or two for the reintroduction to take. Things may not look as smooth as they have during their absence and the players whose minutes have swollen during their absence might find themselves pressing a little when they return, trying to do as much or more with less.
Still, as well and as inspired as they've played, the Hornets need their two starters back. They're a better team with them.
The past five games have been a nice run. West and Chandler only will make things better.
