The Hornets headed home on Sunday night up 3-1 in their best of 7 series with the Mavericks.
The Hornets can close the series on Tuesday night in the Arena or they can let the Mavs back in the series. The Hornets rolled to a 97-84 victory on Sunday night.. The Hornets pushed the Mavs to the brink of elimination. The Mavs must win three in a row to avoid an exit from the series.
"It's single elimination right now," said Dallas coach Avery Johnson. His team was never in the game after it fell behind by double figures in he third quarter.
The boos and exodus in the aisles came even before Hornets coach Byron Scott pulled his starters.
Forward Davis West recovered from a miserable Game 3 and scored 24 points and 9 rebounds. Chris Paul scored 16 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds as the Hornets ended an 0-for14 drought in Dallas that dated back to January, 1998.
"It's a great feeling to be up 3-1, but it doesn't mean too much right now," said Paul. "It's tough to close out a team and get that fourth win, but we feel pretty confident going back in front of our fans."
The Hornets have added about 2,000 new season ticket holders and have sold out of suites for next season.
The Hornets shot 50 per cent from the floor while holding the Mavs to 36 per cent.
The Mavs, who played like Sonny Liston looked in his first round knockout by Muhammad Ali in their second fight, lost their composure late in the game when gnarled old veteran Jason Kidd clotheslined Jannero Pargo on a fast break. Kidd was given a flagrant foul, penalty two,. which carries an automatic ejection. The league will review the incident, and a suspension is possible.
The Hornets found the Mavs' glass jaw. It was a deplorable loss for the Mavs.
Several Hornets said they thought they had taken Dallas' best shot in Game 3 and could handle it.
"I thought after the first quarter, everything we had talked about, worked," said Scott. "Our running game got going and that's why we won this game."
The Hornets' Mardi Gras-esque yellow road uniforms made their postseason debut, a low point in fashion history.
It is said the fourth win in a series is the toughest, but the Hornets have passed every test they've faced so far.
There's no reason why they can't pass this next one, especially if the Mavs continue to show that “glass-like Liston jaw”.
LSU and Draft
The second day of the draft proved to be a busy one for LSU as a total of six Tigers were selected during the final five rounds, including three third-round picks.
The NFL Draft concluded on Sunday with a total of seven Tigers being taken in the two-day event in New York. That's the second best showing ever for the Tigers in the draft. In 1948, LSU had eight players selected. LSU has had seven players taken in the draft seven times.
"This year's draft proved once again that the LSU football program continues to be a place that players go to get prepared to play at the next level," said Tigers coach Les Miles. "At LSU, we have a process in place that gets the players ready for the next step in their life, whether it be the NFL or the business world. When our players leave our program, they are ready to be successful no matter what profession they choose."
Glenn Dorsey continued the Tigers' streak of first-round picks by being selected fifth over-all--by the Chiefs. LSU has now had a player taken in the first round for five straight years. Dorsey is the 31st first-round pick in Tigers history.
Cornerback Chevis Jackson became the first Tiger selected on Sunday as he was picked in the third round by Atlanta. Jacob Hester was taken in the third round by San Diego. LSU wide receiver Early Doucet was the third Tiger taken in the “third round” as Arizona picked him.
Tigers safety Craig Steltz went in the fourth round to Chicago, while quarterback Matt Flynn and tight end Keith Zinger were both seven-round picks. Flynn was picked by Green Bay and Zinger by Atlanta.
A pair of undrafted Tigers signed free agent contracts as linebacker Ali Highsmith agreed to terms with Arizona, while linebacker Luke Sanders signed with the Saints.
Other Tigers expected to sign free agent deals include offensive lineman Will Arnold, cornerback Jonathan Zeno and punter Patrick Fisher.
"I'm so proud of all our seniors because they have been a part of the most successful class in the history of LSU football," said Miles.
Glenn Dorsey, New Orleans Saints Draft
The Saints wanted LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey in Saturday's first day of the NFL draft, but had to settle for the second best defensive tackle in the draft, USC's Sedrick Ellis.
The Saints, who were out to improve their defense ever-more after trades and free agency signings, offered the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 5) this year's first-round selection (No. 10), next year's first-round pick, and this year's seventh-round pick to move up to No. 5 and take Dorsey.
The Chiefs turned down the Saints offer and selected Dorsey themselves. The Saints then responded by trading from No. 10 to No. 7 with New England, and picked USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis for the price of swapping first-round selections and throwing the Patriots a third-rounder.
That's getting the second-best defensive tackle and a player many talent detectives feel is close to Dorsey, for a lot less of a price tag.
Dorsey had been rated as high as first and second in mock drafts. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was asked if the price was too high to move up further to get Dorsey?
Answered Loomis: "There are some variables, and I don't want to talk about any specifics, but I mean just in trading up period, you have to value what is the size of the contract. The size of that contract is going to prevent us in doing what is going forward.
"For example, the difference between the contract that picked ten and the contract that picked second is $40 million plus over the course of the deal. There are a lot of things that we can do $40 million in terms of free agency and our own players, so that is a big variable. Also you have to consider the variable of much compensation, what picks are you giving up, what players do you have to give up, all of that becomes an issue. It is not clear cut for that type of decision. It is a lot of variables. There is no question about that."
Dorsey was asked if he was surprised he fell to the Chiefs? "I don't feel like I fell to the Chiefs," said Dorsey. Each team has had what they wanted to do and I didn't come in with any expectations.
"This is the best I've ever felt. I'm excited to have the opportunity."
Saints coach Sean Payton left his office on Friday and told Loomis that they could not be forced into paying too much for Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, reported to be involved in trade talks with the Saints. The Saints' offer of a second-round and a six-round this year, or a second and a fifth next year just wasn't enough for the Giants, who want Saints safety Roman Harper and a second.
The Saints were on the clock with the 40th pick of the draft on Saturday and this was the pick they should be trading to the Giants for Shockey. ESPN goes to a commercial. No Shockey trade.
The Saints picked cornerback Tracey Porter, a Port Allen native, from Indiana, in the second round.
Later on Saturday, Payton answered questions from the media at the Saints training facility.
Q: Your opinion of your top draft pick?
A: Sedrick Ellis is an active player. He's probably more nose when you watch the college film, but he's a guy who can play in a three technique. He gives us flexibility in regards to the pass rush.One thing about him is that the guy plays with great intensity. We saw a lot of college film and saw him at the Senior Bowl. He was one of the guys as the draft started that we held in high regard and we were able to get up there and get in position to draft him.
Q: Do both Ellis' and Tracy Porter's ability to make plays fit needs on your defense?
A: I think you look at all those things defensively and the position. You're trying to find players that fit what you do and I think in both cases these are guys that have those qualities. that's a plus.
Q: Were you guys pretty determined to be able to draft either Ellis or Glenn Dorsey?
A: It was a priority. Mickey, Rick Mueller and I spent a lot of time discussing the scenarios. You understand that being patient, being smart and not necessarily having one specific player, but having a plan in place is the way to go. We were prepared to pick ten if needed be. Fortunately, we were able to move up and get Ellis. I think you go through some scenarios. You hear a lot and you read a lot and then when it actually starts, you really have to pay attention to what's in front and what's behind you. I think we were able to do that."
Q: Are you still pursuing Jeremy Shockey or is that dead?
A: I've read so much about that topic. No. 1, it's a player on another team that we would never be able to comment on. Obviously there's a history with myself being with the Giants organization and I was there when we selected Jeremy, but that wouldn't be something that I could comment on, just because I think it's inappropriate and there's been a lot written about it and half that stuff that was written probably was false. I don't know where it came from. Mickey and I talked about this and really in all fairness to our team and league protocol, I just don't think it is appropriate for us to even visit about it.
Q:How close did you have Dorsey and Ellis rated next to each other and where were they on your over-all board?
A: They both were on top of the board in the first six picks and both were very close to each other. I think probably universally throughout the league at that specific posssition there were two players that everyone felt pretty much the same about in regards to the two best defensive tackles. Depending om your scheme, your level of inerest might change and might go up or down, but both the players were high up there.
Q:What separated Tracy Porter from the others guys at 40?
A: He's a guy that does fil a need. He's a returner. He has good ball skills. He was captain of his team. The staff there at Indiana, I know very well. His prior head coach, the late Terry Hoeppner, who passed away not long ago, was someone that I worked with for a number of years as well as Bill Lynch, the current head coach there right now and a number of assistants. You scout this player from when he arrived at Indiana, all the way through his senior year, he's done a lot of things that we would look for in our corners. We were excited. When you get at the end and you have two or three players in that round that you've kind of blocked off and you hope they just don't go in front of you, which can often happen, in this case, we were fortunate that it didn't.
Q: When you look at the competition at cornerback, does Tracy Porter come in with an opportunity to start?
A: We'v done this each year, and you guys that cover us regularly know that we're going to play the best players. We hope that they're guysthat we've identified and drafted, but we've played players that we haven't. That compeition is healthy, and I think that leads to a healthy locker room. Our players, to a man, know that any aany position as a starter or a backup, is going to one that's earned. We keep looking at bringing in playerss that fit what we're about, and I think with these two players we have really solid guys and talented players that fit our scheme. We'll see; there will be a lof of competition -- not just at corner either.
Q: There were reports that had Jammal Brown on the trading block in efforts to move up. Is there any accuracy in that?
A: No. I think this year -- and every year it changes -- the draft is a popular event and I think the league does a great job of promoting it and that has gone on. There is more written leading up to the draft and i bet it's about 50 per cent cent acccurte and 50 per cent false. When it comes to a player like Jammal, I think it's a credit to him. As teams try to look at what you might have a surplus of, or you might have depth at that position, but we're not interested in trading Jammal. But I read a little of that, but you'll go crazy trying to pay attention to all of it. There was no interest in our part in trading him. He's had a great off-season, probably one of the better offseasons of anyone on our team on our team right now.
I think the Saints will end up thanking their stars tha the Chiefs turned down their offer to move up. They still have ammo to get Shickey from the Giants.
And, they'll have a first-round pick next April.
The Saints drafted another defensive tackle when they selected DeMario Pressley, 6-3, 301, of North CarolinaState in he fifth round. The club moved up two spots to pick Pressley and that cost the Saints their seventh-round pick in this year's draft.
Pressley's conference call with the pressboxers:
Q: Did you visit New Orleans or know the Saints were interested in you?
A: Yes I did. About two weeks ago they flew me in for a visit. Last week, Coach Ed Orgeron and I had a nice workout.
Q: Did you do anything with Sedrick Ellis in any all-star game or have you come across him very much in the offseason?
A: Sed and I kind of built a little relationship at the Senior Bowl because we were both on the north side. He and I actually played against each other SOS this is probably going to turn out for the good.
Q: Do you think your injuries this past season prevented you from being a higher draft choice?
A: Yes. Whenever I talked to a scout or a coach they always brought up my injuries and asked me if I was healthy. They would ask me how my knee is or how is my wrist, They would also ask me if I'm prone to injuries. I think it did hurt me a lot because I was hurt through two and a half games.
Q: What is your answer to the injury questions?
A: Those two injuries were the only minor ones I've had in my four years in college. I think they were both freakl injuries. I'm a tough guy and I can handle it.
Q: You can play both tackle positions and what do you envision yourself playing more comfortably in the NFL?
A: I can play both tackle positions. Coach Orgeron said that he would probably see me at the three technique. I really don't care where I play, but I can play both.
Q:How do you feel about your pass-rush abilities?
A: I've been trying to work on it a lot. I have ben trying to get stronger in that area. I like to think of my pass rush as "will be." Right now, I would say I'm a good pass rusher.
Q: People haven't seen you on a consistent basis and what you are capable of because of injuries. What happened?
A: They didn't get to see the real me my senior year because of injuries. but the last six games I was able to show more of what I can do, I'm going to work hard this offseason and preseason to really show everybody what I can do.
