Chris Paul has been named the Western Conference Player of the Month presented by Kia for games played from Oct. 28 through November.
The honor is the third of Paul's career and he became the first Hornet to win the award three times.
"Chris is a special player and deserves all the credit and awards coming his way," said Hornets coach Byron Scott. "He is one of the best players in our league."
NBA.com welcomed Chris Paul to the top three table for the race to the MVP.
Rob Peterson, a writer for the Web site, wrote, "Despite dropping to No. 7 last week, we always have a spot reserved for Paul. He's too good to keep down on that list. This week, he showed why he's a legit MVP candidate: Four Hornets wins, three on the road, two triple-doubles and a partridge and a pear tree. Paul followed a 29-point, 16-dime and 10-board game against the Thunder (Oklahoma City is wondering if they really got an NBA team or a club from the CBA) with a 14-17-10 performances in LA against the Clippers two nights later. Thursday, he hit some big shots down the stretch."
LeBron James of the Cavaliers is No. 1 in the NBA.com ranking for MVP followed by Kobe Bryant of the Lakers.
Hester makes start
A week ago, former LSU running back Jacob Hester scored his first NFL touchdown. Sunday, the rookie zipped for a big gain on a fake punt in the fourth quarter that could have changed the outcome in their game with the Falcons.
On both occasions, the Chargers lost, leaving Hester to feel only hollow satisfaction.
"It's so frustrating, because we only one or two plays away, Hester told the San Diego Union Tribune's Tod Leonard after the game. The loss dropped the Chargers to 4-8.
Hester seemingly gave the team one big play to build on with the successful fake punt that gave them hope as they trailed 22-13 with nearly 14 minutes left in the final quarter.
Hester is in charge of the play call on punts and saw a different formation from the Falcons and checked off to the fake. The ball was snapped to Hester and he raced 28 yards to the Atlanta 31.
Hester got backslaps on the sideline.
:Everybody was excited," said Hester. "It got us down there and gave us a chance to get some points. That's all you can ask."
The Chargers wasted the opportunity on a blocked field goal.
How many Saints took StarCaps?
Although only three members of the Saints face suspensions for taking StarCaps, a secret FDA ingredient that was not listed on the label, reports are that Charles Grant testified at the combine hearing appeals of Grant, Will Smith and Deuce McAllister, that as many as 25 Saints were taking StarCaps.
A fourth Saint, Jamar Nesbit, chose not to appeal his four-game suspension. He has since sued the manufacturer of StarCaps for his loss of wages and other damages.
SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: Lance Moore is one heck of a player. The Saints would be headed to the playoffs if they had more players like him. He's getting to be the Wes Welker of the NFC. He has five straight games with a touchdown now...SI.com's special teams player of the week award goes to Saints punter Glenn Pakulak. "Six years ago by and you start to wonder if you'll ever a get a chance to kick in the NFL,'" said Pakulak. "I've lived on couches." Pakulak, prior to signing with the Saints a month ago, worked out for Seattle, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Oakland, Tennessee, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Buffalo before joining the Saints. In a field position game against TampaBay Sunday, Pakulak sent a punt 70 yards from his own end zone and punted four time for a 49-yard average. Saints record for a punt is 81 yards, held by Tom McNeill in 1969...Drew Brees visited Terrytown Academy in Gretna on Tuesday. He picked up third-grader Brent Rodriguez from his house in a limo and took him to the school. He visited the principal's office and spoke to the students about the importance of good health. During the visit, Brees led the youngsters in fitness activities as part of the NFL's program to get them to get 60 minutes of exercise daily...
After Sunday's loss to the Bucs, Brees fell to No. 3 on SI.com's MVP list. Peyton Manning tops the list followed by Atlanta rookie Matt Ryan. Wrote Peter King of the Web site: "In many ways, he's having the best year at the most important position in football, even with the bummer in Tampa. But it'll be hard for me to hand the MVP to a guy who won't be playing on January, especially after how he played down the stretch in Sunday's must win, throwing on the final two possessions."Greg Oden has played in 12 NBA games, started four of them, and already one blogger for ESPN The Magazine's Web site has declared the Portland Trailblazer center to be a failure. "Greg is a bust," wrote rapper Lil' Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. of New Orleans. He had a small part in the movie filed here about Ehret coach Al Collins. The film opens on Christmas Day. "He's got to show me something," wrote Lil' Wayne. I don't get it. At what point was he dominant? I've never seen it. You've never seen it. Maybe NBA officials know something we don't. That's all I can figure. Maybe somebody on that staff has seen something we haven't. But until he shows me something, I'm gonna declare him a bust."
