Chris Paul has lost his smile
(photo. Zach Wolfe)
At every gym and every park where there’s a basketball court, you’ll find that guy who’s saddled with a team of four bums. Whether he’s a point guard or a big man, a kid or a 40-year-old, you can often find him by his facial expression: Less of a boiling frustration and more of a miffed resignation that’s steadily losing its steam. He’s not mad anymore, just annoyed over something he can’t control; the only reason he’s not cussing the bums out and sucking his teeth every other play is because his teammates are his friends, or it’s just not in his nature to be a jerk. You’ve seen that guy. Maybe you are that guy. Me? I’m usually playing on that guy’s team.
Chris Paul looks like that guy. Through the first four games of this season, he has clearly seen what the rest of us can see — that his New Orleans Hornets aren’t very good. Even before the reported post-game altercation involving Rajon Rondo following Sunday’s loss at Boston or the other controversial incident where CP allegedly threw a couple jabs at Al Harrington while the two went after a loose ball in the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss at New York, it’s been obvious to anybody watching that Chris Paul is not having a good time out there. His frustration is palpable.
Going back to that definitive 58-point drubbing the Hornets endured against Denver in last year’s playoffs, it seems Paul doesn’t trust his teammates as much as he used to, or he just thinks they’re not as good as other teams he’s been on. Last night’s 13-assist effort was CP’s first double-digit assist game of the new season, bumping his average 8.5 per game, still way below his usual standards. Meanwhile, Paul is scoring 27.7 points per game, on pace for a career-high.
In the fourth quarter against the Knicks, it seemed like the only time the Hornets could generate some offense was when CP decided he was going to score. When he tried to let fellow All-Star David West take over, West turned the ball over or threw up bad shots. Everyone else just stood there waiting for catch-and-shoot opportunities or playing for offensive rebounds. And as good as Paul is, he can’t consistently beat teams by himself like that. Not even the Knicks. He can’t be Isiah Thomas if he doesn’t at least have a Joe Dumars or Mark Aguirre working to get buckets as well.
Whether the Hornets continue to struggle and ultimately miss the playoffs, or if CP is able to carry them out of the Lottery, the 2010 offseason strategy should be clear: They need scorers. Right now they’ve got stationary Mo Pete starting at two-guard and Julian Wright at the three, who is athletic but not quite polished offensively. The other wing, Peja Stojakovic, is only as good as his now-streaky jumper. The Hornets need somebody who can create his own shot, whom Paul can rely on put points on the board without his assistance, allowing CP to be a creator and not call his own number so much.
In the meantime, CP will continue to look like that frustrated guy playing pickup ball. After the New York game he said, “I hate to lose more than I like to win,” a sentiment that’s showing itself as the Hornets slog through this early part of the schedule.
Don’t let the NBA marketing machine fool you: On the court, CP isn’t the happy, smiley, friendly guy he is off the court. He’s a tough (sometimes dirty) competitor. But he’s also not this perpetually pissed-off version of himself, either.
Maybe it’s not cause for concern yet. Maybe fixing this brewing problem could be as simple as New Orleans winning some games. But the complicated part is figuring out how N.O., with the way they’ve been playing, can go about getting those wins.
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November 3rd, 2009 at 9:08 am
vince says:
paul being dirty and hard nosed is a good thing. fuck these happy go round wankers in the nba. we need danny fortson and charles oakley back.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:12 am
Ross says:
He’s always whining unless he’s winning. We can’t all win, all the time, Chris.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:21 am
QQ says:
It’s still early people. Calling his team ‘not very good’ has as much sense as calling the 3-0 Suns a ‘championship contender’: It’s fucking premature. This is an 82 game season, not 10.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:55 am
ticktock6 says:
The Hornets have always needed a slashing scorer at the 2. But don’t let all these articles fool you– the Hornets are losing right now not because of scoring but because their defense looks absolutely 100% terrible. The last two games if you look at team stats they’ve been even except for in both they’ve been outscored like 55-25 on points in the paint. (Don’t quote me, I’m not going back to look, but it’s something close to that.)
Tyson Chandler and David West worked incredibly well together, often with Chandler camouflaging West’s defensive lapses. Okafor (who’s looking like a stud, BTW) and West haven’t figured out how to work together. It looked like a layup drill for the Knicks last night. Add in some inexplicable coaching decisions by Byron Scott and boom. The Hornets have got a hole they need to pull themselves out of. Right now they look like a team of guys who just met each other yesterday.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
Crabhands says:
QQ, while it has only been a few games you CAN judge some elements of talent and chemistry in such a short data set.
Case in point: the Bobcats last night. I watched that game and boy, was that U-G-L-Y. They are a terrible team.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
Kobeef says:
CP3 needs a top tier swingman.
West and Okafor are good enough, but the Hornets swingmen are not good enough to start on any good NBA team.
Unless they can steal a swingman form someone next year (Rudy Gay?) I could see CP3 jumping ship.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:58 am
ticktock6 says:
P.S. I think the Al Harrington thing is being blown up into something it’s not. Harrington grabbed his leg and held him. CP was pissed there wasn’t a call. And as far as I remember, the game was still tied at that point, or very close.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:05 am
ticktock6 says:
P.S. #2 I know preseason and summer league are preseason and summer league, but rookie 2nd rounder Marcus Thornton was instant offense, looking like the best scorer on the team who wasn’t named Paul or West. (12 PPG preseason, 20+ in summer league) He could really be helping the Hornets right now. Byron Scott has yet to dress him in the regular season, in favor of garbage players like Devin and Bobby Brown. And this after the Hornets front office gave a mandate over the summer to move toward playing the youth, and drafted two guys. Neither have played yet.
He almost looks like a coach who’s trying to be fired.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:09 am
richard e. says:
the hornets need to give him some help before he leaves…lebron to the hornets in 2010 lol
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:14 am
chebs says:
********hey ross
at number 2
did u feel like u were actually talkin to chris paul with that statement
i dnt think he read wat u wrote at all u jerk
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
rangerjohn says:
CP is dirrrty, he is borderline on the level you guys liked to put bowen on. the thing is he says things the league likes, and he has a better all around game obviously then bowen did. it is the “uber-star treatment”. he is a can do no wrong type guy even though he is a do it wrong half the time guy. his pushoff is worse then MJ’S and he has hit more then one man in the nuts on the court. (only one “famous” time, but he hit bowen in the nuts). he knows he can get away with what ever he wants so he is like a 3 yr old kid, he is going to test and test and test until daddy spanks him, come on stern spank your boy.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:18 am
rangerjohn says:
LMAO ross is a jerk because he wrote that statement? LMAO wow sounds like someone is butt hurt or something?
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:26 am
Chicagorilla says:
@Chris Paul
Maybe you should have begged N.O. to go get Ben Gordon when he was available this summer. Or maybe even Charlie V. Or perhaps Chase Buddinger when he was in the 2nd round and your team wasted their first round pick on another PG (Darren Collison). And if you did bring all this up to management this off-season, then maybe you shouldn’t re-sign with them when your contract is up.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
Scott says:
I wouldn’t read much into the Rondo incident either, Rondo clearly started that ish. Paul put up his hands immediately as to say I’m not trying to get into shit with anyone, this ass just came over trying to get me to bite on some instigation.
Personally I bet the whole Celts front office cringed after seeing Rondo go after Paul, especially after they gave into his contract demands.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:28 am
flegman says:
2009-2010 NOH will be like the 2007-08 Heat.
CP3 will get injured (or actually not, that is not important), Scott will be fired by AS weekend.
NOH roster is crap.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 am
Jacqueline Mitchell says:
I like Chris Paul, but it’s clear he really needs some help from his teammates or management is gonna hear it from not only Chris, but the fans in New Orleans too.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 am
Chicagorilla says:
^<— Creating a SG in NBA2k to come save Chris Paul and the Hornets. Bringing 30ppg, 50%FG,45% 3ptFG, Vince Carter dunk package, and 6 extremly hard fouls per game! you’re welcome N.O.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:35 am
QQ says:
@ 5:
The Houston Rockets last year in the playoffs were short in talent and personnel when they lost Yao, and further more they were matched up against the best team in the West, the Lakers. Everyone was writing them off (including me and THIS site).
When they started winning and they showed they can run with the Lakers, people suddenly were on their tails, saying that if there’s a team that can beat LA, its the Rockets.
See?
It’s all perception, baby. When NO goes on a 5 game winning streak, suddenly Paul will be smiling, Julian will be balling, Emeka will be a fantastic pickup, and everyone will be saying that they have GREAT talent and personnel. Perception, man. Perception.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:39 am
The Real Tyrone says:
Ain’t no doubt y’all that CP3 be one of dem best point guards yo. Cat be dishin dem dopey dimes like nobody else.
True thugs NEVER lie.
The REAL Tyrone
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:41 am
Kudabeen says:
Didn’t the Hornets have a chance to draft Chase Budinger, Sam Young, Dejuan Blair, or Meeks? I like Thronton, but he isn’t getting time just yet. They are still undersized and didn’t answer the toughness question that Denver exposed them with last playoffs. CP3 needs a Keyon Martin on his side letting other teams know they can’t knock him around and not fear getting hammered on the other end.
Year after year they refuse to put a complete team together. They have to work too hard to generate offense and defend bigger teams or teams with great backcourts.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
chebs says:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
********#########
AT NUMBER 12
******************
hey ranger john how bout u go put out a forest fire or sumthin loser lmao
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
rc says:
CP is a winner and sometimes you gotta be tough and gritty to get a winning edge. He’s undoubtely super talented and has very high basketball IQ. Too bad the other Hornets in the roster dont have the same drive as him. David West has the skills he just needs to be willing to push himself more. They need to get a tough minded veteran on this team.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
Daddy Dollars says:
Hornets should try to get Rip from the Pistons. It would give him a reliable shooter in the half court. Maybe Rip and Coffee No Cream for Emeka
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
dagwaller says:
Nice write-up, Austin.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:04 am
Chicagorilla says:
@23
that would be a great pickup, but they don’t have the talent Detroit could command for a guy like RIP. 20ppg and good shooting percentage is hard to get rid of. Giving up Emeka would actually work in reverse, seeing as how he’s been the best player not named Chris Paul on NO. Maybe Hilton Armstrong and David West or Peja but I doubt anyone wants Peja. He makes too much $
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:24 am
rangerjohn says:
#21
yeah wrong kind of ranger tough guy.
try again
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:40 am
LakeShow84 says:
Saw his stat line last night and i honestly felt bad for the kid..
what was it like 35&15 assists?? how do you lose that game when your playing KNICKS??
DAVID WEST IS A JOKE.. that tough guy shit didnt last too long did it??
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:42 am
LakeShow84 says:
Dont get me wrong i dont LIKE his game but i respect the #’s he puts out there at the highest level..
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:51 am
BiG ShoT BoB says:
Phoenix is trying to move Stat why don’t they offer West and Armstrong which would work out for both teams. West can run the fast break and catch kick outs from Nash. Plus if Amare decides not to resign this off season than you have all that cap space to go after a free agent.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
ticktock6 says:
“West can run the fast break”
When I stop giggling I’ll get back to you on that. (Note: it wasn’t a bad idea to go after Amare this summer. I think he’d work well with Paul. But the rumored draft night deal never got serious.) At this point the Hornets would give Hilton Armstrong away for free.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:08 pm
That's whats up says:
this little bitch done high dribbled into his face too many times and knocked his smile off
fuckin’ whiny punk
I said it last year here on Dime – he’s going to start losing and demand a trade. It won’t be long. His pussy is bruised and he wants to go home
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
QQ says:
@ 31:
And then they go on a winning streak, and everyone’s happy again, and haters like will go ‘oh shiiitttt’ again. Vicous cycle, man. You see a team, they lose some, everyone’s go ‘that team is shit’, then they win, everyone wished they didn’t open their mouth.
If it’s about the Magic though, I’ll still talk, LOL.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Celts Fan says:
wow, thought he lost that a year ago? Simmons summed it up at the last trading deadline perfectly. “I don’t see Chris Paul being a happy N.O. Hornet 2 years from now.” Let’s get some offers out. I wonder if Rondo and 2 #1s would be enough to pry him away? Obviously NO is more concerned w/ turning a profit than putting out a winner (though they’re at least trying to win on a budget, not pulling a Phoenix and saying, “We’re spending this, not a cent more. And maybe we’ll win with that.”
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
ticktock6 says:
@ Celts Fan
The Hornets were coming off an 8-0 preseason last year and were 3-0 to start the year. I’m pretty sure Chris Paul was happy a year ago. LOL.
It’s hard to remember sometimes that things change so quickly in this league.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:48 pm
ticktock6 says:
Your criticism of Stern & the ownership, however, is legit. I don’t trust that man as far as I can throw him. Seeing as I am a 115 lb girl, not far. (Although he is a pretty midgety old man– I’ve met him and I’m VASTLY taller, not that that has anything to do with anything). He takes all the credit for the Hornets returning to NO, but only after it turned out successful. He didn’t want to be here, and neither did Byron Scott. Fans here love the TEAM and most of all Chris Paul, but we have no illusions about either of those characters. The problem with Shinn is he’s the only NBA owner without another business. The Hornets are it. He’s not in real estate or the head of a company or anything. And it is naive of the ownership to think that isn’t going to effect what they can do with this team. Chris Paul is an asset they need to manage better than this.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
kevin k says:
HAWKS NEEDS TO TRADE JOE JOHNSON AND THEIR NEXT 2 FIST PICKS FOR CP3
HAWKS NEEDS TO TRADE JOE JOHNSON AND THEIR NEXT 2 FIST PICKS FOR CP3
HAWKS NEEDS TO TRADE JOE JOHNSON AND THEIR NEXT 2 FIST PICKS FOR CP3
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
King says:
If Paul is the number 1 scoring option on you team it’s safe to say youre not winning big anytime soon
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
fan says:
Hilton Armstrong isn’t a NBA player. Also this isn’t the same team from 2 yrs ago. Chandler played out of his mind & Stojakovic is over. Mo Pete is a stiff. Phil Jackson couldn’t help this team. They’re bad and the Knicks finally were the better team collectively. Paul is frustrated. Paul & Deron should be allowed trades as to not let their immense talent go to waist. They’re to good & competitive to play for teams that have no chance. Chemistry is something you can’t create. Trading Chandler was the beginning to the end. Julian Wright will never get it. Chris Paul isn’t any dirtier than Stockton. He has to play w/ an edge. He’s under 6ft. Jordan didn’t push off Byron Russel. When you use that drive & pull back move correctly no defender can stop in time. Geeez. Have most of you guys play varsity at least. Played as in minutes. Not rec ball. Chris Paul & Lebron & Amare or Bosh. No place like NY. I’ll even take Wade or Jiggy Joe Johnson. Let’s go after Gerald Wallace. Man the Hornets remind me of the Heat team & worst. What do you want the guy to do. He’s overworking every game. He cant rest for 2 mins. If management and teams had an idea the N.B.A. would be so much better. Instead we have a lot of bad teams in the league. Why is Kevin Ollie and Lindsey Hunter still playing? I’d rather Sam Cassel, Avery Johnson, or Mike D’Antoni. The Political League. Entertainment has really hurt the sport. It’s all really a business created by the powers that be. Don’t be upset at the players.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
fan says:
David West lateral movement is worse than my Grandmother doing the electric slide seriously. Why Draft players who aren’t ready? You should play them anyway. Give them a chance. You never know.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Diego says:
@ kevin k post 36: Come on now. Hawks are better than N.O. right now. Who would be Hawks’ go-to scorer then? I like Jamal Crawford, but He is not at JJ’s level.
Only way you make trade like that is JJ straight up for CP if Hawks season unexpectedly slides and JJ indicates he won’t re-sign. Then N.O. makes trade only for salary cap purposes.
Screw it, even if JJ does not want to resign, Hawks owners should pony up some real $ and upgrade by going after Bosh, Lebron or Wade. All of those guys would be closer to a championship with Atlanta and would absolutely love the city–where a lot of NBA players live offseason anyway. (And Bosh played at Georgia Tech 1 year, so he knows the place.)
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:27 pm
ticktock6 says:
“Chris Paul & Lebron & Amare or Bosh. No place like NY. I’ll even take Wade or Jiggy Joe Johnson. Let’s go after Gerald Wallace.”
By that argument we should just contract the league to 2 teams, LA and New York. The stars can play on them. The rest of the country will cease to care. And basketball will be over.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:39 pm
That's whats up says:
what the hell is a FIST PICK?
QQ….please
worry about the Magic – The Hornets suck now, they’ll suck more soon and they’ll really suck later
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
K Dizzle says:
Hornets could use an upgrade the the 2 and 3 spots….Maybe a Rasual Butler…a Sam Young…maybe a Budinger. I understand it’s early, but NO’s in trouble, cuz this ain’t a squad just tryin to get into the playoffs,they tryin to advance…
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
the cynic says:
this team has been and will be garbage until Peja’s contract is up. Only 3 more years to go
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
40 cal bouncemag.com says:
I’m with Vince on this one. The NBA is looking real soft!
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
chebs says:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ 26
ranger john is embarresed now
ok, u fake captain planet, no forest fires reported 2day
so go save a cat from a tree bum
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
rangerjohn says:
chebs, you make absolutely ZERO sense.
im embarrassed? LMAO gonna take more then your exclamation points and ridiculous comments to do that.
so i say again, TRY AGAIN!
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
heartbreaker85 says:
the okafor signing wasnt good. he’s basically a taller, more efficient rebounder than david west with less offense. they park at the same places and have the same high post-four tendencies.
cp3 needs a complimentary 2 guard and if someone can look for the ghost of james posey and they’d be fine.
j wright isnt the future.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:54 pm
QQ says:
WTF? Honestly. It’s like 4 games into the season, and you guys go ‘Okafor was a terrible pick up’ and yall trade the best PG in the League (PG no.1A, Deron is no.1B; yes, I think they’re on the same level) for Joe freaking Johnson. DAAAAMN.
November 4th, 2009 at 1:28 am
chebs says:
@@@@@@@@@@@@@
47
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
************************
y do u want me to try again, i think u like me too much leave me alone weirdo !!!!!!!!!!