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Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

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You can excuse Hornets fans for being a little giddy after tonight’s 108-94 win over the L.A. Clippers. For one, it was the largest home win all season, their 12th-straight win against the Clippers and, since they’ve just one eight of their last eleven games, the Hornets are just one game out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. Oh, and they surpassed 100 points, giving everyone in attendance a free chicken wrap at Popeyes!

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And yet, with any kind of joy it’s always nice to take a step back and look at the reality of the situation. Of their last eight wins, only two were against opponents with a winning record (Utah and Houston). And despite winning by 14 tonight, the Hornets still gave up 23 second-chance points and were out-rebounded 46 to 38 (the Hornets also only secured nine offensive rebounds off of 42 misses, not good).

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“I didn’t feel overall that our execution was at a high level,” coach Jeff Bower said. “I thought it was OK. It was good enough tonight.”

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Key phrase: “good enough tonight.” What may be good enough against the 17-20 Clippers is not going to be good enough against teams like the Spurs (whom the Hornets play next Monday) let alone powerhouses like L.A., Dallas and Denver. By Bower’s own admission, this team is still a ways off from being a true contender.

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“Based on what I watch and the goals and pictures in our heads of how we want to play, with the efficiency we’re capable of, we have a long way to go,” he said.

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That said, there’s no denying that the offense is starting to come together. Every Hornets starter scored in double figures and they registered 26 assists to just six turnovers. That, combined with a strong defensive effort, is what put the Hornets over the hump tonight.

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“We’re starting to learn that, on the defensive end, if we can get stops when we need to, that we’re pretty good,” Devin Brown said.

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The Hornets can be pretty good, and they can also be pretty bad. Luckily for them, they look like they’re getting better before they get worse. But the Hornets are at a point in their season where how wins come about isn’t as important as them actually getting those wins. Asked if he realized his team shot over 50 percent on the night, Chris Paul delivered what has become the mantra for this team:

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“I’m just trying to get wins,” he said. “I could care less how many shots we take or how many shots we missed.”

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Photograph by Jonathan Bachman

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In the course of eight days, the Hornets have gone from being humiliated by the Suns by 20 points in Phoenix to winning 110-103 with a brand new coach and scheme in New Orleans. Energy. Motion. Fluidity. It’s been a long time since those words consistently described the Hornets offense, but they all applied during tonight’s thrilling victory.

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“Coach wants us to play with confidence,” said guard Devin Brown, who finished with 19 points. “We’re going to spread the floor. We’re going to get the ball to Peja. We’re going to get the ball to David West. If we can do that, it’s goign to show how deep our bench really is.”

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Five players scored in double figures for the Hornets while all but one player that saw the floor tonight (Bobby Brown) registered four or more rebounds. If nothing else, the Hornets have proven how effective they can be against one of the NBA’s best teams by simply moving the ball, spreading the court and hustling for offensive rebounds. Telling stat: New Orleans threw up 97 shots tonight. While they missed 58 times, they had 25 offensive rebounds, extending possessions and keeping Phoenix from unleashing their high-powered transition offense.

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“The number of field goal attempts [was important], regardless of how many went in” coach Jeff Bower said. “Just to have that many attempts gives you a chance.”

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Whether it be the usual suspects (Peja Stojakovic, 25 points; Okafor, 13 points and 12 rebounds) or the rookies (Darren Collison, 15 points; Marcus Thornton, 19 points) all sorts of players shared the offensive burden. And while Thornton was the sub of the game (and a fan favorite after attending LSU) it was the speedy Collison stood out. He was a blur all over the court, directing the offense, shadowing Steve Nash, grabbing rebounds and absolutely taking over in the final stretch, going 3-of-4 for 11 points and making all his free throws all in the fourth quarter. (UPDATE: Forgot to mention, Collison was so comfortable with the ball in his hands in the final minute that if you look at the tape of him before making his final layup, he’s  calling off Devin Brown and running the offense.) In terms of “blowing up”, Collison’s career is a notch or two down from Pompeii.

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“His decision making, his ability to creat shots fo our other players, bot interior and in the perimeter [was excellent],” Bower said.

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Just over a week ago, this franchise seemed adrift in all the wrong directions. Now there seems to be nothing you could look at negatively. The season, though, is not even 20 games old and a lot can happen between now and Febuary when the playoff races heat up. But in terms of encouraging signs — the way players really seemed to enjoy themselves, the noise coming from the crowd, the win over an early-season conference powerhouse -– the Hornets have many to pick from.

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