Hornets 92, Knicks 90

AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

Well, that one probably took a month off my life. The Knicks dropped a big one tonight at the Garden, where they had been previously undefeated after leading 3 quarters. New York got ahead by as many as 18 early. The Hornets couldn't buy a bucket, and the Knicks were finding Curry and Frye for great looks and lots of easy baskets. Delightfully relaxed with what looked to be a blowout, I brought out the ice cream and laid back. Silly me. As the Knicks offense grinded to a halt, the Hornets chipped away with three-point shooting and trips to the line. By the fourth quarter they had taken their first leads of the game. New Orleans led at the end, and the Knicks couldn't convert their final possession, giving the Hornets the victory. Game notes:

• The Knicks were wearing their green jerseys for Saint Patrick's Day. They are seriously the most hideous garments imaginable. Not only are they too reminiscent of the loathsome Celtics (clovers on the headbands!), but the green and orange is painful on the eyes. Coupled with the Hornets' teal, yellow, and purple, this might have been the most aesthetically nauseating game in NBA history. Good riddance to the green jerseys.
  

  I'll now gouge out my eyes. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

• Before the game, the Knicks' cameraman caught footage of Chris Paul signing a shoe for a young, very talkative kid. As Paul walked away, the kid said they should meet after the game: "I'll take you out to eat. It's on me". That was pretty funny. Paul seems like a legitimately likeable guy.
• I'm a crazy genius. I combined one stick of Sweet Peppermint Stride gum with one piece of Peppermint Orbit White to create the best mint gum ever. It's delicious.
• Isiah was asked if the comparisons between himself and Chris Paul were warranted and he responded that Chris Paul is better than he was.
• This game note really stings (no pun intended). As Chris Paul was out of sync, David West was misfiring, Rasual Butler was a non-factor, and the Hornets as a team had almost no offensive flow, I wrote that I was completely mistaken in my preview, where I predicted the opposite. Everyone proved me right, unfortunately, in the second half.
• David West has what appears to be a tribute to his alma mater, Xavier, on his bicep.
• Speaking of West, he really relies on Tyson Chandler on the defense. He doesn't even bother to contest shots, and just lets Chandler come and try to get blocks.
• Desmond Mason's free throw motion is ghastly. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should avoid watching him shoot free throws.
• In the second quarter, Malik Rose twice got away with the same dirty move. On two different plays, Malik pulled the chair out on Marc Jackson and Hilton Armstrong, causing them to travel. Both times, however, replay showed him sneakily tugging on their jerseys. If Rose weren't on the Knicks, that would piss me off to no end.
• I can never figure out what the deal is with those Enterprise car rental commercials. Like, did they intentionally make them really corny as a joke, or are they actually that shitty at advertising?
• Sometimes, because I'm so used to watching the NBA, I take for granted how tall these guys are. I stopped for a second and really looked at Hilton Armstrong's neck and, like....wow...that's a long-ass neck.
  

  Stretch Armstrong!

• Bobby Jackson is 34 years old!
• How long has that Just For Men commercial with Clyde and Keith Hernandez been around? Forever.
• After a commercial break, there was a shot of a mother holding a baby, and the baby immediately tried to tear the mom's earring right out of the lobe, which looked pretty painful. We almost witnessed infanticide on live television.
• Renaldo Balkman's got some good hands and good timing. On a fast break, Nate threw him a terrible alley-oop pass, but he timed his jump right and completed the flush.
• Bobby Jackson's shoes look like they were dipped in blue cotton candy.
• OK. It makes me sick to think about it, but I guess I have to rehash the final possession. The Knicks inbounded with 14 seconds remaining, if I remember correctly. Steph drives baseline and has his shot blocked. Steph rips the rebound away from David West and dishes to Frye, who bricks an 18-footer. The rebound finds its way to Francis who, in a panic, scrambles out to the three-point line and NEARLY cans another game winner. No dice. Game over.
• Just when we were all saying that Marbury couldn't do it on his own, he stunk up the joint, shooting 3-13 for only 8 points. I wonder what Steph's home/road splits are?
• Other stat lines...Frye started hot and finished with 20 points and 9 boards...Francis had a good game, dropping 21 to go with 10 assists...Curry was solid but couldn't get his hook shots to go down. He finished with 18 and 6.