2008 New Orleans Hornets

Even as we say “Congratulations” to the Denver Nuggets who beat the Hornets 4 games to 1 to advance to the Conference Semifinals in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, we want to say a big “Thank you” to the New Orleans Hornets for the thrilling season they had!

The New Orleans Hornets finished the 2007-08 season at the top of the Southwest Division, and they’re starting the 2008-09 season as early favorites to win the 2009 NBA Championship. Their meteoric rise from a losing team to a winning one is due in a large part to Chris Paul, but they needed another little boost to put them over the top. They may have gotten just that when they added James Posey over the summer, an experienced player that should provide the leadership the team lacked last season. As one of the most talked about teams in the league right now, tickets to New Orleans Arena are sure to go fast. Get yours today and see this dynamic young team in action in the 2008-09 season!

Some Hornets history: The Hornets started in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1988. The Hornets got a new home in New Orleans in 2002. Past Hornets stars include Larry Johnson, fan favorite Muggsy Bogues and Alonzo Mourning. The team was led by guard Kelly Tripucka, Charlotte's top scorer for the franchise's first two seasons.

In 1992, the Hornets drafted center Alonzo Mourning from Georgetown. Earning a playoff spot, they upset the Boston Celtics with Mourning's famous series-winning shot. However, they were then defeated by the New York Knicks. The next few years were marked by injuries to Johnson and Mourning, though they did get back to the playoffs in 1994-95, only to be beaten by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

In the offseason the team dealt Mourning to the Miami Heat for guard Glen Rice and center Matt Geiger. Geiger and Johnson tied for the team lead in rebounds, while Johnson and Rice provided balanced but high-powered scoring, with all-star guard Kenny Anderson running the point for the injured Muggsy Bogues.

Anderson declined to re-sign with the team, Johnson was shipped to New York for power forward Anthony Mason, and lottery draft pick guard Kobe Bryant was traded to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. The new-look Hornets were apparently even better, however, with Divac and Geiger providing the best center combo in the league, Mason averaging a double-double and all-NBA third team honors, Bogues back at the point, and Rice having the finest season of his career, finishing third in the league in scoring and earning all-NBA second team honors. Rice was also the all-star game MVP, setting several scoring records. The team also spotted the best season of their history, making it back to the playoffs.

1999 saw the team return to prominence, with the addition of free agent Derrick Coleman and third overall draft pick point guard Baron Davis to the mix. The lineup of Wesley, Jones, Mason, Coleman and Campbell tore through much of the season, but on January 12, 2000 Bobby Phills was killed in a tragic automobile accident. His number was retired on February 9, and was a sad note in the franchise's history. The team returned to the playoffs, where they were shredded by Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76'ers. Jones led the league in steals, but in the offseason he and Mason were shipped to the Miami Heat in exchange for small forward Jamal Mashburn and power forward P.J. Brown.

The Hornets, with the lineup of Davis, Wesley, Mashburn, Brown and Campbell made it back to the playoffs, where they defeated the 3rd ranked Heat and made it to the second round for the third time in franchise history. They returned the following season by beating the Orlando Magic, but were upended by the New Jersey Nets.

In 2002, the Hornets moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they opened their inaugural season against the former New Orleans NBA team, the Utah Jazz -- First NBA game played in New Orleans in 23 years -- "Pistol" Pete Maravich had his number retired during halftime. They qualified for the playoffs for the fourth straight year in 2002-03, but were beaten by Philadelphia again, where Iverson again shredded them, this time dropping 55 points in one game.

2004-05 was a wobbly season for the New Orleans Hornets, who escaped Charlotte only to find that their play and their attendance were not much better in the Crescent City. However, the Hornets' weak season gave them the fourth pick in the NBA draft and a shot at guard Chris Paul of Wake Forest.