Hornets Season Just About Done

The New Orleans Hornets season could end tonight in Denver, but it really ended with the team's 58-point playoff loss on Monday. It was the worst home playoff loss in NBA history.

So what's the problem? You can point to injuries, coaching, effort, bench depth, size, etc. Even with those excuses, an NBA team should never get beat in the postseason, at home, by 58 points ... especially a team lead by Chris Paul.

The Hornets flat out gave up in that game and look like a team those knows they are overmatched. I'm not sure what changes will be in store for the Hornets this offseason, but it's clear that some are needed. Guys like Tyson Chandler and Peja should be moved, but with their contract situations, it will be tough to do so.

The main fall guy could be head coach Byron Scott. Scott, who won coach of the year last year, isn't pushing the right buttons on this team. His stubborness with playing young players has left him with a thin bench. A guy like Brandon Bass, who never really got a chance in New Orleans, would look great coming off the pine in this series. It's been a crazy fall since last year's division winning team. This one battled injuries and inconsistency all season.

I'm not sure if George Shinn will make a coaching change after the season, but with the way the Hornets have looked against the Nuggets, he may be considering it a little harder now. There is a guy who Louisianians know pretty well that is available to coach, Avery Johnson. If the Hornets do opt for a change look for Johnson's name to be on the top of fans minds.