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NBA Outlook – Can CP3 And Okafor Be The Next Great Combo In New Orleans?

2008-09 Season: 49-33 SU, 35-45-2 ATS

Key Additions: Emeka Okafor

Key Losses: Tyson Chandler

Perhaps the biggest disappointment in the Western Conference came out of New Orleans, where the Hornets were murdered on the NBA betting line. The boys out of the Big Easy finished seventh in the league, just ahead of the Utah Jazz, and were bounced in the first round by Denver. They were the 26th worst offense with just 95.8 points per game, and got demolished on the boards, averaging just 39.7 per game. Chris Paul is certainly the best point-guard in the game, and he nearly had a conniption last year after the team around him failed to live up to his level. So what did the Hornets do?

They went and let go of the offensively minded, and defensively challenged Tyson Chandler, for Emeka Okafor. The first second pick overall in 2004, behind Dwight Howard, was fifth in rebounds last year (10.1) and fifteenth in blocks (1.7), while chipping 13.2 points per game. If any team made a single splash to cure last seasons woes, it’s the Hornets, who anchored their entire team with just one key addition.

Strengths: The biggest upside for Hornets’ bettors will be the inside-outside force of CP3 and Okafor. Having a great point guard and a dominant center is the most crucial step for any team, and now the Hornets have just that. Okafor is just 27-years old so his bets years are ahead of him. He’s averaged a strong .561 percent from the field and will make life so much easier for the Hornets, who were demolished defensively last season.

Weakness: Size. Even with Okafor, the Hornets are brutally undersized in the Western Conference. They don’t have any legit player over 6-foot-10, unless you count the 6-11 bean pole of Hilton Armstrong who is just 235-pounds. The Hornets were bullied down low last season, and while Okafor will bolster the interior, he has little help. David West is a solid 6-foot-9, 240 pound scorer, but he’s not the most sound defender in the league. The Hornets will be better under the rim, but bigger teams like the Spurs and Lakers can easily wear them down.

X-Factor: The role players in New Orleans have to step up. David West and CP3 led the team with 20+ points each per game, but after that there was a huge drop off. Morris Peterson and James Posey wanted to step out of the shadows and in to the limelight in the Big Easy, but both averaged single-digits in 2008-09. Okafor only gets you about 15-and-10 per game, so the scoring explosions aren’t going to be from him. Posey has to fill the void, especially with Peja Stojakovic losing his shooting touch.

Betting Prescription: The Hornets were abysmal last year against the line. A big problem for their betting detractors was the fact that the oddsmakers were pegging them as favorites. As such, they were 27-32-2 ATS. The great thing about a team like New Orleans is that the subtle addition of Okafor will keep the oddsmakers guessing as to how to predict the Hornets. That means a return to betting prominence against the line, being more reminiscent of their 2007 season.