Getting to the playoffs is a pretty big deal, moreso in the Western conference than the Eastern. Hate to play up the West coast, but seriously, would you rather be competing against the Trail Blazers, Spurs, Suns, Thunder, Rockets, and Grizzlies for a seed or against the Raptors, Bucks, Bulls, Bobcats, and Heat?
Not that it really matters. The parity in the east is such that if you sneak in there (the eighth seed) and you're not based out of Charlotte, you're starting your offseason in late April. No '99 Knicks or '07 Warriors to worry about here.
I digress. This post is about the Hornets, and more specifically, Chris Paul's injury. I'm guessing that he probably came back from his injury too soon the first time, which led to the second one.
(I'm not a medical expert, and I don't remember enough about it to definitively say that, but that's the assumption that I'm operating under, and if it's inaccurate, please, let me know.)
So, he came back too soon and re-injured his knee. Understandable before surgery, common mistake to make. Most NBA players want to play basketball, no matter what Vince Carter may make you believe, and will risk (re)injury to do so. His team was in the playoff hunt, and that was a decision that made sense for Chris Paul (20 points, 11 assists, dominant force on his team, loves winning) and the Hornets (playoffs good for business, also enjoy winning because it is good for business, chance to unload ugly, ugly contracts during the offseason which is good for the team). Now, the Hornets are valiantly grasping for a .500 record, 5.5 games away from the eighth seed. Probably not the best time to bring your star back and risk further injury. There is nothing wrong with a lottery pick, which would be a cheap influx of talent when your team is desperately in need of both tax relief and a deeper bench. I'm not saying tank, but missing the playoffs would not be the worst thing in the world. Take consolation in Jan Vesely, Stanley Robinson, or Larry Sanders (Go Rams!). There are definitely worse things...
...like ending up with a lower draft pick, a first round playoff exit, and a star player with chronic knee injuries.
Just let Darren Collison do the heavy lifting for now. It'll all be okay. Next year will be better.
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