Hornets Hard to Handle. Hard To Contain. Just Plain Hard To Beat!

In this 2008 NBA release, Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets is described as “one of the NBA’s elite players”.

It also states...

'He is among the league leaders in scoring, assists, steals, double-doubles and free throw percentage'.

If you can recall the chorus (at least the first four lines) in this song, you know it also applies.

Likewise, if AI is “the Answer”, then Chris Paul is “the Anecdote”.

At least that’s what interim coach, Ed Tapscott called him in the post game interview after the Hornets put a 109-98 sting on the Wizards last night.

“For every move we had, he had an anecdote, said Tapscott.

"We threw just about everything we had that we thought would work. We double teamed him, we switched on him, we played big (men), small (men), and back, and he cut through just about every defensive scheme we had. He had the anecdote.”

“He just waits for you to make a move, and he counters it.”

But come on, now. Is CP really all that? Can he single handedly shut down the offense and defense of an entire team?

Yes, he can!

"Amazing" is what Wizards’ guard, Caron Butler calls him.

“He’s amazing. He gets in the paint. He’s always looking for the open man. He does a great job of making everybody around him better. He just kept breaking our defense. We tried to contain him to the best of our ability, but he just kept getting past the second and third wall of defense. ”

Paul scored thirty points on the night. He played 30:39 seconds. That’s a point every minute. Not to mention his ten assists and two steals, and that was just in the third quarter.

And how did the Wizards fare?

Antawn Jamison led with 25 points, followed by Butler's 23. Mike James (with 3 three-point shots) and Juan Dixon each added 14.

The Wizards led by ten points, 24-10, in the first quarter, and even led 46-45 at halftime. But as the game went on they began to lose focus and the ability to play defense going into the third quarter.

The Hornets were repeatedly left open by the Wizards, giving them several scoring opportunities in the paint, and open shots on the wing, outscoring the Wizards 40-22.

When we asked what the team can do to hold on to the leads they seem to let slip away repeatedly, Butler answered: “Consistency”.

"From the last guy on the bench, to the starters. That’s been our Achilles heel throughout the season. We need to be consistent.”

Going forward, Tapscott hopes to have the team work each day on alleviating mistakes made during games.

“Tomorrow morning we’re practicing forty-eight minutes, as hard as we can go. No breaks. Forty-eight minutes. We gotta try something to stay focused for forty-eight minutes.”

With the ‘Anecdote’ behind them, the team is at home Friday, (the 13th) when they meet ‘Superman’ and the playoff-bound Orlando Magic.

To be a contender the Wizards will have to remember… Only shooting stars break the mold.

DC UrbanSports' game photos | Article photo: Chris Paul surrounded by an early-in-the- game defense-driven Wizards.