02/23/2009 - 10:18
Ty to Play Tonight
by Devon Jeffreys

No. 6, as he said on Twitter this morning, will be back on the floor tonight for the New Orleans Hornets.

As Tyson wrote:

Today will be my 1st game back.... I am so hyped I don't know what 2 do with myself.

Everyone here at TysonChandler.com -- like you, his fans - wishes him the best of luck tonight, and looks forward to the return of the Crescent City Connection.

LONG TIME COMING
After missing 16 games and a non-trade that sent Tyson to Oklahoma City and back again, the Big Easy is primed to finally get back on the floor tonight in Sacramento when the Hornets face the Kings.

The Hornets are 7-9 since TC went down with an ankle sprain during a January 19 victory over Indiana. In that span the Bees have desperately missed their big man in the middle as their post defense has been exposed night after night.

With an article in today’s Times-Picayune, John Reid delved further into the subject:

 

“When the Hornets were desperate for rebounding and low-post scoring in the fourth quarter Saturday night against the Utah Jazz, their frontcourt players did not provide much help.

New Orleans was held to 12 points during the quarter before losing 102-88. When center Sean Marks was taken out with 6:43 remaining, Hornets Coach Byron Scott did not play another post player, opting instead to stick with a smaller lineup.

What that move says is that Scott did not believe Melvin Ely, Hilton Armstrong or Marks could make much of a difference against a tough, physically challenging Jazz team.”

Having No. 6 back on the floor, even at 90%, tonight, it will increase both production and depth in the middle for New Orleans.

In two games against the Kings earlier this season, Tyson was strong. The Big Easy garnered a double double in their first meeting on November 19, grabbing 10 boards and scoring 12 points on 5-9 shooting. However, the Hornets couldn’t pull out the ‘W.’

In Act Two, Ty scored another 10 points on 5-7 shooting and pulled down eight boards as the Hornets avenged their early season loss with a 99-90 win on December 20.

The Hornets and the Kings tip-off tonight at 7 p.m. PST and all the action can be seen live in New Orleans on CST.

 

RELATED STORIES
Tyson on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/tysonchandler
Hornets eagerly awaiting the return of Tyson Chandler (Times-Picayune, February 23, 2009)
http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/2009/02/new_orleans_hornets_eagerly_aw....