Actually, I missed the game

With a 9:45 (Central) tipoff, I decided that resting these battered old bones might be of more interest than the last game of the season.

Which, of course, turns out to have been an error in judgment, since this was a close one, won by the Bees in the waning moments on a Rasual Butler three-point play, putting the Hornets up 86-83 and dealing one of two death blows to the playoff hopes of the Los Angeles Clippers. (The Golden State Warriors, who were one up on the Clips, beat Portland last night to nail down the No. 8 spot.)

And David West pulled down 32 again, the fourth time in five games he's been over 30, and the Hornets didn't miss a single free throw all night. Corey Maggette led the Clippers with 21.

So it's 39-43 for the year, not especially inspiring, but one game ahead of last year's pace. Next year in the Big Easy — well, it's anyone's guess for now, but I suspect that bigger things are coming.

Posted at 6:58 AM to Net Proceeds