The Lakers made no moves on trade deadline day, watching from afar as, well, nothing really major happened across the league.
Then the Lakers shrugged at the few minor deals that took place and turned back toward the rest of the regular season, which continues for them tonight against New Orleans after a 2-0 start coming out of the All-Star break.
The Hornets were supposed to be up there with the Lakers and San Antonio in the Western Conference standings this season, but they came into All-Star weekend tied for sixth in the 15-team conference.
Then their center, Tyson Chandler, failed a physical after being traded to Oklahoma City, putting the Hornets in the awkward position of taking him back Wednesday after the Oklahoma City team doctor said Chandler's surgically repaired big toe was not fit for long-term play.
The Lakers think Chandler, who went to Compton Dominguez High, will play tonight, unfortunately for them.
"I was kind of happy that Chandler was traded," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said on a day the team did not practice. "He comes to L.A. all the time and just has a great game and kicks our butt. He comes home and has fun on our court, so that's no good for us."
While the Lakers (44-10) have had their share of fun this season on the way to the league's best record, the Hornets (32-20) aren't quite the spry bunch they were a year ago when they finished only one game behind the Lakers in the regular-season standings with a 56-26 record.
Injuries have touched virtually all of their starters, and designated sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic is having one of his worst seasons, making 39.5% of his three-point attempts and averaging 14.2 points a game, his worst numbers since 1999-2000, his second NBA season.
"They've struggled a little bit for whatever reason," Jackson said. "They haven't been quite as potent as they were last year, but they're still a really good team and when they focus in can be very, very tough."
Adaptive Ariza
After making only five of 18 three-point attempts last season, Trevor Ariza has already made 39 of 116 (33.6%) this season, including two in the final minutes as the Lakers pulled away from Golden State with a late surge Wednesday in Oakland.
By his own admission, Ariza wouldn't have had the confidence last season to put up a couple of long-distance shots with the game on the line.
