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2002–03 New Orleans Hornets season

To see the previous year of the New Orleans Hornets team inherited from the original Charlotte Hornets see the 2001–02 Charlotte Hornets season here.

The 2002–03 NBA season marked the return of the National Basketball Association to New Orleans. Decades after the Jazz relocated to Salt Lake City, the NBA returned to New Orleans as the New Orleans Hornets were established from the Shinn organization that once made up the Charlotte Hornets.[1][2][3][4] Originally reckoned as the 15th season of the franchise, the second incarnation of the Charlotte Hornets' reclaiming the heritage of the original Hornets has since retroactively deemed this season as the inaugural season for the franchise that would eventually become the Pelicans.[5]

During the off-season, the Hornets acquired Courtney Alexander from the Washington Wizards.[6][7] The Hornets won 10 of their first 13 games, but struggled a bit down the stretch, holding a 26–24 record at the All-Star break.[8] At midseason, the team traded center Elden Campbell to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for point guard Kenny Anderson, who had previously played for the Hornets back in Charlotte during the second half of the 1995–96 season.[9][10] The Hornets won their final five games finishing third in the Central Division with a decent 47–35 record,[11] and qualified for the playoffs as the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Jamal Mashburn played all 82 games for the first time in his career, averaging 21.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. He was also voted to play in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, his only All-Star appearance of his career, as he finished with 10 points as a reserve for the Eastern Conference.[12] In addition, Baron Davis averaged 17.1 points, 6.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game, but only played just 50 games due to a left knee injury,[13][14][15] while David Wesley provided the team with 16.7 points and 1.5 steals per game, and P.J. Brown contributed 10.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Jamaal Magloire became the team's starting center, as he provided with 10.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and Alexander contributed 7.9 points per game off the bench.[16]

A six-game defeat to Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference First Round knocked New Orleans out of the playoffs.[17][18][19] Following the season, head coach Paul Silas was fired,[20][21] and Anderson signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers.[22]

For the season, the team replaced the city name "Charlotte" with "New Orleans" on their primary logo of a hornet bouncing a basketball,[23] and got new uniforms, adding yellow to their color scheme of teal.[24][25] The uniforms remained in use until 2008.

Draft picks

The Hornets had no draft picks in 2002.

Roster

Regular season

Standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

At the start of the playoffs, Baron Davis would struggle with back pain. Jamal Mashburn would suffer a dislocated finger in Game 2 of the first round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hornets would force a 6th game, but Davis and Mashburn played hurt. The 76ers would eliminate the Hornets in the sixth game. After the season, the Hornets would stun their fans and most experts by firing Coach Paul Silas.[4]


Player statistics

Season

Playoffs

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hornets Seeking Move to New Orleans". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 16, 2002. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "Hornets' Move Receives Initial Approval". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 3, 2002. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  3. ^ Teaford, Elliott (May 11, 2002). "Hornets on Way to New Orleans". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "New Orleans Hornets (2002-Present)". Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  5. ^ Feldman, Dan. "Charlotte Hornets assume historical records from New Pelicans". NBC Universal.
  6. ^ "Hornets Get Alexander for Draft Pick". United Press International. June 25, 2002. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  7. ^ Smith, Sam (October 30, 2002). "Eastern Conference Capsules". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 6, 2003". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  9. ^ Popper, Steve (February 21, 2003). "PRO BASKETBALL; Sonics Deal Payton to Bucks for Allen". The New York Times. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  10. ^ "Hornets Trade Campbell for Kenny Anderson". Associated Press. February 20, 2003. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  11. ^ "2002–03 New Orleans Hornets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  12. ^ "2003 NBA All-Star Game: West 155, East 145 (2OT)". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  13. ^ "Davis Has Surgery to Repair Torn Knee Cartilage". ESPN. Associated Press. January 28, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  14. ^ "Baron Davis Goes on IL". United Press International. January 28, 2003. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  15. ^ "Hornets' Davis Hurting". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 22, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  16. ^ "2002–03 New Orleans Hornets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  17. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; The Sixers and Iverson Finish Off the Hornets". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 3, 2003. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "Iverson Helps 76ers Advance". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 3, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  19. ^ Martel, Brett (May 4, 2003). "Sixers Book Advance Ticket". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  20. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Silas Is Fired by the Hornets". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 5, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  21. ^ "Silas Loses Job as Hornet Coach". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 5, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  22. ^ "Sports Briefing". The New York Times. September 20, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  23. ^ "New Orleans Hornets Logo". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "New Orleans Hornets Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  25. ^ "New Orleans Hornets Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved January 23, 2022.