You scratch my back, I scratch yours. This statement best describes the scenario that is the new partnership between Larry Brown and Michael Jordan, both whom are former North Carolina basketball players. Jordan has asked the 67 year old Brown if he is able to take up his ninth NBA coaching stint as head coach for the Charlotte Bobcats, and Brown needed little persuasion to agree. For that he was rewarded a four-year contract. Jordan is relieved as he now has the veteran Brown on his side to revive his sagging career as NBA executive while Brown now has the chance to increase his reputation as Hall of Fame coach. Ironically Brown is now back to where he first started his long standing teaching career.

Brown was hired to replace Sam Vincent who was brought in by Jordan himself even though he has had no prior NBA coaching experience. Vincent was let off last Saturday for failing to do his job well.

Chris Paul was at the right form for his debut NBA playoff game for the New Orleans Hornets as he guided his team to a 104-92 point victory over Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of their first round of series. The explosive basketball skills of Paul helped the Hornets to come from behind to beat the Mavs and Paul had 35 points, four steals and ten assists in the game.  Paul who usually takes an afternoon nap could not do so before the game as he was very much tensed about the prospect of debuting at the playoff game.

Chris Paul played some unimaginative basketball in the match and he truly played the match like a playoff veteran. Byron Scott, the Hornets coach, said that he was very much pleased with the effort shown by his boys and praised Paul for his debut efforts in the game. The Game 2 between these two teams will be played on Tuesday night.

The New Orleans Hornet defeated the Phoenix Suns by 120 to 103 on Wednesday night and put their three game losing streak to an end. Chris Paul was the star performer for the Hornets as he got 25 points in the match with 15 assists and 3 steals. Paul said that he was happy to see his side winning the game and hoped that his team will play with the same mentality in all the upcoming matches. Ironically, this is the second time that the Hornets have beaten the Phoenix Suns after slumping to a three game defeat this season. The Hornets forward David West, who scored 27 points, felt that the Sun guards were not able to keep up to the speed of the Hornet’s guards.

The Phoenix Suns are always in the receiving end when they play against the Hornets and the New Orleans Hornet had a shot percentage of 53% that enabled them to end their three match losing streak. Phoenix Suns are in a dire situation as well as they have lost three of their last five games since trading Shawn Marion for Shaquille O’Neal. The newly acquired player, Bonzi Wells could not play for the Hornet’s as he was nursing a bruised Achilles’ tendon.