The Matchup
Hornets projected starters (3-6)
G Devin Brown, C Emeka Okafor, G Chris Paul, F Peja Stojakovic, F David West
Inactives: Ike Diogu, Morris Peterson and Bobby Brown

Portland projected starters (6-3)
F LaMarcus Aldridge, G Steve Blake, G Andre Miller, C Greg Oden, G Brandon Roy

The Barely Ever Quotable Jeff Bower
“I think we’re all looking forward to tonight’s game. I think our players are all ready for today’s business. They’re mentality is that they want to win, they want to work to be successful and they’re looking forward to the shoot around and tonight’s game,”
-- Bower, when asked about the attitude of the team on Friday morning.

“We haven’t had time, obviously, to change a whole lot of things. But what we are going to emphasize is a quick advance, quick ball movement, quick player action to get some opportunities before the defense can be set.”
-- Bower, when asked about what offense the team would run

Notable Nuggets of Newsworthiness

• The Hornets and the Trailblazers split last season’s series 2-2. All four came before the All-Star break, however.
• Portland’s Greg Oden scored his first-career double-double when the Blazers played at New Orleans on Nov. 14, 2008, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
• After barely playing through the first week and a half of the season, rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton have seen the floor more often in the past three games. Thornton is averaging 6.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes while Collison is putting in 6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13 minutes.
• CP3 currently ranks No. 1 in the NBA in efficiency points and NBA efficiency ranking, No. 2 in 3-point percentage, No. 2 in assists, No. 3 in assists per game, No. 4 in fielg-goal percentage and No. 7 in points per game.