Note: I do play the full game in these simulations so the outcome is based off of my play versus the computer.

Well, it has arrived: the regular season of the National Basketball Association. Frankly, it has been a long, long wait.  I posted a poll last week to see which opening-week Spurs game you fans would like to see simulated, and it was unanimous--the NEW ORLEANS HORNETS!

NBA LIVE 10 uses Dynamic DNA to keep the game fresh, meaning the game reflects up-to-date roster changes, injuries, player tendencies (defense, shooting), and team tendencies.

Today we take on N'awlins, which will be the first of many Simulations to come during the regular season. Check it out, boys and girls.

The Dynamic DNA was up to date for this game. The starting lineups for both teams going into this game were as follows:

Them:

• PG - Chris Paul
  SG - Morris Peterson
  SF - Peja Stojakovic
  PF - David West
   C - Emeka Okafor

The Good Guys:

• PG - Tony Parker
  SG - Roger Mason
  SF - Richard Jefferson
  PF - Tim Duncan
   C - Antonio McDyess

As you may already know, a new face has joined the New Orleans Hornets, that of Emeka Okafor.  So no longer will we see Chris Paul making Tyson Chandler (who is terrible) look good by just catching a lob and throwing it down.

Now does that look scare you or what!? And he is just the virtual one.

Starting the game off, I knew right away I had to jump on the Hornets fast and contain Chris Paul. Virtual Paul would be hard to guard as he is as quick as can be in the game.  He ended up torching me for a good 29 points.  What can I say, he took over when he needed to in the fourth period.

No fears guys, no fears. It ends well.

What I also wanted to do was establish the post with Timmy.  In the game, he went up against David West. We know the battles that have come about between these two, but in this one, it was all TD.  Duncan would get the first 8 for the team all in the paint. 

The Hornets would quickly double down on Duncan in no time and that left the game open for Mason and the Spurs shooters on the outside. This would really hurt the Hornets.

Chris Paul, though, would keep the game close as the quarter ended with the Hornets up by a slim lead, 25-22.  After playing man for the first 12 minutes, I had to change up the game on the defensive end.  I switched into a 2-3 zone, and this helped me big time.  With Emeka and David West down low for the Hornets, it was easy to grab offensive boards while we were in man.  In the zone, TD, McDyess and the other bigs for the Spurs controlled this, and we out-rebounded the Hornets 53 to 45 in the game.

Virtual Mason has a nice stroke and dropped in 11.

Zone would lead to New Orleans taking bad shots from the outside, leaving long rebounds and fast break points for us.  We would score 27 in the quarter while holding them to 16. 

Richard Jefferson and DeJuan Blair played well in the half.  I had some nice moves to the rim with Jefferson using his speed and got some nice shots for Blair.  In this game, though, Blair has no legs (dude can barely jump in the game).

The third quarter we would come out firing, and the Hornets would see themselves down by 18 at one point.  We would finish with 35 in the quarter.

Too much of the Spurs defense and bench play helped balloon the lead. Matt Bonner would come off to hit for 12.  Ginobili would finish with 10, and everyone's Man Child DeJuan Blair would finish up with 13 points.

Look at Tony in the background. LOL.

Holding a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter, I got scared, 'cause as I mentioned before, Chris Paul would go nuts.  He single-handedly brought his team from down by 18 to within 6.  We managed to pull it off, but during their run I was shaking my head as if to say, "this has happened to us so many times in real life."  It was crazy.

We knocked off the Hornets though,105 to 94. 

Box Score and Stats

Hornets 94 Spurs 105

October 28, 2009 1 2 3 4 OT T Final Hornets (0-0) 25 16 28 25 - 94 Spurs (0-0) 22 27 35 21 - 105

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