I put this out to all you NBA bloggers, do you like this new site design where i cannot find all of your blogs? ....where I will be force fed the lame blogs of various fox sports casters trying to twitter and e-network? Where new readers will never find our posts? So where are we gonna go? Is ESPN this bad?

As a long time Laker fan I have been admiring the coaching work B Scott has been doing for some time.

In New Jersey he did not receive any credit for guiding that team from the doldrums to 2 NBA finals appearances. It was understandable at the time, as Kidd was in his prime and was an excellent floor leader. But Scott set a disciplined, professional, hard working and defensive minded tone that was the basis for their success.

When ego's clashed between the head coach and the team's star player, ownership had little choice but to attempt to placate Kidd's ego and let him hand pick his next coach. Scott was sent packing with a mixed reputation. Yes, he had presided on the teams rise from 26-56 from 2000-01, to 2 finals appearences, but the meltdown in 2004 and new coach Lawrence Frank's temporary success raised questions about Scott's methods and demeanors. Was he one of those hard nosed coaches who would soon wear out his welcome wherever he went? Was he just lucky to be the coach when the team acquired Kidd which enabled them to come out of a weak Eastern Conference?

I think those questions can now be safely answered. The job Scott has done in New Orleons/Oklahoma City has been nothing sort of remarkable. He took a job that literally nobody in the NBA wanted after his dismissal from the Nets. People thought he was crazy, going to a team with no history, no prospects, no players and no hope. He promptly went 18-64 in the 2004-5 season and it was looking like he might end up just another former player who failed as a head coach.

Then 2 things happened. The Hornets drafted a young point gard named Chris Paul, and Hurricane Katrina tore the city of New Orleans apart in the late summer of 2005. The team was forced to temporarily relocate to Oklahoma City. Despite the turmoil, the team improved 20 games that season and Scott received some credit. They even threatened to make the playoffs before a late season cold streak sealed their fate in a perenially tough Western Conference.  The team was noted for its tough defense and work ethic that were instilled by Scott. GM Jeff Bower then began picking up a mix of young tough players with potential knowing that he had the coach to mold them into a team. Players like Tyson Chandler, Morris Peterson, and Janero Pargo came with little fanfare, while players like Peja and Bobby Jackson arrived with questionmarks.

In 2006-2007 the team did not make significant progress in the win loss conference, but the continued development of young players Paul, West, Pargo and Chandler along with the integration of Peja raised hopes for this season. The Hornets have delivered in spades. They have stayed among the top 4 teams in the ridiculously tough Western Conference. This is a team that was supposedly too young to compete in a conference that was too good. Now they have a legitimate shot at a title.

Of course Chris Paul and Jeff Bower deserve credit for their work on and off the court. But at this point there can be no disputing that Byron is one hell of a coach. He took a young team mired in turmoil and has molded it into a winner. The team plays tough defense, smart offense, with discipline and professionalism. These were the hallmarks of the Nets teams that made the finals and the trademark of the Lakers team that won so many championships with B Scott as an integral part.

Looking at the Nets now mired in mediocrity and praying for the NBA gods to deliver them LBJ in 2010 despite having a so- called big 3 for the last few seasons, it is easy to see that Scott has been vindicated.

Now my only question is, how can we get him to the Lakers when Phil finally retires for good?