Bradley Handwerger / Sports Reporter
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NEW ORLEANS Monty Williams isn't generally one for words.

He's not going to give some grandiose vision of the future.

The Hornets coach has tunnel-vision and it's allowing him to see only the present.

The rest, he likes to say, is 'something for you guys to talk about.'

So let's talk.




In a few seasons, the Hornets could be the Thunder.

Though, not if Williams has his way.

'We can't keep comparing ourselves to other teams because we don't want to be like anybody else,' Williams said. 'We want to be a championship team some day. We want to set our own model up for other teams to look at.'

But it's inescapable to not look at Oklahoma City and see New Orleans' future.


Yes, New Orleans could see Oklahoma City's success.

There are lessons to be learned, however, and as much as the Hornets are looking for success this season, that'll be hard to come by.

Lesson one was learned between the second quarter of Wednesday's game against Houston and the first half Friday night.


It's a rough lesson to be taught.

'For us, when you don't have a go-to guy, you have to play with supreme effort and it's a tough thing to do,' Williams said. 'Our effort is high but understanding that we have to do more because we are inexperienced and we've got a bunch of new guys. That's a tough thing.'

In the Williams Era, the Hornets have generally played hard from start to finish. What they've been lacking is a killer instinct and that go-to player.




There's no doubt the lessons will continue this season.

But one thing is for sure the future is bright.

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