The 2005–06 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets season was the team's fourth season in the NBA. They began the season hoping to improve upon their 18–64 record from the previous season (worst in the Western Conference that year). They finished the season with a 38–44 record, missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Before the commencement of training camp, the City of New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina. With the New Orleans Arena partly damaged and the city's infrastructure in need of repair the Hornets signed a deal to play most of their games in Oklahoma City, becoming the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets for this season. In Oklahoma City, the Hornets enjoyed sell-out crowds at the Ford Center.
The addition of draft pick Chris Paul resulted in the team competing for a playoff spot. In January and February, the club played winning basketball despite losing Chris Andersen to a two-year suspension for illegal drugs. Paul showed the poise and play making skills of a veteran finishing second in steals and seventh in assists as he posted a terrific 3.34 assist-to-turnover ratio, while leading all rookies with 16.1 points per game.
On March 8, the Hornets returned to New Orleans with a near sell-out crowd on hand to watch the Hornets lose to the Los Angeles Lakers 113–107. In March, the Hornets went into a tailspin, winning just 3 of 14 games. The Hornets went on to finish in 4th place in their division. Chris Paul was named Rookie of the Year.New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets on Basketball Reference
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 4 Chris Paul PG Wake Forest 2 33 Brandon Bass F LSU
Roster
Regular season
Standings
Game log
| 1 | November 1 | Sacramento | W 93–67 | P. J. Brown (20) | David West (11) | Speedy Claxton & Chris Paul (4) | Ford Center19,163 | 1–0 |- | 2 | November 2 | @ Cleveland | L 87–109 | Speedy Claxton (16) | Chris Andersen (8) | Boštjan Nachbar (6) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 1–1 |- | 3 | November 5 | @ Houston | W 91–84 | P. J. Brown (18) | P. J. Brown (13) | Claxton & Paul (8) | Toyota Center15,875 | 2–1 |- | 4 | November 9 | Orlando | L 83–88 | Speedy Claxton (24) | P. J. Brown (10) | Speedy Claxton (6) | Ford Center18,508 | 2–2 |- | 5 | November 12 | Dallas | L 103–109 | Chris Paul (26) | P. J. Brown (7) | Speedy Claxton (7) | Ford Center19,163 | 2–3 |- | 6 | November 15 | @ Miami | L 102–109 (OT) | P. J. Brown (24) | P. J. Brown (12) | Chris Paul (10) | American Airlines Arena19,600 | 2–4 |- | 7 | November 16 | Denver | L 81–91 | Chris Paul (18) | Brown, Paul, & West (9) | Kirk Snyder (5) | Ford Center18,442 | 2–5 |- | 8 | November 18 | Atlanta | W 95–92 | Chris Paul (25) | Chris Andersen (18) | Chris Paul (12) | Ford Center17,554 | 3–5 |- | 9 | November 19 | @ Orlando | W 98–95 | David West (34) | Andersen & West (8) | Chris Paul (8) | TD Waterhouse Centre14,489 | 4–5 |- | 10 | November 21 | @ Philadelphia | L 91–103 | David West (20) | David West (9) | Chris Paul (6) | Wachovia Center12,452 | 4–6 |- | 11 | November 23 | Minnesota | W 84–80 | David West (22) | David West (13) | Chris Paul (8) | Ford Center19,163 | 5–6 |- | 12 | November 26 | @ Seattle | W 105–99 | David West (21) | Desmond Mason & Paul (7) | Chris Paul (10) | Key Arena16,371 | 6–6 |- | 13 | November 28 | @ Golden State | L 83–99 | Chris Paul (15) | David West (11) | Speedy Claxton (9) | Oakland Arena16,270 | 6–7 |- | 14 | November 30 | @ Denver | W 102–95 | Desmond Mason (26) | P. J. Brown (12) | Chris Paul (9) | Pepsi Center15,603 | 7–7
| 15 | December 2 | Philadelphia | W 88–86 | David West (22) | P. J. Brown (14) | Chris Paul (9) | Ford Center19,163 | 8–7 |- | 16 | December 3 | @ Dallas | L 88–97 | Chris Paul (25) | Brown & Paul (6) | Chris Paul (5) | American Airlines Center19,651 | 8–8 |- | 17 | December 6 | @ Memphis | L 73–89 | Mason & West (15) | Chris Andersen (10) | Paul, J. R. Smith, & Claxton (4) | FedEx Forum13,271 | 8–9 |- | 18 | December 7 | Boston | L 87–101 | David West (29) | Chris Paul (10) | Chris Paul (6) | Ford Center18,753 | 8–10 |- | 19 | December 9 | @ Portland | L 95–98 (OT) | Speedy Claxton (27) | Chris Paul (7) | Chris Paul (10) | Rose Garden12,305 | 8–11 |- | 20 | December 11 | @ Sacramento | W 100–110 | Chris Paul (18) | P. J. Brown (8) | Chris Paul (12) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 8–12 |- | 21 | December 12 | @ Phoenix | W 91–87 | J. R. Smith (26) | J. R. Smith (10) | Chris Paul (7) | America West Arena15,547 | 9–12 |- | 22 | December 14 | L.A. Clippers | W 102–89 | J. R. Smith (21) | David West (12) | Chris Paul (8) | Ford Center17,490 | 10–12 |- | 23 | December 16 | Phoenix | L 88–101 | Chris Paul (25) | Brown & West (13) | Chris Paul (6) | Pete Maravich Assembly Center7,302 | 10–13 |- | 24 | December 18 | San Antonio | W 89–76 | David West (19) | Chris Paul (12) | Chris Paul (9) | Ford Center19,297 | 11–13 |- | 25 | December 21 | @ Minnesota | L 69–88 | Chris Paul (15) | P. J. Brown (9) | Speedy Claxton (4) | Target Center14,454 | 11–14 |- | 26 | December 23 | @ Milwaukee | L 94–101 | David West (27) | David West (18) | Chris Paul (8) | Bradley Center16,824 | 11–15 |- | 27 | December 28 | Houston | W 92–90 | J. R. Smith (16) | Brown & West (7) | Chris Paul (15) | Ford Center19,205 | 12–15 |- | 28 | December 29 | @ San Antonio | L 84–111 | David West (18) | P. J. Brown (6) | Chris Paul (7) | AT&T Center18,797 | 12–16 |- | 29 | December 31 | Dallas | L 90–95 | David West (18) | David West (10) | Chris Paul (10) | Ford Center19,170 | 12–17
| 30 | January 2 | Charlotte | W 103–86 | Chris Paul (24) | Mason & West (9) | Chris Paul (11) | Ford Center17,683 | 13–17 |- | 31 | January 4 | Miami | W 107–92 | Desmond Mason (24) | Mason & West (7) | Chris Paul (9) | Ford Center19,326 | 14–17 |- | 32 | January 6 | Portland | W 90–80 | Kirk Snyder (22) | David West (13) | Speedy Claxton (7) | Ford Center18,995 | 14–18 |- | 33 | January 7 | @ Atlanta | L 93–101 | Speedy Claxton (29) | David West (9) | Kirk Snyder (4) | Philips Arena11,332 | 14–19 |- | 34 | January 10 | Detroit | L 86–96 | David West (20) | P. J. Brown (9) | Chris Paul (5) | Ford Center19,260 | 15–19 |- | 35 | January 13 | Sacramento | W 90–76 | David West (19) | Chris Paul (8) | Speedy Claxton (8) | Lloyd Noble Center11,343 | 16–19 |- | 36 | January 14 | @ Houston | W 86–80 | Chris Paul (17) | P. J. Brown (10) | Chris Paul (5) | Toyota Center14,724 | 17–19 |- | 37 | January 16 | @ Charlotte | W 107–92 | Chris Paul (24) | David West (11) | Chris Paul (6) | Charlotte Bobcats Arena15,303 | 18–19 |- | 38 | January 18 | Memphis | W 87–79 | Chris Paul (16) | David West (14) | Chris Paul (9) | Ford Center14,554 | 19–19 |- | 39 | January 20 | @ Washington | L 99–110 | Chris Paul (28) | David West (7) | Chris Paul (11) | Verizon Center19,062 | 19–20 |- | 40 | January 21 | @ New York | W 109–98 | Chris Paul (27) | P. J. Brown (9) | Chris Paul (13) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 20–20 |- | 41 | January 23 | @ Boston | L 78–91 | David West (21) | P. J. Brown (8) | Chris Paul (6) | TD Banknorth Garden14,473 | 20–21 |- | 42 | January 25 | San Antonio | L 68–84 | Rasual Butler & West (15) | P. J. Brown (9) | Chris Paul (4) | Ford Center19,289 | 20–22 |- | 43 | January 28 | @ Memphis | W 95–86 | Speedy Claxton (20) | David West (12) | Chris Paul (8) | FedExForum16,228 | 21–22 |- | 44 | January 30 | Milwaukee | W 94–93 | David West (24) | David West (15) | Chris Paul (9) | Ford Center18,197 | 22–22
| 45 | February 1 | Chicago | W 100–95 | Chris Paul (25) | Brown & West (6) | Chris Paul (13) | Ford Center19,163 | 23–22 |- | 46 | February 4 | L.A. Lakers | W 106–90 | Desmond Mason (21) | P. J. Brown (9) | Chris Paul (13) | Ford Center19,334 | 24–22 |- | 47 | February 6 | @ New Jersey | L 91–99 | Speedy Claxton (23) | Mason & Paul (7) | Chris Paul (13) | Continental Airlines Arena13,998 | 24–23 |- | 48 | February 8 | Seattle | W 109–102 | David West (26) | David West (10) | Kirk Snyder (12) | Ford Center18,807 | 25–23 |- | 49 | February 10 | New York | W 111–100 | David West (21) | David West (10) | Speedy Claxton (11) | Ford Center19,163 | 26–23 |- | 50 | February 11 | @ Minnesota | W 100–94 | Claxton & Snyder (28) | Desmond Mason (9) | Speedy Claxton (7) | Target Center15,933 | 27–23 |- | 51 | February 13 | Washington | W 97–96 | David West (19) | David West (9) | Speedy Claxton (10) | Ford Center18,678 | 28–23 |- | 52 | February 15 | Portland | W 102–86 | Kirk Snyder (22) | Rasual Butler (9) | Chris Paul (7) | Ford Center19,051 | 29–23 |- | 53 | February 21 | @ Indiana | L 75–97 | Chris Paul (27) | Desmond Mason (7) | Chris Paul (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse14,108 | 29–24 |- | 54 | February 22 | Utah | W 100–95 | Chris Paul (18) | Aaron Williams (13) | Chris Paul (7) | Ford Center18,368 | 29–25 |- | 55 | February 25 | @ Utah | W 100–95 | Chris Paul (23) | Linton Johnson (11) | Chris Paul (8) | EnergySolutions Arena18,471 | 30–25 |- | 56 | February 26 | @ Portland | W 102–86 | David West (22) | Marc Jackson (8) | Chris Paul (8) | Rose Garden12,860 | 31–25 |- | 57 | February 28 | @ Seattle | L 104–114 | Chris Paul (25) | Chris Paul (7) | Chris Paul (14) | Key Arena15,115 | 31–26
| 58 | March 1 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 67–89 | Desmond Mason (20) | P. J. Brown (11) | Chris Paul (12) | Staples Center16,157 | 31–27 |- | 59 | March 6 | Phoenix | L 88–101 | David West (20) | David West (8) | Chris Paul (11) | Ford Center19,207 | 31–28 |- | 60 | March 8 | L.A. Lakers | L 107–113 | David West (25) | Kirk Snyder (6) | Chris Paul (10) | New Orleans Arena17,744 | 31–29 |- | 61 | March 10 | Indiana | L 90–92 | David West (20) | Chris Paul (7) | Chris Paul (8) | Ford Center18,506 | 31–30 |- | 62 | March 12 | New Jersey | L 84–95 | Chris Paul (17) | P. J. Brown (8) | Chris Paul (7) | Ford Center19,198 | 31–31 |- | 63 | March 14 | @ San Antonio | L 81–96 | Jackson & Paul (16) | Rasual Butler (8) | Chris Paul (7) | AT&T Center18,797 | 31–32 |- | 64 | March 18 | Denver | L 94–109 | David West (24) | P. J. Brown (10) | Chris Paul (10) | New Orleans Arena17,912 | 31–33 |- | 65 | March 21 | L.A. Clippers | W 120–108 | Rasual Butler (32) | David West (11) | Chris Paul (9) | New Orleans Arena16,799 | 32–33 |- | 66 | March 23 | Houston | L 92–93 | David West (14) | David West (11) | Speedy Claxton (10) | Ford Center19,163 | 32–34 |- | 67 | March 24 | @ Chicago | L 82–96 | Chris Paul (13) | Brown & Butler (9) | Speedy Claxton (6) | United Center21,793 | 32–35 |- | 68 | March 26 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 67–89 | David West (23) | David West (10) | Claxton & Paul (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 32–36 |- | 69 | March 27 | @ Utah | L 80–104 | Rasual Butler (15) | P. J. Brown (8) | Chris Paul (7) | EnergySolutions Arena17,437 | 32–37 |- | 70 | March 29 | @ Golden State | W 86–85 | Rasual Butler (20) | Marc Jackson (8) | Chris Paul (7) | Oakland Arena16,885 | 33–37 |- | 71 | March 31 | Memphis | W 107–102 | Marc Jackson (24) | Linton Johnson (8) | Speedy Claxton (8) | Ford Center18,817 | 34–37
| 72 | April 2 | @ Toronto | W 120–113 (2 OT) | Chris Paul (24) | Chris Paul (12) | Claxton & Paul (12) | Air Canada Centre15,079 | 35–37 |- | 73 | April 4 | @ Detroit | L 93–101 | Paul & West (24) | Jackson, Johnson, & West (6) | Chris Paul (10) | The Palace of Auburn Hills22,076 | 35–38 |- | 74 | April 5 | Golden State | W 114–109 (OT) | Speedy Claxton (21) | Butler & Paul (11) | Chris Paul (16) | Ford Center18,169 | 36–38 |- | 75 | April 7 | Toronto | W 95–89 | David West (19) | David West (9) | Chris Paul (8) | Ford Center18,854 | 37–38 |- | 76 | April 8 | @ Dallas | L 77–101 | Rasual Butler (14) | Brown & Butler (7) | Chris Paul (5) | American Airlines Center20,336 | 37–39 |- | 77 | April 10 | Cleveland | L 101–103 | Chris Paul (22) | P. J. Brown (10) | Chris Paul (5) | Ford Center19,187 | 37–40 |- | 78 | April 12 | Seattle | W 104–99 | Chris Paul (21) | Marc Jackson (14) | Chris Paul (6) | Ford Center18,607 | 38–40 |- | 79 | April 14 | Utah | L 104–105 | David West (31) | David West (12) | Chris Paul (7)