It's the story of the New Orleans Arena, which got bruised a bit by Hurricane Gustav but not enough to affect the Hornets' championship plans in 2008-09.

"We're happy the reports are all favorable," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said of the arena and the club's newly renovated practice facility in the immediate aftermath of Gustav's flurry through southern Louisiana.

Several Hornets had been working out and doing community events in the New Orleans area before Gustav. No one reported significant damage to his home.

"The thing that was helpful this time was the amount of time we all had to be prepared for whatever would come," said Bower, who extended a Las Vegas vacation by a couple of days to stay dry. "We're thankful damages to the area are less than they could have been, and we hope everyone can get back on their feet easier than last time."

Work recently had been completed on the beefed-up Alario Center, a state-of-the-art practice facility that will host Hornets training camp in October. The 30,000-square-foot annex features two full-length NBA courts and cost $8.7 million to complete.

As they did in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Hornets plan to play a big role in community-rebuilding efforts even though Gustav's damage was limited. Plans are still unfolding.