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Hornets-Nets Preview

Apr 3, 2010 - 4:58 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

New Orleans (35-41) at New Jersey (10-65), 7:30 p.m. EDT

For the first time in three seasons, the New Orleans Hornets will finish with a losing record. Their next opponent has plenty of experience with losing this season.

New Orleans tries to close out a two-game trip Saturday night with its sixth consecutive victory over the NBA-worst New Jersey Nets, who are one loss shy of setting a single-season franchise record.

The Hornets (35-42) needed to win their final six games to finish with a .500 record, but Friday's 107-96 loss at Memphis prevented that from happening. New Orleans' last losing season was 2006-07, when it went 39-43 while playing its home games in Oklahoma City following Hurricane Katrina.

"It's tough," said Hornets three-time All-Star Chris Paul. "I think one thing it can do is motivate us and push us in the offseason to get better and come back stronger next year."

New Orleans has dropped 16 of 21 but will look to rebound against the Nets, who have won three of five to avoid matching the league's all-time worst record of 9-73.

New Jersey (10-65), though, would have to win out to avoid finishing with the worst record in team history. The current mark is held by the 1989-90 Nets, who went 17-65.

New Jersey had a three-game home winning streak snapped with a 116-105 loss to Phoenix on Wednesday. The Nets led by three at halftime but were outscored 13-0 in the opening 2:15 of the second half and 38-23 in the third quarter.

"We had to have great focus and intensity for 48 minutes," coach Kiki Vandeweghe told NBA.com. "Unfortunately, we had it for about 42 minutes."

The Nets might not have Devin Harris on Saturday after the point guard had his back wrapped when he came out of Wednesday's game in the third quarter. Harris said he injured his back after falling on a photographer's knee in a recent game.

If Harris can't go, that could make slowing down Paul even more difficult. Paul, among the league leaders in assists with 10.8 per game, scored 11 points with 18 assists in a 103-99 victory over New Jersey on Jan. 8. His driving layup with 7.6 seconds left in that contest helped the Hornets hold off New Jersey's rally from 15 down in the third quarter.

The Hornets have lost four straight and 11 of 12 on the road, but they've won their last three games in New Jersey. Led by David West's 32 points and 11 rebounds and Paul's 14 points, nine assists and eight boards, New Orleans won 99-96 in its last trip to Izod Center on March 1, 2009.

Rookie Terrence Williams and Kris Humphries should see plenty of playing time Saturday for New Jersey after scoring 21 and 17, respectively, off the bench Wednesday.

"They both played hard, especially on the defensive end," Vandeweghe said. "They worked the boards and that's the way I know they can play. I have a lot of confidence in both those guys and that earns more playing time."

The Hornets will try to sweep the season series against the Nets for the third straight year.