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Undermanned Knicks face sliding Hornets

Mar 31, 2007 - 3:16 PM New York (31-41) at New Orleans (32-40) 8:00 pm EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY (Ticker) -- The New York Knicks try to bounce back from a painful loss at Dallas when they visit the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday.

New York has lost five of its last six games to fall two games behind New Jersey (33-39) in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

On Friday, the Knicks battled but fell to the Mavericks, 105-103. Stephon Marbury scored a season-high 43 points but had his potential game-tying layup blocked as time expired on the game's final possession.

Marbury could not overcome his squad's injuries. Guard Jamal Crawford (stress fracture ankle) and forward Quentin Richardson (back) may be out for the rest of the season, and guard Steve Francis (ankle) and forward David Lee (leg) continue to sit out.

However, the Knicks are using a rotation which includes rookies Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins. With its inexperience, New York now will look to take advantage of some lesser squads, including Philadelphia, Minnesota and Milwaukee after Saturday's game with the Hornets.

The Hornets have lost 10 of their last 14 games, including a 92-88 defeat to San Antonio on Wednesday. They are three games behind the eighth-place Los Angeles Clippers (35-37) in the race for the final playoff spot in the West.

New York has lost four straight against the Hornets and six of its last nine.