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Hornets host Kings in the Big Easy

Dec 15, 2010 - 4:02 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of struggling teams meet in the Big Easy tonight when the New Orleans Hornets entertain the Sacramento Kings.

The Hornets dropped their third straight game and fell to just 6-10 since a torrid 8-0 start on Monday in Miami when Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 32 points, as the Heat won their ninth straight game by defeating New Orleans, 96-84,

David West ended with a team-high 26 points to go with 12 rebounds for the Hornets, who also suffered an 88-70 decision at Philadelphia on Sunday and have dropped five of six overall. Trevor Ariza and Chris Paul chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively, in defeat.

"I thought we played our style in the first two and a half quarters, and they made a run there," New Orleans head coach Monty Williams said. "I thought they got to the free throw line a lot early and stopped us from running a little bit. That's their game."

The Kings, meanwhile, opened a three-game road trip by losing for the 10th time in 11 games in Houston on Tuesday when Luis Scola led seven players in double-figures with 23 points, as the Rockets notched a 118-105 victory over Sacramento.

DeMarcus Cousins posted 17 points and seven rebounds for the Kings, who played without star swingman Tyreke Evans (plantar fasciitis left foot). Former Rocket Carl Landry also had 17 points, while Jason Thompson netted 15 with 10 boards in defeat.

"We turned it over too many times. The Rockets put us in situations that we didn't defend very well, and they kept going over and over," said Kings head coach Paul Westphal. "They did a good job of executing, and they made threes."

Evans remains questionable for tonight for Sacramento, which has lost six straight on the road is just 2-7 as the visitor this season. The Kings will finish their trip in Oklahoma City on Friday.

The Hornets have won two straight over Sacramento and six of seven overall, including a 75-71 triumph in California's capital back on Nov. 21. New Orleans improved to 11-1 with that win and is just 3-9 since.