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Streaking Hornets host Grizzlies in the Big Easy

Jan 19, 2011 - 4:04 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of Southwest Division rivals collide tonight in the Big Easy, where the New Orleans Hornets will shoot for their sixth straight win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

New Orleans has won five in a row and eight of its last 10 games, including Monday's 85-81 triumph over the visiting Toronto Raptors. David West recorded a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Emeka Okafor did the same with 17 points and 16 boards for the Hornets, who are an impressive 16-5 at New Orleans Arena this season.

Jarrett Jack posted 17 points in a reserve role and Chris Paul finished with just six points and a team-high 11 assists in a winning cause.

"You have to give Toronto credit. They played hard, they executed, they exposed us when we weren't playing the right kind of basketball," Hornets head coach Monty Williams said. We found a way to win a game and we're finding ways to win games in a variety of ways."

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies will play five of their next six games on the road and have lost three of their last five games.

In a 96-84 setback versus Chicago at FedEx Forum on Monday, Bulls All-Star guard Derrick Rose recorded his first career triple-double with 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Zach Randolph posted his 27th double-double of the year with 21 points and 13 boards for Memphis, which got a combined 27 points from O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol.

"I think we've got to just come out and play harder," said Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur, who had eight points and five rebounds.

The Grizzlies will host Houston on Friday before embarking on a four-game road trip against the Bucks, Raptors, Nets and 76ers. They lead the NBA in points in the paint for a second consecutive season, pouring in 48.3 points inside. Memphis also leads the league in forced turnovers (17.3) and steals (9.51) while ranking second in points off turnovers (18.9).

Memphis and New Orleans are meeting for the first time since splitting four meetings a season ago. The Hornets, however, are 10-3 in the past 13 encounters between the teams.

The Grizzlies have dropped nine of 10 and 11 of the last 14 games in the Big Easy.