• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Knicks return to MSG to host Hornets

Mar 2, 2011 - 4:02 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Knicks open up a brief two-game homestand Wednesday against the sputtering New Orleans Hornets.

The Knicks finished a three-game road trip on a losing note after falling in Orlando on Tuesday when Jameer Nelson scored 14 of his season-high 26 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Magic past New York, 116-110.

Chauncey Billups, who left the game in the fourth quarter with a left thigh bruise, and Amare Stoudemire both scored 30 points, and Carmelo Anthony had 25 on 8-of-24 shooting for New York, which failed to build off Sunday's dramatic victory over the Miami Heat and finished the trek 1-2.

"We're not totally there yet, and that's to be expected," Stoudemire said. "We played well enough to win, we just didn't close the game out."

The game featured a whopping 97 free throws, with New York making 39 and Orlando draining 36.

The Knicks have split four games since acquiring Anthony and Billups in a blockbuster, three-team, 13-player trade from Denver on Feb. 22. Anthony is averaging 27.0 points and 7.8 rebounds, while Billups is close behind at 23.3 points and 6.0 assists since the deal.

Billups is listed as questionable for tonight's contest.

The Hornets, meanwhile, lost the opener of a five-game road trip in Toronto on Tuesday when Jose Calderon scored a season-high 22 points, dished out 16 assists and pulled down seven rebounds as the Raptors fended off a late rally by New Orleans to win 96-90.

David West scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who dropped to 14-18 on the road this season and have lost 11 of 15 overall. Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack each scored 17 points while Chris Paul had a quiet seven points and five assists.

Paul is a miserable 4-of-23 from three-point range over the last 10 games and is averaging just 12.4 points over that span.

"I'm getting a lot of shots," Paul said. "A lot of shots are right there. I think I've got to find a rhythm or something like that, find a way to get some easy baskets."

The Knicks have won five straight over New Orleans, including a 100-92 win in the Big Easy back on Dec. 3.