Clippers 80 - 107 Pelicans
Final
  for this game

Hornets look to extend Clippers' misery

Jan 9, 2009 - 11:44 AM LA Clippers (8-27) at New Orleans (21-11) 8:00 p.m. EST

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- Coming off a .500 road trip, the New Orleans Hornets return home to a prime target.

The Hornets will be looking to extend the Los Angeles Clippers' losing streak to 10 games when they face off on Friday.

The Hornets hit the road last week and went 2-2 against the Western Conference elite, beating the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers and losing to the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz. New Orleans is a sterling 11-4 at home and has won seven of eight here.

Chris Paul leads the team in scoring at 20.7 points per game and managed 26 against Utah on Wednesday, but no one else on the Hornets managed more than 13 points in the 116-90 loss.

Normally stout defensively, New Orleans has allowed at least 105 points in each of its last three games.

The Hornets should not have trouble slowing down the Clippers, however. Los Angeles ranks last in the West in scoring at 93.4 points per game and is still missing its biggest scoring threats in Baron Davis (bruised tailbone), Ricky Davis (sore left knee), Chris Kaman (strained left arch) and Zach Randolph (bruised left knee).

Rookie Eric Gordon has taken on most of the scoring load, pouring in at least 21 points in each of the past six games. He had reached 20 points just three times in the previous 26 games.

The Clippers fell, 106-84 at San Antonio on Thursday despite 21 points apiece from Gordon and Al Thornton.

Gordon poured in 25 on November 24, but it was not enough as the Hornets took the first meeting between the teams, 99-87.






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