• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Hornets look to gain ground in West standings

Mar 14, 2009 - 5:35 AM By Matt Becker Stats Senior Writer

New Orleans (41-23) at Chicago (29-37) 8:30 p.m. EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- It's taken a few seasons, but the New Orleans Hornets have emerged as one of the league's elite teams thanks to the play of All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

The Bulls are hoping in time Derrick Rose can achieve similar success for Chicago.

In the first meeting between two of the best young point guards in the NBA, Paul looks to lead the Hornets to their 10th win in 11 games when they visit Rose and the Bulls, who are trying to avoid losing their fourth in a row.

In his fourth season in the league, Paul has developed into one of the league's most exciting players and has New Orleans (41-23) poised for its second straight playoff berth.

The Hornets, who lost to San Antonio in seven games in last season's Western Conference semifinals, are fifth in the conference, just one-half game back of third-place Houston.

Paul led New Orleans with 30 points, nine assists and six rebounds in Friday's 95-86 win at Milwaukee - the Hornets' ninth victory in 10 games.

"Right now, we're making shots," said Paul, averaging a league-best 11.1 assists. "And as long as we continue to do that, we'll be tough to beat."

Witnessing what a talented point guard like Paul can accomplish, Chicago (29-37) felt like it could not pass up Rose with the first pick in last year's draft.

Rose leads all rookies in assists (6.2) and is second among all first-year players in scoring (16.6) for a Bulls team percentage points behind the eighth-place Bucks in the East.

He led the Bulls with 20 points in Friday's 104-101 loss at Philadelphia, and had 21 points while shooting 10-for-14 shooting in Chicago's 107-93 win at New Orleans on February 4. Paul missed that contest with a groin strain.

New Orleans split the four games Paul sat out but has gone 11-4 since. The two-time All-Star is averaging 26.4 points - 4.7 better than his season average - in his last five contests.

In four games against the Bulls since the start of 2006-07, Paul is averaging 25.8 points - his most against any opponent in that span.

Chicago hopes to get things turned around as it returns from a winless three-game road trip.

The Bulls have won five in a row at the United Center, including victories over contenders Denver, Orlando and Houston.

"We need to take advantage and try to win every home game," center Brad Miller said.

Chicago, which is averaging 113.6 points during its home winning streak, has not won six straight at the United Center since reeling off seven in a row December 11-30, 2006.

The Bulls also hope Ben Gordon, who is averaging a team-high 20.4 points, can regain his shooting touch.

Gordon finished with nine points and made 4-of-12 shots from the field Friday, when his potential game-tying 3-pointer bounced out as time expired. He has managed just 13 points while shooting 5-of-22 in his last two games.

Gordon is averaging 25.7 points on 57.4 percent shooting in his last three games versus the Hornets.

New Orleans played its fifth straight game Friday without forward Peja Stojakovic, who is suffering from back spasms and will likely sit out again Saturday.