Hornets fall hard to Nets

By By Richard Dark / EMG staff writer
Feb. 3, 2004
NEW ORLEANS The second consecutive game without Baron Davis yielded more of the same for the suddenly struggling New Orleans Hornets.
Without the All-Star guard in the lineup because of a sprained ankle, the offense was hard to come by and the surging New Jersey Nets pushed ahead in the second half to win going away 91-70. It marked New Orleans' second straight outing with that season-low point total.
The loss was the second straight home blowout and a tough start to what Hornets forward P.J. Brown called "the most important week of the season" for his squad.
New Orleans had the upper hand until the midway point of the third quarter when the Nets (26-20), winners of five straight, awakened and embarked on a decisive 13-0 run to grab a stranglehold. Richard Jefferson scored nine of his 15 points during that span.
Jamaal Magloire led New Orleans (26-22) with 22 points and 16 rebounds. But the Nets got him under control in the final 24 minutes, holding him to just five. Jamal Mashburn added 13 and six boards, but was a non-factor for most of the evening.
The Nets began the game in their own offensive funk, shooting just 32 percent in the first half and going through a 10-possession drought. But the Hornets, who committed season-high 23 turnovers, could only build a six-point lead during that stretch.
New Orleans native Kerry Kittles ripped the Hornets for 16 points, leading a half-dozen Nets in double figures.
The Nets racked up a whopping 34 assists on 39 made baskets and ran circles around their hosts to the tune of an 18-2 lead in fast break points. New Jersey scored 22 points off Hornet gaffes, compared to two for New Orleans from the 12 Nets turnovers. Darrell Armstrong started again for New Orleans, which is also missing starter David Wesley, and scored 13 to go with seven assists.