原文出自nola.com http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/110542664364050.xml Hornets return to road confident Hope to maintain effort against Knicks Tuesday, January 11, 2005 By John Reid Staff writer NEW YORK -- At no other time this season has Rodney Rogers seen his Hornets teammates' spirits as high as they are now. Rogers說自從他來到黃蜂，還沒有看到士氣這麼高昂過． But for those good spirits to remain, Rogers understands New Orleans must put an end to another streak. 要繼續保持高昂良好的氣氛，大伙兒必續繼續努力獲取勝利． On Saturday night, the Hornets snapped a 10-game losing stretch with a 121-117 win in overtime against the surging Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Arena. Tonight, the Hornets (3-29) look to halt a 15-game streak of road losses against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. New Orleans hasn't won a road game since Nov. 22, when they defeated the Utah Jazz 76-75 in Salt Lake City for their first win of the season. "Hopefully, the win we had against Sacramento will trigger off something good," said Rogers, who has averaged 13.1 points in four games since he returned from a sprained left knee. "We're going to have to make sure that we're clicking on all cylinders because Madison Square Garden is the best arena to play at in the world, and then we have to play the NBA champions. It's not going to be easy." Coach Byron Scott said the Hornets will do fine if point guard Baron Davis plays as he did against the Kings when he scored 26 points, tied his career high with 17 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds for his fourth career triple-double. Scott also hopes to see the same effort rookie J.R. Smith gave Sacramento when he scored a season-high 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting. The Hornets had several key contributors come off the bench against the Kings. Forward Bostjan Nachbar played 23 minutes and scored 14 points, and backup point guard Dan Dickau scored nine of his 15 points in overtime against Sacramento. "I really feel the last three games we've been playing much better on both ends of the court, and we just want to make sure that we keep it going," Scott said. On the road is where the Hornets have struggled the most this season: -- New Orleans lost a triple-overtime 115-109 heartbreaker to the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 23 in Oakland, Calif. -- The Hornets lost 94-93 in overtime to the expansion Charlotte Bobcats last month after forward P.J. Brown was called for a reaching foul with 5.7 seconds remaining. Emeka Okafor made both free throws, and New Orleans missed a shot at the buzzer. -- Last month in Sacramento, the Hornets trailed by 40 points in the fourth quarter before losing to the Kings 107-71. "As many times this year as we've been on the short end, coming so close and not be able to close out, it really felt good to beat a good team like Sacramento," Brown said. "We're hoping to keep the enthusiasm and energy going, so we can run off a few wins in a row on the road. "I think, from what I've seen the other night, this team has a lot more confidence, and our young guys are feeling better about themselves." One who is feeling particularly good is Smith, and he hopes it continues throughout New Orleans' two-game trip (the Hornets will play the defending champion Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday night). Smith said he has adjusted to his offensive and defensive responsibilities, and that showed Saturday when he made four of six 3-point attempts and scored six of the Hornets' 19 overtime points. "I think when we hit those big shots (Saturday), it gave us a lot more pride in what we do," Smith said. "When you're out there, you try to make an impact on the team. I've been staying after practice, working on my shots, and it's helped me to feel more confident about myself." The Hornets will face a Knicks team that's reeling from four losses in five games and their coach, Lenny Wilkens, appears to be on the hot seat. The Knicks don't have the firepower of the Kings, and their best outside shooter, Jamal Crawford, remains on the injured list with a right turf toe. But the Hornets have not beaten the Knicks at Madison Square Garden since the 2002-03 season, and New Orleans is 0-12 against Eastern Conference teams this season. "It's a tough trip, New York and Detroit," Scott said. "But we're looking to get one of these games." --

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