By By Richard Dark/EMG staff writer
December 21, 2003
NEW ORLEANS It seems like a simple premise, but perhaps all the New Orleans needed to snap a season-long three-game slide was some good old-fashioned practice.
Tim Floyd's troops got back to better fundamental play which included better transition defense and overall shooting and it translated to a 94-89 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in front of 14,320 fans in New Orleans Arena Saturday night. It was only the third loss by Memphis this month.
A 14-4 run late in the fourth gave the Hornets (18-10) control. It was capped by a frozen rope pass from Davis to George Lynch that traversed the entire baseline and ended with the forward's 3-pointer at the 4:37 mark, which gave the hosts an 11-point lead. Memphis staged a rally and cut the lead four with a minute left, but Darrell Armstrong sank four free throws with under 26 ticks left to ice the game.
Davis led the Hornet attack with 25 points and 12 assists. Center Jamaal Magloire again ruled the paint with 18 and 13 rebounds. New Orleans whipped the Grizzlies on the glass, 48-36.
New Orleans forged a 21-point lead in the third quarter, but that's when the offensive well dried up, as the Hornets closed the frame making only two field goals over the final 7:51, both coming from 3-pointers by Davis.
The Hornets will play their final pre-Christmas game Tuesday at Cleveland and will return home to face Atlanta on Friday Dec. 26th.