New Orleans Hornets Team Report - March 31

(Basketball News) - The Hornets’ road woes continued Tuesday night, as they dropped a 107-88 decision to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.

Jamaal Magloire posted 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Hornets, who have dropped three straight and nine of their last 13 contests. With a Milwaukee victory earlier on Tuesday, the Hornets fell into a fourth-place tie in the Eastern Conference playoff race with the Bucks.

The Hornets, who started a five- game Western Conference road trip, have dropped nine straight and 11 of their last 12 contests in foreign buildings. For the year, New Orleans is 13-22 on the road.

Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn were once again out of the New Orleans’ lineup due to injuries. It is unknown when the duo will return to the court.

LA took a 60-53 advantage into the intermission and then broke the game open near the end of the third with eight unanswered points. Karl Malone capped off the spurt with a pair from the stripe to push the LA margin to 84-64 with 55 seconds left in the third.

The Lakers led by as many as 22 in this one and New Orleans trailed by double- digits the entire fourth quarter.

New Orleans actually won the first meeting with the Lakers this season, 114-95, along the Bayou on November 7. However, Los Angeles has won nine of 10 and 11 of 14 meetings between these clubs.

New Orleans will try to put aside their road struggles Wednesday night, when it faces the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center.