Hornets hope to even series with Heat

After losing Games 1 and 2 at AmericanAirlines Arena, Baron Davis scored 21 points and David Wesley added 18, leading the Hornets to a 77-71 win over the Heat in Game 3 at New Orleans Arena.

All-Star center Jamaal Magloire finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in the win for the Hornets.

Caron Butler paced the Heat in Game 3 with a game-high 24 points and 15 boards. Lamar Odom had 18 points and Rafer Alston chipped in 10 for the Heat.

Miami, which is appearing in the postseason for the first time since 2001, has never lost a playoff series after winning the first two games. In fact, the Heat have won the first two contests of playoff series only twice, as they won Games 1 and 2 in the first round of the postseason in 1997 against Orlando and 1999 against Detroit. The Heat beat the Magic 3-2 and swept the Pistons, 3-0.

The Heat are 2-5 all-time in Game 4s in the postseason, while the Hornets are 4-6 all-time in Game 4s.

Miami has been defeated in four straight road games in the playoffs. The Heat last won postseason game on the road against the New York Knicks on May 12, 2000 at Madison Square Garden.

Even though they won Game 3 in front of their home crowd, the Hornets have lost three of their last five games as the host in the postseason.

This is the second meeting between the two teams in the postseason. The Hornets, who made their home in Charlotte at the time, swept the Heat in three games in the 2001 first round.

Game 5 is scheduled for Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena.