Hornets opened the season 8-0 SU and ATS, then extended their hot start to 11-1 SU. However, Hornets will 'limp' into Indiana tonight 5-10 SU and 4-11 ATS over their last 15 games. All Stars West (19.3-7.2) and Paul (16.3-4.4-9.9) produce night-in and night-out but that's about it. First-year head coach Monty Williams just doesn't have any answers as of late, especially on the road. New Orleans has lost SEVEN of eight on the road, after winning FOUR of its first five away from home. Hornets will take a five-game road losing streak into Conseco Fieldhouse tonight, having been outscored by an average of 12.8 PPG during their slide. Pistons had four players injured in Sunday's game, yet the Hornets fell, 111-108 in OT at Detroit. "We gave up 59 points in the second half, and that doesn't count overtime," coach Monty Williams said. "We just didn't guard the ball. We kept giving them open 3-point shots when that was all they could hit." This year's team is beginning to resemble last year's squad, which was an awful 13-28 away from home. Pacers have dropped four of their last five after losing 99-88 at Boston on Sunday. However, they have won three of their last four at home, improving their season's home mark to 7-6. Granger (21.0-5.4) has led the team as expected and center Hibbert (14.5-8.5) has made great strides in his third season (averaged just 7.1-3.5 as a rookie). The team's perimeter game isn't bad with PG Collison (13.2-4.1 APG) being backed up by TJ Ford (6.1-3.8 APG) plus a now-healthy Dunleavy (12.4-5.4) and Brandon Rush (12.0) both playing reasonably well on the wing. Neither McRoberts (6.8-5.7) nor Hansbrough (5.3-3.3) are likely to be All Stars but both are proving to be hard workers and contributors. Hornets are in a funk and I much prefer the Pacers in this one.
