With less than a third of the regular season remaining, the Hornets find themselves in the thick of division and conference playoffs races reminiscent of last season's ultra-competitive competitions.
Though the Lakers have opened a commanding lead atop the Western Conference, the rest of the conference and especially the Southwest Division are tightly bunched. After getting their season-high fifth consecutive victory by winning on the road against the 76ers, 98-91, on Monday, the Hornets (37-22) found themselves down just two games in the loss column to the Southwest-leading Spurs, even in the loss column with the Rockets and two games better in the loss column that the Mavericks.
Dallas, which visits the New Orleans Arena on Thursday, is clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
"I think the conference is tougher this season," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "We kept saying last year that the eighth team was going to have to win 50 games. This year it looks like a team might win 50 and finish ninth and not even get into the playoffs."
The Hornets (5-3) and the Spurs (8-3) have the fewest losses in the division among the contenders. The Rockets are 5-5 and the Mavericks are 4-6.
The Hornets, Spurs, Rockets, and Mavericks all made the playoffs last season. The Hornets, who beat the Mavericks, 4-1, in a first-round playoff series last season, won the only meeting thus far this season, 104-07, at Dalls on Jan. 14.
HORNETS 98, 76ERS 91: David West scored the Hornets' first 12 points on his way to a 30-point, 10-rebound performance that led the Hornets to a road victory against the 76ers on Monday night.
West, who scored the Hornets' first 14 points of the fourth quarter in a victory at New Jersey one night earlier, had a double-double for the seventh time in nine games.
Three of West's teammates -- Chris Paul, Rasual Butler, and James Posey -- also had double-doubles.
"Everybody played well," West said. "Coach (Byron Scott) told us before the game that everybody needed to step up in this game. Everybody made shots and everybody made plays down the stretch."
