La Lakers (31-30) at New Orleans (31-28) 8:00 pm EST

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) - More than six months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, the Hornets are returning home - at least for a day.

In the city's first major sporting event since before the storm hit, the Hornets will host the Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Arena, the venue left behind when the club made a temporary move to Oklahoma City.

Katrina's onslaught on the "Crescent City" on August 29 caused massive damage to the city, including New Orleans Arena. Without a place to play and with thousands of potential fans displaced or worse, the Hornets moved to Oklahoma City's Ford Center, where they have been one of the NBA's biggest surprises.

Despite losing their last three games, the Hornets enter the homecoming 31-28 and in seventh place in the Western Conference standings, one game ahead of the Lakers.

While they have been accepted and thrived in their temporary home, and will play a bulk of their games there next season, the Hornets and the NBA have insisted on upholding the club's connection with Louisiana.

"The Hornets (and the NBA), since our temporary relocation, maintained that one of our biggest goals was to play games in the New Orleans Arena this season," Hornets president Paul Mott said.

As the city of New Orleans slowly returns to normal, the chances grow that the Hornets will make a full comeback to the city they called home beginning with a 2002 move from Charlotte, North Carolina.

"From everything we have seen and heard, we have little doubt that New Orleans will soon regain its place among the world's premier cities for hosting major sporting events," said NBA commissioner David Stern, who will be in attendance Wednesday.

Wednesday's contest is one of three the Hornets will play here in March. They will host the Denver Nuggets on the 18th and the Los Angeles Clippers on the 21st.

While the event marks a milestone for the city, the Hornets have matters to tend to on the court, most notably on the offensive end. They have scored just 155 points in their last two games, including a total of just 43 in the second halves.

They ended Monday's 101-88 loss to Phoenix with only nine points in the fourth quarter while allowing 30 in a late collapse. David West led the Hornets with 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

The Lakers had won three of four games before Monday's 103-96 loss to San Antonio. Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter but did not have enough time to lead the Lakers back from a deficit they built in a poor third quarter.

In the first meeting between the teams February 4, Bryant scored 35 points but six Hornets had at least 11 to help them to a 106-90 victory.