The New Orleans Hornets were in second place in the tightly packed Western Conference when they embarked on a season-high six-game road trip..

Now they're not looking up at anyone.

The conference-leading Hornets, winners of nine of their last 10 games, return home from the most successful road trip in team history on Friday to face the reeling New York Knicks, losers of 16 of their last 18.

New Orleans (52-22) went 5-1 on its Eastern Conference swing, the most wins the franchise has racked up during a single trip, and has a one-half game lead over San Antonio in the race for the top spot in the Southwest Division and the conference.

A 112-92 loss against NBA-best Boston was their only blemish, and the Hornets responded with three impressive victories, the last an emphatic 106-77 rout of last-place Miami on Wednesday. That also was their 25th win away from home this season, a franchise record.

"It was one of those games that could have been a letdown, one of those teams that teams can overlook,'' said Tyson Chandler, who finished 10-for-10 from the floor for 20 points and 10 rebounds.

New Orleans' first opponent on its three-game homestand will be another East bottom-feeder. The Knicks' (20-55) only two wins in their last 18 games have come against the Heat, and they are 0-14 on the road against West foes, with this game being the last chance to avoid going winless.

After starting 2-0 against the West this season, New York has dropped 21 straight and 25 of 26.

New York was blown out by another Western team on Wednesday for its fourth straight loss. The Knicks allowed Memphis to score 74 first-half points en route to a 130-114 defeat on the same day they introduced former Pacers president Donnie Walsh as its new president of basketball operations.

"We've had things going on all year long,'' said forward David Lee, who had 19 points and 10 assists. "We have to focus on each game. We're professionals, and we have to be able to take adversity and go to the next game."

Lee, one of the Knicks' few consistent performers lately, has started each of the team's last 15 games and is averaging 14.9 points and 10.5 rebounds.

He'll have his hands full against Chandler, the NBA's third-leading rebounder at 12.0 per game. Chandler had 15 points and 18 boards when the Hornets won 100-88 at New York on March 3.

But the unquestioned star of that contest and most Hornets games this season has been Chris Paul, who leads the league with 11.4 assists per game. Paul only had eight assists in his first game against the Knicks, but had 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting.

"As I said before the game, he's great," New York coach Isiah Thomas said at the time. "He's just as good in person as he is when you watch him on tape."

Including that win, Paul is averaging 23.6 points and 13.3 assists in his last 16 games, leading the Hornets to a 13-3 record.

Many of Paul's assists have gone to fellow All-Star David West. Since returning from an ankle injury that cost him five games, West is averaging 25.1 points in his last eight.

New Orleans has won six straight against the Knicks.