(Sports Network) - Embarrassment turns to desperation tonight for the New Orleans Hornets.
A historic loss on Monday has New Orleans on the brink of elimination as their Western Conference quarterfinals series with the Denver Nuggets resumes at the Pepsi Center.
The Hornets were annihilated by the Nuggets, 121-63, in Game 4. The 58-point differential on Monday tied the largest margin of defeat in NBA playoff history, set back on March 19, 1956 when the Minneapolis Lakers crushed the St. Louis Hawks, 133-75.
The Nuggets now hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and have a chance to seal things at home on Wednesday. The Northwest champs have not won a playoff series since 1994, exiting in the first round the last five years.
"I want them to think about what happened tonight and rewind it in their minds because when we get to Denver it's a one-game elimination process," Hornets head coach Byron Scott said after the drubbing. "We want to try our best to bring this series back to New Orleans for a Game 6. Our backs are against the wall. We have nothing else to do but coming out fighting on Wednesday night."
Carmelo Anthony recorded 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Chauncey Billups, who won the league's sportsmanship award on Tuesday, finished with 17 points and eight helpers for Denver, which shot 56.6 percent from the floor and 10-of-20 from three-point land.
Chris Paul was clearly hobbled by a knee injury suffered while carrying the Hornets to a Game 3 victory. The All-Star point guard netted just four points on 2-of-7 shooting with six assists and as many turnovers.
New Orleans, which was led by David West's meager 14-point effort, also tied a franchise-low scoring mark, while recording all-time playoff lows in field goals made (17), field goals attempted (54), and assists (10), as well as an all-time playoff high in turnovers (27).
"Denver was very physical, we tried to be also," Paul said. "They made shots, we didn't. We turned the ball over about every possession and it was embarrassing. We didn't play well and they executed their game plan perfectly."
Denver last won a postseason set in 1994, taking two straight overtime games from the Seattle SuperSonics to roar back from a 2-1 series deficit. The Nuggets haven't won a best-of-seven series since 1985.
This is the first ever postseason meeting between these two clubs.
Game 6, if necessary, will take place in New Orleans on Friday.
