It's go time at the New Orleans Arena, as it's Game 2 tonight of the NBA Playoff Series between the Hornets and Dallas Mavericks. The Hornets are up 1-0 in the best of seven series and the outcome of the series could be determined by which team comes out victorious at the Hive as a win by the Hornets gives them a solid two-game lead, where a loss could open the door to a much tougher challenge upon return to the Crescent City.

"We know it's important for us to keep control of the series as far as home court advantage is concerned," says head coach Byron Scott who believes a similar message is being told in the Dallas locker room. "I told my guys that if I'm Avery Johnson I'm telling those guys that all we wanted to do is get one. It means that they go home with the win and the momentum. It's going to be a dogfight."

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Splitting the game in New Orleans would be an advantage for the Mavericks since they return home for games four and five. To say Dallas hasn't been kind to the Hornets is an understatement, as the team has not one a single basketball game in ten years! Dallas has not won on the road in the playoffs since the 2005-2006 season, that is seven consecutive road loses for the Mavs.

The Hornets won game one 104 to 92 back on Saturday, battling back from a 12-point half time deficit. Dallas shot just 33-percent from the field.

The Mavericks the last two days have talked about making a few adjustments they believe will give them a better chance for a win tonight. In fact both teams say they expect the other to have a few things up their sleeves, "We've made some adjustments, obviously they're going to make some adjustments cause the objective is to win so, " said forward David West. "Whatever they come out with we'll be prepared and you just got to play the game. You can't sit back and worry about what the opposition is doing, you just have to make sure that your approach is the same."

One area for sure that will change for the Mavericks is the amount of attention they'll pay to Hornets point guard Chris Paul. CP3 had 35 points in his first career playoff game and he can expect the Mavs to do everything they can to get the ball out of his hands, likely coming by attempting to trap him. "I always was taught when I was younger, when you're trapped attack the big man, pick your spots. A lot of time you just give it to your teammates," says Paul. "If two people are on me that means we have four on three going the other way."

Paul adds that he'll take what the defense gives him and if that means becoming more of an assist guard tonight as opposed to the team's leading scorer, he's confident other can pick up the scoring slack.

"I mean there's been many a times where D-West has done it," points out Paul. "If you noticed anything about our team we're going to try and do whatever it takes to win. We've won games where I scored two points this year." The game Paul is referring to was back on February 9 against Memphis at the Hive in which Paul scored two-points in 34-minutes of action.

"We've had some good days and bad days but the thing we've done is come out and be ready to play and come out aggressive," says shooting guard Morris Petterson. "Myself, Peja, J.P, Bonzi, all the guys who are going to come in have to make shots."

The second area to pay attention to will be how tightly the referees will call the game. Dallas was called for 22 personal fouls in game one while the Hornets were whistled 24 times, both teams combined for three technical fouls. "The referees are probably looking at the tape and probably talking to the commissioner and Stu Jackson about how chippy the game got. I'm sure that they'll try to make some calls earlier in the game to try and get it under control."

"Just can't worry about it. You got to go play, " says West who believes the Hornets must still play aggressive. "You can't give up layups. You can't give up easy baskets. You got to make a hard play, you make a hard play that's the way it goes."

Overall, Scott says he plans on throwing a few wrinkles or two come tip off but that folks shouldn't expect wholesale changes. "I think we have our philosophies and I just try to stick to them. It's got us this far, we won 56 games with it so let's see if it can win a series for us."

Tip time is set for 6p.m.