The tired, last-place and short-handed New Orleans Hornets were just the opponent the Phoenix Suns needed to get back to .500 and gain a bit of ground in their bid to make the playoffs. Jared Dudley scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half and the Suns beat the Hornets 92-75 Sunday night to pull within 1½ games of Houston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
