<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">SAN ANTONIO -- Just a few weeks ago, Hornets guard Kirk Snyder sensed he was part of something special. At the All-Star break, the Hornets were one of the league's big surprises, winners of five consecutive games and nine of 10. The Hornets were the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoff race with a 29-23 record, their best finish at the break since the 1999-2000 season when they went 27-20. Snyder, who moved ahead of J.R. Smith to become the starting shooting guard Jan. 2, played an important role during the push. He averaged 18 points during the final five games before the break and scored a season-high 28 points against the New York Knicks on Feb. 10 in Oklahoma City. It was his work ethic during practice, Coach Byron Scott said at the time, that earned Snyder the starting role. "He (Scott) knows exactly what buttons to push to get things out of me and compete at a different level," Snyder said before a Feb. 15 game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Hornets' final game before the break. "It's easy to work hard when you look forward to going to work." Snyder still looks forward to practice, but his enthusiasm has turned to desperation. Instead of improving their playoff position, the Hornets are sputtering dangerously out of playoff contention with 20 games remaining. Going into tonight's road game against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, the Hornets (31-31) have lost six consecutive games to fall behind the Sacramento Kings (32-31) for the eighth and final playoff spot. "I'm really upset," Snyder said after Monday's practice. "I kind of wear my emotions on my sleeve. I think it's our inability to do the right things all the time with a young group of guys. Sometimes as a team, you're supposed have lapses, but at this time in the season, you can't have that many lapses. We've got to grow and learn how to compete -- all the time." Like the Hornets, Snyder is on a downward spiral. During the losing streak, he has made 3-of-16 shots from 3-point range, and his defensive play has been subpar in some games. </div> Source
