New Orleans went into its first-round series against Dallas with one big unknown – could the Hornets win in Big D?

They hadn’t done it in 13 games spanning 10 seasons, including two in the regular season this year.

Now, with the Hornets set to take their 2-0 lead into the AT&T Center in San Antonio, the franchise won’t have that same question hanging over its head.

Associated Press

Chris Paul took some shots, but delivered most of the fatal blows in the Hornets' 102-84 Game 2 win over San Antonio, as he had 30 points and 12 assists.

New Orleans beat the Spurs by 24 in San Antonio Jan. 26.

Yet, the Hornets know things are different now than they were four months ago. It’s the playoffs, and with San Antonio down two games in a best-of-seven series, New Orleans is going to get the Spurs’ best shot.

“People protect their home court,” Peja Stojakovic said. “I have a great respect for that team. They know how to win. We have to play very, very good basketball to have a chance. They’re going to come with everything at us at their home and we have to respond.”

Heading into this season, New Orleans had gone oh-fer in San Antonio in three consecutive seasons, rattling off an 0-6 record on the Spurs’ home floor. They lost by an average of 15.3 points in those games.

But the first time these two teams played in Texas this year, New Orleans bucked that trend. David West scored 32 points, Stojakovic had 22 and the Hornets outscored the Spurs 60-35 in the second half to end an eight-game losing skid to San Antonio.

None of that matters now, however.

“Everything that happened in the regular season is erased,” Morris Peterson said. “It’s going to be a tough game.”

For all that’s similar to the Dallas series – big second halves for the Hornets, a 2-0 series lead, momentum – add one more thing, head coach Byron Scott said.

“It’s basically 0-0 again,” Scott said.

There is a difference, though.

"We do know we can win there,” Scott said. “We know right now we’re playing some of our best basketball at the right time. That’s our attitude. Go down there and see if we can get Game 3.”

As New Orleans’ season progressed, it eventually picked up a win in Dallas, winning 97-84 in Game 4 at American Airlines Arena. The win helped the Hornets clinch their first-ever postseason series victory as a New Orleans franchise.

And again, that gives the Hornets reason enough to come out firing. As Tyson Chandler said following Monday’s win in New Orleans, just because the Spurs haven’t ever come back from being down 0-2 doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

“We’ve changed a lot of our past, too” Chandler said.