Walking out of the locker room Wednesday morning for shoot around, several Hornets were laughing and joking with each other.

In other words they were loose.

And that might just translate into win tonight when New Orleans (5-4) hosts Sacramento (4-8) in a 7 o’clock game at the Arena.

(AP Photo/Paul Connors)

New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul drives to the basket around Phoenix Suns guard Raja Bell, right, in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Being relaxed, you see, seems to be the one thing missing in the Hornets’ four losses this year, forward David West said prior to shoot around.

“The games we’ve lost, we’ve been too tight,” said West, who is averaging 19 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

“We haven’t had the same looseness coming out of the locker room coming into the game regardless of who we’re playing.”

And that has translated into a largely inconsistent start for New Orleans, a popular pick to make at least the Western Conference finals before the season began.

The Hornets started off 3-0, averaging 106 points in the three wins.

But since then, New Orleans is 2-4, having lost two, won one, lost won, won one and lost another.

In those losses, the offense has been non-existent, or at least absent for a team known for its offensive explosiveness.

Head coach Byron Scott blames it on tempo, saying the team is mired in playing slow basketball for one reason or another. It’s something he’d like to see his team break out of tonight against the Kings.

“From an offensive standpoint, we’re going to try to do things a little bit different,” Scott said. “We have to get more, possessions. We have to push the ball up and be a little bit quicker on the offensive end.

“I think we’re playing a slow-paced basketball game and that’s not how I want us playing.”

Only once has New Orleans won shooting less than 44 percent. But in those losses, the opponents aren’t exactly shooting lights out, either. The Hornets’ defense has held their opponents to 43, 41.8, 41 and 45 percent shooting in New Orleans’ four losses.

Meanwhile, the Hornets have trailed after three quarters in three of the four losses because of poor shooting.

Scott, however, isn’t overly concerned. There have been, after all, only nine games played thus far.

“The inconsistent part is just on the offensive end,” Scott said. “Like I said after those first three games, we’re not going average 108 points a game. If we’re going to rely on that, we’d be 3-6 instead of 5-4.

“I try to make sure I continue to put in their heads that the defense is going to have us where we need to be when the season is over.”

Still, the offense needs to get on track at some point if the Hornets are going to match the success of this past season.

For that to happen, New Orleans needs to stop forcing things upon it on the offensive end of the court.

“One thing coach says, ‘You can’t be afraid to lose a game,’ ” West said. “You’re going to lose games. But the effort and things like that have to be there.

“We’re so worried about making the right play every single time, which you’re not going to do. Hitting every single shot, which you’re not going to do. I think that’s weighing on us too much.”

Bradley Handwerger can be reached at bhandwerger@wwltv.com or 504-529-6439.