CHARLOTTE

The toughest stretch of the Charlotte Hornets' season is over.

But there's no time to relax, because another formidable task awaits the team starting with tonight's game against the Toronto Raptors at the Charlotte Coliseum.

The Hornets have been terrible at home so far this season, to put it bluntly. But with tonight's game starting a three-game homestand and a stretch with 10 of the next 14 games at home, it's essential that the Hornets start taking care of business at home.

"We've talked about it a lot, and we know we've got to find a way to get it turned around at home," Coach Paul Silas said yesterday. "There's nothing magical about it.

"It's just a matter of going out and playing hard and doing whatever it takes to get the job done. I think we're going to be all right eventually, but the fact is, we've got to start doing it."

The Hornets, 10-11 after defeating the Denver Nuggets 99-96 on Tuesday night to close out a 12-day, six-game trip, are 2-5 at home this season. They have lost their past five home games.

The 2-5 record is the second-worst home record in the NBA, better only than Washington's 2-6 mark. Particularly bothersome to Silas is the fact that two of those losses came to teams that the Hornets beat on the road - Orlando and Detroit.