There is no such thing as a perfect game in basketball.

It's not like baseball or bowling, where a standard for excellence is defined.

But as far as the Charlotte Hornets are concerned, it doesn't get much better than Baron Davis' performance in Monday's blowout victory at New York.

So with the Hornets set to take on the Seattle SuperSonics tonight at 7 o'clock, Coach Paul Silas is using Monday's game as a blueprint for what he expects from Davis the rest of the season.

"That's the way we need Baron to play every night," Silas said yesterday. "He's only 22, so he's still learning and maturing, but that's the kind of game he's capable of playing because he's so talented. When he plays like that, we're a pretty good ballclub."

Davis, the Hornets' third-year point guard, had 24 points, nine assists, four rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in the 111-68 win over the Knicks despite playing only 34 minutes and taking a seat for good late in the third quarter.

He hit 9 of 12 shots from the field, and 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

It wasn't just the numbers that were impressive, either - it was the way Davis got them. He was in control at all times, assertive when he could be but careful to play within the framework of the offense.

"I thought he ran the ballclub exceptionally well," Silas said. "He penetrated. He didn't settle for the dribble-down and shoot - all his 3s came off inside-out plays, and that's what we've stressed lately. He played with focus. He loses his focus now and then, and that's what hurts him, but I don't see that at all in him right now."

Davis has played that way at times this season, particularly early. He opened the season with 33 points and nine assists in a win over Cleveland, and shortly thereafter had a stretch where he had nine double-doubles in an 11-game span. His best game came earlier this month, when he had his fourth career triple-double with 28 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a win over Golden State.

He's averaging 19.1 points, 8.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

But there have been ups and downs along the way, and recently Davis went through a particularly difficult stretch.

Davis had hit less than half his shots in seven of the eight games before Monday, going 7 for 20 in a win over the Clippers and 7 for 21 in a win at Chicago.

"It's all mental with Baron," teammate David Wesley said. "When you talk about a guy as talented as him, with the capability to get anywhere he needs to get on the floor offensively, it's mental. If he settles for jump shot after jump shot, without passing the ball, I mean, we can't win like that. He has to come in and say 'I need to bring energy, don't settle, get in the paint, penetrate, pass the ball, look for guys.' And when he does that, we're a good team."

Davis says he's feeling good physically these days, and that's why he figures that his game is back on track. There have been various ailments throughout the season - a sprained finger, ankle problems and, recently, a cold that lingered.

"I was sick and banged-up and pretty much just trying to tough through it for a while," Davis said. "I think as my health has gotten better, I've been able to get back in the swing of things and get my legs back so I can go to the hole and finish strong, things like that.

"When you get sick, any kind of contact and your body is aching for the whole game. Some of those games I didn't play too well, I think I just didn't have any legs. I was tired, fatigued, and I couldn't finish what I started."

Wesley knows that Davis has been banged up, but learning how to be effective even when tired or hurt is still one of the requirements for young players on the threshold of greatness. So Wesley sees playing hurt as Davis' challenge, not an excuse.

"What he's learning right now is that you can't settle," Wesley said. "He tends to do that some nights when he's tired or his foot's hurting or his back is hurting or whatever. But we're not as good a team when he does that."

Silas figures that time continues to work in Davis' favor, too.

"He has always had a concept of what we want from him, because he's a smart guy, and he knows the game," Silas said. "But you have to go through a period where you struggle a little bit with it, and then it all clicks. I think that's what has happened.

"I think now he's understanding what it takes to be the point guard that we need. That only comes with maturity. I can talk to him about it all day, my assistants can - but playing the game, understanding the game, that only comes with being out there and maturing. I think that's where he is right now."

Tonight's home game against the Sonics will continue a busy week for the Hornets. They'll play at Indiana on Friday, then will play Houston at home Saturday.