(Sports Network) - The defending world champion San Antonio Spurs try to even their Western Conference semifinal series with the New Orleans Hornets at two games apiece, as the teams battle tonight at the AT&T Center.

Game 5 of this best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday at New Orleans Arena.

After losing Games 1 and 2 in New Orleans, the Spurs earned a huge victory on Thursday at home. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker both poured in 31 points as No. 3 San Antonio used a strong second half to beat the second-seeded Hornets, 110-99, in Game 3 of the set. Parker added 11 assists for the Spurs, who are a perfect 4-0 at home in this year's playoffs.

All-Star forward Tim Duncan chipped in 16 points and 13 rebounds, while defensive stopper Bruce Bowen had 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting from three- point range.

Chris Paul finished with 35 points and nine assists for the Hornets, while David West ended with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Tyson Chandler scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds in defeat.

The Spurs have never won a playoff series when they lose the first two games of the set. San Antonio is 2-2 in its last four Game 4s in the playoffs.

The Hornets, who have never lost a playoff series when they win Games 1 and 2, are 1-2 on the road in this year's playoffs. They have captured two straight Game 4s in the postseason.

If veteran forward Robert Horry plays in tonight's contest for San Antonio, he would tie legend Kareem Abdul-Jabaar with 237 postseason games. The 37-year- old Horry is averaging 1.7 points in seven playoff appearances this postseason.

The Southwest Division-champion and second-seeded Hornets are back in the postseason for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign. New Orleans moved to the Western Conference for the 2004-05 campaign, and are competing in the West playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

New Orleans won its first best-of-seven playoff series (1-6) in franchise history, as it defeated the seventh-seeded Dallas Mavericks in five games, 4-1, in the first round of the postseason.

The Hornets are 0-4 in the second round of the playoffs. They lost to New York (4-1) in 1993, Chicago (4-1) in 1998, Milwaukee (4-3) in 2001 and New Jersey (4-1) in 2002.

The Spurs, who swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year's NBA Finals, have captured four world championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) in the last nine years.

History is not on San Antonio's side. Following a championship, the Spurs have never made it past the Western Conference semifinals in the playoffs. In 2000 they fell in the opening round to Phoenix, and lost in the semis to the Lakers in 2004 and Dallas in 2006.

San Antonio, which is playing in the postseason for the 11th straight year, advanced to the West semis for the eighth straight year. The Spurs knocked out Steve Nash and the sixth-seeded Phoenix Suns in five games in round one.

The Spurs have won four of their last seven trips to the West semis. They defeated the Suns, 4-2, last year in this round.

This is the first time these teams have met in the playoffs.