"It was a ho-hum victory against the worst team in the Western Conference.

But if you had asked any one of the 14 players in the Trail Blazers' locker room Friday night in New Orleans Arena, they probably would have said it also was the most important victory of the season.

The reeling Blazers got all they could handle and more from the New Orleans Hornets, but with a scintillating outing from Jamal Crawford and a little bit from everyone else, they squeaked out a come-from-behind 94-86 win before 14,421.

"Sometimes it's not about how you win, but the fact that you won," coach Nate McMillan said. "We needed a win."

Indeed. After dropping four of their last six games -- including the last two at home -- the Blazers (15-12) were desperate for positive development. They saw some during the win as Crawford turned in his best performance in a Blazers uniform, Gerald Wallace reversed his puzzling road woes and the Blazers figured out how to win when LaMarcus Aldridge doesn't put up All-Star numbers. "