NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Hornets are alive and kicking, even if the hometown folks aren't aware of it.

Byron Scott's team has fashioned a nice record through the first month of the season. But attendance at New Orleans Arena ranks last in the NBA. There were 12,223 in the house Saturday, barely two-thirds full.

This is not what a city trying to rebound from the Hurricane Katrina tragedy needs. And there was more bad news Saturday. When LSU won the Southeastern Conference championship, it assured itself a place in the Sugar Bowl. That cuts down the number of fans who will need hotel rooms and spend dollars in the city for the New Year's Day game.

And this is a city that needs all the help it can get. Hornets officials are gearing up for the All-Star Game. They are relatively certain the Hornets will remain in New Orleans for at least two seasons. But if support continues to lag, there are no guarantees.

Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, a New Orleans native, has seen his hometown go through hard times since the storm. Like everybody else, he's not happy with the slowness of the rebuilding effort.

"They're only going to fully recover when the government gets off its butt, when the state and local authorities that are in power positions stop thinking about themselves and really start to care more about people and housing and jobs and everybody just stop the foolishness and red tape," Johnson said recently. "Once the people that are getting money manage the money properly and get it to the right individuals and families that need it, then it's going to start moving in the right direction.

"On state, local and government levels, we've all got to get our acts together. While we're arguing and complaining and power struggling and positioning ourselves, there are families that still aren't back in their homes."

Johnson did say the NBA and Hornets owner George Shinn deserve applause for getting the Hornets back to New Orleans and keeping the All-Star Game in the city.

"Whatever we can do to pump some life into the city, I think it's a necessity," he said.

Targeting Tuesday: The Mavericks spent Saturday night in New Orleans and will use today as a travel day to Chicago. Their next scheduled practice is Tuesday in San Antonio, and it will be a notable event.

It's the first time Eddie Jones and Devean George will be cleared to practice together. Jones (lower right leg injury) and George (stress reaction, left foot) haven't been on the practice court together yet. George returned to practice last week, and Jones has missed virtually all of the last three weeks.

If George has no problems after Tuesday's practice, he could be in uniform later in the week.

Pass protection: Johnson is Erick Dampier's biggest backer, and there's a reason why. He equates the 6-11 center's to a thankless job in another sport.

"He's our offensive and defensive lineman all rolled together in one," he said.

Dampier is no longer on minute restrictions after returning from shoulder surgery.

Briefly: Johnson needed 50 tickets for Saturday's game, edging out Brandon Bass, who needed 41. Dampier also had family and friends make the three-hour drive from Jackson, Miss. ... Former Mavericks assistant coach Bernard Griffith was in attendance. He has returned to New Orleans and remains a Mavericks' consultant. He coached Johnson in high school. ... The coaching staff likes for the Mavericks to get a rating of 60 on their defensive scale. "We'd like to meet our goals on defense, which we haven't met for quite some time," Johnson said. MAVERICKS BRIEFS