Marco Belinelli is playing the majority of minutes at shooting guard for the New Orleans Hornets and his emergence in the team's starting rotation even forced the trade of sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic to the Toronto Raptors.

But now that Stojakovic has been moved Belinelli appears to be slumping in his last two games.

Against the Sacramento Kings, he only scored 12 points on 4-for-12 shooting and contributed little else in the box score but four rebounds.

Against the Los Angeles Clippers, Belinelli shot 4-for-11, 2-for-9 from three-point land for 12 points and only one assist.

Belinelli played a season-high 39 minutes in that game.

There's been no question that Belinelli is the player that the Hornets want playing at the shooting guard position.

Backup guard Marcus Thornton did not log any minutes against the Clippers playing behind Belinelli.

The 11-2 Hornets are set to travel to Utah to face the 10-5 Jazz on Wednesday November 23.