casper
01-09-2010, 08:48 AM
PAUL'S LATE THREE-POINT PLAY KEYS HORNETS WIN OVER NETS
THE SPORTS NETWORK
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Chris Paul had the go-ahead three-point play with 7.6 seconds left, as the New Orleans Hornets edged the New Jersey Nets, 103-99, despite blowing a double-digit lead in the final minutes.
Paul finished with 11 points and 18 assists for the Hornets, who have won a season-high five in a row. David West had a team-high 32 points to go with 10 rebounds in the victory.
"We want to build consistency over the long haul," Hornets head coach Jeff Bower said. "We had some strong stretches of course, but I don't think we were as consistent as we needed to be at this point."
New Orleans was ahead by 10 with just over two minutes to play, but the Nets came back to take the lead, 99-98, after two Courtney Lee free throws with 11.5 seconds on the clock. But Paul got the ball on the ensuing inbound, beat Jarvis Hayes on his way to the hoop and sank the layup.
The free throw put the Hornets ahead 101-99, and after Yi Jianlian was whistled for an offensive foul at the other end, West made two free throws to secure the victory.
Lee had a career-high 28 points for the Nets, who have lost four in a row. Keyon Dooling added 21 points in the setback.
The Hornets were ahead for most of the fourth quarter, and Emeka Okafor's dunk with 2:04 to play made it a 96-86 game. But Lee followed with a three, and after Paul missed two foul shots, Brook Lopez had a three-point play with 56.7 left, cutting the Nets' deficit to four.
Lee went to the line with 23.3 on the clock and sank both attempts to bring New Jersey within 96-94 before James Posey made two at the other end. But as the Nets prepared to inbound the ball, Posey was whistled for a foul, sending Lee to the line. Lee made the shot before Dooling's layup with 13.6 seconds to play got the Nets within 98-97.
The comeback was complete after Lee got a steal off a bad pass and raced in for a layup. He was fouled on the attempt, which didn't fall, but made both free throws to put New Jersey ahead before Paul gave the Hornets the lead for good.
"We gave ourselves a chance to win at the end, I was proud of our guys," Nets head coach Kiki Vandeweghe said. "This is one of the hottest teams in the NBA at the moment. We played them neck-and-neck."
West scored 11 points in helping the Hornets take a 25-18 lead after the first quarter. It was a 36-23 game after New Orleans went on a nine-point run shortly into the second, with Darius Songaila scoring six in the burst.
New Orleans led 54-45 at the break and expanded its lead to a game-high 15 several times in the third quarter. The Hornets were up 81-72 moving to the fourth.
Game Notes
Lopez finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Nets...Okafor had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Hornets...New Orleans has won five in a row over New Jersey.
THE SPORTS NETWORK
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Chris Paul had the go-ahead three-point play with 7.6 seconds left, as the New Orleans Hornets edged the New Jersey Nets, 103-99, despite blowing a double-digit lead in the final minutes.
Paul finished with 11 points and 18 assists for the Hornets, who have won a season-high five in a row. David West had a team-high 32 points to go with 10 rebounds in the victory.
"We want to build consistency over the long haul," Hornets head coach Jeff Bower said. "We had some strong stretches of course, but I don't think we were as consistent as we needed to be at this point."
New Orleans was ahead by 10 with just over two minutes to play, but the Nets came back to take the lead, 99-98, after two Courtney Lee free throws with 11.5 seconds on the clock. But Paul got the ball on the ensuing inbound, beat Jarvis Hayes on his way to the hoop and sank the layup.
The free throw put the Hornets ahead 101-99, and after Yi Jianlian was whistled for an offensive foul at the other end, West made two free throws to secure the victory.
Lee had a career-high 28 points for the Nets, who have lost four in a row. Keyon Dooling added 21 points in the setback.
The Hornets were ahead for most of the fourth quarter, and Emeka Okafor's dunk with 2:04 to play made it a 96-86 game. But Lee followed with a three, and after Paul missed two foul shots, Brook Lopez had a three-point play with 56.7 left, cutting the Nets' deficit to four.
Lee went to the line with 23.3 on the clock and sank both attempts to bring New Jersey within 96-94 before James Posey made two at the other end. But as the Nets prepared to inbound the ball, Posey was whistled for a foul, sending Lee to the line. Lee made the shot before Dooling's layup with 13.6 seconds to play got the Nets within 98-97.
The comeback was complete after Lee got a steal off a bad pass and raced in for a layup. He was fouled on the attempt, which didn't fall, but made both free throws to put New Jersey ahead before Paul gave the Hornets the lead for good.
"We gave ourselves a chance to win at the end, I was proud of our guys," Nets head coach Kiki Vandeweghe said. "This is one of the hottest teams in the NBA at the moment. We played them neck-and-neck."
West scored 11 points in helping the Hornets take a 25-18 lead after the first quarter. It was a 36-23 game after New Orleans went on a nine-point run shortly into the second, with Darius Songaila scoring six in the burst.
New Orleans led 54-45 at the break and expanded its lead to a game-high 15 several times in the third quarter. The Hornets were up 81-72 moving to the fourth.
Game Notes
Lopez finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Nets...Okafor had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Hornets...New Orleans has won five in a row over New Jersey.