|
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana: Chris Paul scored 30 points and added 12
assists to power the New Orleans Hornets past defending National
Basketball Association champion San Antonio 102-84 here Monday.
Serbia’s Peja Stojakovic scored 25 points,
sinking 5-of-7 from 3-point range, and David West added 10 points
for the Hornets, who took a two games to none lead in the best-of-7
Western Conference second-round playoff series.
“Our guys were a little more aggressive as far
as what we were going to take away from them,” Hornets coach Byron
Scott said.
“They made some slight adjustments. We had to
adjust to those. But our guys pretty much carried out our game plan
all night long.”
The Spurs, led by 18 points and eight rebounds
from Tim Duncan, dropped the first two games of a playoff series for
the first time since the 2001 Western Conference final, when the Los
Angeles Lakers swept them on the way to a title.
The series shifts to San Antonio for games
Thursday and Sunday but the Spurs, bidding for their fifth NBA title
in 10 seasons, have been outplayed and outhustled twice by the
younger Hornets, who won game one 101-82 on Saturday.
“The goal is to get to four games and they are
a lot closer than we are,” Duncan said. “The important thing is
to go home and get the first one. We can worry about the other
things after that.”
The Hornets won for the 17th time in their past
18 home playoff games, including a perfect 8-for-8 in the playoffs
at home.
On the eve of his 23rd birthday, flamboyant
playmaker Paul attacked the Spurs’ defense and passed off to his
teammates when shut off from the basket while hitting 11-of-20 from
the field when the opportunities came.
“My teammates and my coach told me to be
aggressive. I knew when I got into the lane I had to shoot the
ball,” Paul said. “I’m just trying to lead my team in the
playoffs. It’s just my third year. I have got a long way to go.”
French guard Tony Parker hit a 3-pointer at the
half-time buzzer to put the Spurs ahead 43-42 but Stojakovic
answered with a 3-pointer to open the third quarter and ignite a
10-0 Hornets run to start the second half.
The Hornets pulled to their largest lead at
74-56 late in the third quarter and while the Spurs trimmed the
deficit to 78-61 after three quarters, they could never close the
gap again, faster and flashier New Orleans dominating.
San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili hit only 4-of-10
shots, the Argentine guard finishing with only 13 points, while
Parker was just 5-of-14 from the field for only 11 points.
The Spurs made 15 turnovers to only eight for
the Hornets, who outrebounded San Antonio 41-40 thanks to 11 boards
from Tyson Chandler and 10 more by West.
-- AFP
|
