The AP reports: Chris Paul helped the New Orleans Hornets stay atop the Western Conference and set a team record for wins, too. Paul had 19 points and 16 assists, and the New Orleans Hornets bounced back to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-90 Wednesday night. Peja Stojakovic scored 24 points and David West had 22 for the Hornets, who scored just 66 points in a loss to Utah on Tuesday and looked sluggish through the first half against Minnesota… Rashad McCants had 23 for the Timberwolves, who have lost six straight. Randy Foye scored 20 points for Minnesota, but just four of those came in the final three quarters. The win gave the Hornets a franchise-best 55 wins, beating the record set in 1996-97.
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Apr. 8: Jazz 77, Hornets 66
The AP reports: Mehmet Okur kept up his recent strong play, even during a defensive struggle in which the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Hornets held each other to season lows in scoring. Okur had 22 points and 17 rebounds to help Utah clinch its second straight Northwest Division and snap the Hornets’ 11-game home winning streak, 77-66 on Tuesday night… Deron Williams had 16 assists and outplayed Chris Paul as the Jazz took a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter and cruised from there… Peja Stojakovic scored 15 points for New Orleans, which shot a woeful 3-of-14 on 3-pointers and 37 percent overall as its five-game winning streak ended. David West had 14 points.
Boozer says Kobe is MVP favorite
The Deseret Morning News (Tim Buckley) reports: Carlos Boozer was asked Monday about the NBA MVP candidacy of New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, whom the Jazz will see tonight. The Jazz’s All-Star power forward opted instead to endorse another Western Conference guard, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. “For what (Paul) does for that team, and the way he affects it, I think (he’s a deserving candidate),” Boozer said. “I think Kobe’s the favorite. If I had to give it to somebody I’d give it to Kobe, or Kevin Garnett because of what he did for Boston. “But I’m not taking anything away from Chris Paul,” he added. “Those are my two. Maybe even (Cleveland’s) LeBron (James) may be ahead of (Paul) a little bit, even though (James’) team has lost a little (too much) for me. Great player, though.”
Praise the Hornets
Fox Sports (Mike Kahn) writes: With 10 days left in the NBA regular season, it’s time we recognized the Hornets for what they’ve been all season – the most consistently effective team in the Western Conference. Their 12-point win over the Warriors Sunday afternoon told us everything we need to know. MVP candidate Chris Paul had the fourth triple-double of his career — 16 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, plus 5 steals — and hit a 3-pointer with just less than eight minutes left that broke a tie and allowed the Hornets to end the game with an 18-6 run. To better reflect what Paul was about Sunday (and the entire season for that matter), consider that he fired an airball that turned into an assist and a lob pass that actually went through the hoop. Consequently, the 54-22 Hornets have equaled the most wins in franchise history, have a two-game lead in the loss column over the Spurs and the Lakers for the top seed in the conference, and their 17-10 mark against the other eight playoff contenders in the West is also the high-water mark in the West. The 54 wins also mark the most ever for coach Byron Scott, now in his eighth season overall as a head coach and fourth with the Hornets. He never won that many coaching the Nets to the NBA Finals twice.
Apr. 6: Hornets 108, Warriors 96
The AP reports: Chris Paul had 16 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds and New Orleans tied a franchise record for single-season victories with 54 in a 108-96 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday… Peja Stojakovic and David West each scored 25 points, helping New Orleans close the game on an 18-6 run after Golden State had rallied to tie the game at 90 early in the fourth quarter… Monta Ellis had 35 points and 10 rebounds to keep the Warriors close late into the final period, which Warriors coach Don Nelson called “a bright spot in kind of a gloomy game.” … Baron Davis and Andris Biedrins each scored 17 points and Biedrins also had 15 rebounds for Golden State (46-31), which has lost three of four games and will need a strong finish to earn a playoff berth.
Apr. 4: Hornets 118, Knicks 110
The AP reports: Chris Paul had 33 points and 15 assists, and the Hornets became the first team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff berth, beating the New York Knicks 118-110 on Friday night… Jamal Crawford had 29 points and nine assists for the Knicks, who have lost 17 of 19 but stayed competitive through three quarters… Peja Stojakovic finished with 22 points and David West added 17 for the Hornets, who won their 10th in a row at home. They were coming off a season-high, six-game road trip in which they went 5-1… Reserve Nate Robinson scored 23 points and Zach Randolph added 22 points, 11 in the first quarter. The Knicks lost shooting 55 percent from the field.
Apr. 2: Hornets 106, Heat 77
The AP reports: Tyson Chandler was 10-for-10 from the floor, and his 20-point, 10-rebound effort helped the Hornets remain atop the Western Conference standings with a 106-77 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. David West scored 22 points and Chris Paul added 14 points and 10 assists for the Hornets, who finished 5-1 on their six-game road trip through the East. It was also the 25th road win for the Hornets, topping what was the franchise record set 11 seasons ago… Chris Quinn finished with 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for Miami, which lost its fifth straight… Blake Ahearn scored 15 points and Daequan Cook added 12 for Miami. Joel Anthony added a career-best 12 rebounds for the Heat.
Apr. 1: Hornets 98, Magic 97
The AP reports: Peja Stojakovic scored six points in the final minute—a clutch 3-pointer and three free throws—to lift New Orleans past the Orlando Magic 98-97, giving the Hornets their franchise-record 24th road win… Chris Paul had 19 points and 12 assists for the Hornets, Morris Peterson scored 19 points and David West had 18 points and 11 rebounds… Hedo Turkoglu had 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Orlando. Rashard Lewis added 24 points and Dwight Howard had 17 points and 15 rebounds… Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson missed his second straight game with a bruised jaw, and forward Brian Cook was out after breaking a finger Monday in practice.
Mar. 30: Hornets 118, Raptors 111
The AP reports: David West scored 32 points and Chris Paul had 20 points and 16 assists to lead the New Orleans Hornets to a 118-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. Peja Stojakovic scored 25 and Tyson Chandler had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Hornets bounced back from a 20-point loss in Boston on Friday night to win for the sixth time in seven games. The Hornets reached 50 wins for the first time since the 1997-98 season. Chris Bosh scored 21 points and Carlos Delfino added 18 as Toronto’s modest two-game winning streak came to an end. Rasho Nesterovic had 14 and Jamario Moon added 13 for the Raptors, who have lost seven of 10.
Mar. 28: Celtics 112, Hornets 92
The AP reports: Paul Pierce scored 27 points, Garnett added 21, and the Boston Celtics moved closer to wrapping up the top record overall by avenging last weekend’s loss in New Orleans with a 112-92 win over the Hornets on Friday night… David West did drive by for a basket after Garnett squared up defensively, cutting it to 72-68, but the Celtics scored 19 of the next 24 points over the ensuing 5:56 to move ahead 88-73… Rajon Rondo added 17 points and Ray Allen had 12… Chris Paul paced the Hornets with 22 points and 10 assists. Peja Stojakovic had 17 points and David West 14.