Hornets Overpower Spurs Again
By BRETT MARTEL,
AP
Posted: 2008-05-06 09:34:55
NEW ORLEANS (May 6) - Shutting down David West only gave the San Antonio Spurs front-row seats for the Chris Paul show.
NEW ORLEANS - MAY 03: Head coach Gregg Popovich talks with Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs during a time out against the New Orleans Hornets in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the New Orleans Arena on May 3, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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NEW ORLEANS - MAY 03: Chris Paul #3 of the New Orleans Hornets celebrates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the New Orleans Arena on May 3, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Hornets defeated the Spurs 101-82. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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NEW ORLEANS - MAY 03: Chris Paul #3 of the New Orleans Hornets makes a free throw against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the New Orleans Arena on May 3, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Hornets defeated the Spurs 101-82. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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San Antonio Spurs forward Bruce Bowen stares at officials after being called for a foul while his team took on the New Orleans Hornets during the second half in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff basketball series in New Orleans, Louisiana May 3, 2008. REUTERS/Sean Gardner (UNITED STATES)
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San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (R) stares at officials after being called for a foul while his team took on the New Orleans Hornets during the second half in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff basketball series in New Orleans, Louisiana May 3, 2008. REUTERS/Sean Gardner (UNITED STATES)
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New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul (3) shakes his fist as his team pulled away from the San Antonio Spurs during the second half in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff basketball series in New Orleans, Louisiana May 3, 2008. REUTERS/Sean Gardner (UNITED STATES)
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New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul sticks his tongue out as his team pulled away from the San Antonio Spurs during the second half in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff basketball series in New Orleans, Louisiana May 3, 2008. New Orleans won the game. REUTERS/Sean Gardner (UNITED STATES)
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San Antonio Spurs forward Bruce Bowen stares at the officials after being called for a foul while his team took on the New Orleans Hornets during the second half in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff basketball series in New Orleans, Louisiana May 3, 2008. New Orleans won the game 101-82. REUTERS/Sean Gardner (UNITED STATES)
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New Orleans Hornets forward David West (L) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry (R) during the second half in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff basketball series in New Orleans, Louisiana May 3, 2008. REUTERS/Sean Gardner (UNITED STATES)
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San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (L) has the ball stripped from his grasp by New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul (R) during the second half in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff basketball series in New Orleans, Louisiana May 3, 2008. New Orleans won the game 101-82. REUTERS/Sean Gardner (UNITED STATES)
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With razzle-dazzle dribbles and a driving floater that couldn't miss, Paul had 30 points and 12 assists, leading the New Orleans Hornets to a 102-84 victory Monday night and a 2-0 lead over the Spurs in their second-round series.
Peja Stojakovic hit five 3-pointers and scored 25 points for the Hornets, who've won both games by wide margins in becoming the first team to put San Antonio in an 0-2 playoff hole since 2001, when the Spurs were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals.
Game 3 is Thursday in San Antonio.
After allowing West to score a playoff career-high 30 points in the series opener, the Spurs held the All-Star power forward to 10 points on 2-of-11 shooting. But West remained active under the basket with 10 rebounds.
Tyson Chandler had 11 rebounds and all of his five points during a key stretch midway through the fourth quarter when the Hornets prevented San Antonio from getting within single digits.
Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 18 points and eight rebounds, far better than his miserable Game 1, when he tied a career playoff low with five points and three rebounds. But by the final minutes, Duncan was on the bench, resting his cheek on his hand with a dejected 100-yard stare.
Manu Ginobili had 13 points for the Spurs and Tony Parker 11. Brent Barry added 14, some of it when the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter.
The Spurs continued to settle for 3-pointers, going 8-of-27 from that distance and finishing at 42.5 percent shooting overall. The Hornets shot 48 percent.
The Hornets opened the second half with a 10-0 run that included 3s by Stojakovic and Morris Peterson. Stojakovic's driving floater capped it, giving New Orleans a 52-43 lead.
With Paul spearheading an up-tempo attack, the Hornets kept the pressure on throughout the third quarter. Paul used heady ball-handling to goad the Spurs into fouls, putting them over the limit with 4:06 left in the period. Meanwhile, Paul and Stojakovic each added another 3, the second putting New Orleans up 70-56.
As the quarter ended, Paul used a high dribble on the drive to give the Hornets a 78-61 lead heading into the final period.
Duncan had seven points in the first eight minutes, luring Chandler into two early fouls and tying the score at 17 on a follow shot as he was fouled by Chandler's replacement, Melvin Ely.
Kurt Thomas, who scored only two points in Game 1, also had seven in the first quarter.
Ginobili scored six points during an 8-0 run that put the Spurs up 29-22 early in the second quarter. New Orleans hit back with a 9-2 run that included Jannero Pargo's two jumpers and rookie Julian Wright's 3, which tied the game at 31.
Paul, who had 11 points in the first half, gave New Orleans a 42-40 lead with eight seconds left in the second quarter. Parker then hit a 3 from the corner at the buzzer to put San Antonio up 43-42 at halftime.
Notes: Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker and actor Isaiah Washington were in the audience, as well as former LSU defensive lineman and Kansas City Chiefs top draft choice Glenn Dorsey ... Attendance was 17,927, the Hornets' 11th straight sellout. ... The Hornets have never won a second-round series. They are 0-4 in the second round of the playoffs.
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2008-05-06 00:46:51
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