Paul points the way
SEATTLE – No one could stop Chris Paul from dribbling around and through the Seattle defense – much to the benefit of New Orleans’ Morris Peterson.
Paul, the Hornets’ dynamic point guard, scored 21 points and had 15 assists, and Peterson matched a career high with seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points to help New Orleans beat the SuperSonics 107-93 on Wednesday night.
Paul was a migraine all night for whoever had the misfortune of trying to slow him down. Paul consistently beat Seattle guards Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour off the dribble, getting into the lane and creating opportunities all over the floor for his teammates. Three times it led to a lob dunk for Tyson Chandler. Sometimes it was a short jumper for David West. Often, the collapsing defense left Peterson open on the perimeter.
There was some brief concern in the final minute as Paul slipped on a wet spot and his left knee buckled. He walked off the court with a slight limp, but the injury didn’t appear serious.
Peterson hit a trio of 3-pointers in the first 5 minutes of the third quarter and scored 11 points during the stretch. Seattle didn’t cut into the Hornets’ 19-point halftime lead until late in the fourth quarter.
Peterson made 7 of 10 3-pointers, one off the franchise record of eight held by David Wesley.
West finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Chandler had 16 points and 17 rebounds.
Rookie Kevin Durant led Seattle with 18 points, but it was an uninspired performance by the Sonics, who staged a second-half rally to nearly beat the Hornets in New Orleans on Dec. 9.
The Hornets had Seattle trailing from the start. Peterson’s first 3-pointer gave New Orleans an early 15-8 lead and Seattle could never get closer than four points early in the second quarter.
Two long scoring droughts certainly didn’t help Seattle. The Sonics went 5 1/2 minutes without scoring in the first quarter, then had a stretch of nearly 4 minutes in the second quarter without points.
The Hornets led only 32-26 when Jeff Green tipped in Mickael Gelabale’s miss with 5:47 left in the second quarter, but New Orleans outscored Seattle 13-0 over the next 3:58 to take a 19-point lead. The lead reached 20 at the end of the first half when Peterson hit his third 3-pointer of the half to give the Hornets a 52-32 lead. Watson added a free throw in the final second, but Seattle still had a season-low halftime total.
During the Sonics’ scoreless stretches, the Hornets outscored Seattle a combined 20-0. Ridnour, Nick Collison and Wally Szczerbiak all added 13 points for Seattle.
Seattle guard Delonte West missed his eighth game with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.