Hornets rip Spurs to grab 2-0 edge

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana: Chris Paul scored 30 points and added 12 assists to power the New Orleans Hornets past defending NBA champion San Antonio 102-84 on 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-seven 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 on 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.

"We're playing against a very good team," Parker said. "Twice we did the same mistake. They jumped on us in the third quarter. We just have to figure out a way to play better in the second half, especially in the third quarter."

Billups powers Pistons

In Detroit, Chauncey Billups scored 28 points and Detroit dominated with defense and free throws down the stretch to beat Orlando 100-93, taking command of their playoff series.

Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince each scored 17 points on Monday and Richard Hamilton added 14 for the Pistons, who seized a two games to none lead in the Eastern Conference second-round best-of-seven series.

"In the fourth quarter we played great defense and we didn't do what we should have done offensively - we didn't move the ball - but our defense was huge and we got the stops when we needed them," Prince said.

Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson each scored 22 points to lead Orlando while Rashard Lewis had 20 points for the Magic. Howard also grabbed 18 rebounds for Orlando, which will host Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Saturday.

"We know it's going to be hard down there, but we've just got to go down and play and execute," Wallace said. "I think we'll come out all right."

The Magic can take some heart from the fact the Pistons led Cleveland 2-0 in last year's conference final but lost the series to Cleveland.

"We've got two games at home now," Howard said. "Cleveland was down like this to them last year."

The victory was Detroit's ninth in a row over Orlando in the playoffs since last losing to the Magic in the first round in 2003.

Should the Pistons sweep out Orlando, they will set an NBA record for dominating a foe in the playoffs as well as advance to their sixth Eastern Conference final in a row.

AFP

(China Daily 05/07/2008 page24)