Chris Paul leads New Orleans Hornets to NBA play-offs with a 101-93 win over Houston Rockets
The New Orleans Hornets secured the last remaining play-off berth in the Western Conference with their 45th victory of the 2010-11 season. Guard Chris Paul finished with a game-high 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, as the Hornets eased
to a 101-93 win over the Houston Rockets at New Orleans Arena on Wednesday night.
A day before the game, Paul was in pain with a left knee injury that he suffered after a collision with Jeff Foster in New Orleans’ 108-96 win against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. He drained some fluid from his knee in order to relieve the swelling.
Hornets head coach Monty Williams praised Paul after the game, "For him to be able to play at a high level like that with a sore leg, they just don't make them like that. That act of sacrifice was what we needed and we certainly need him to play at that
level."
New Orleans are now in sixth place in the Western Conference and are two games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers. The Rockets, on the other hand, are on the verge of elimination as they are three games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for eighth spot in the
West. However, one more win for Memphis in any of their four upcoming games, could knock Houston out of the playoff battle.
Forward Trevor Ariza and Jarrett Jack added 19 points each for the Hornets, who won their second consecutive game. Kevin Martin posted a team-high 21 points and grabbed three assists for the Rockets, who have lost their second straight game.
Both Luis Scola and Goran Dragic chipped in with 12 points each in the defeat while Scola also grabbed 10 rebounds. Chase Budinger racked up 12 points, while centre Chuck Hayes had 10 rebounds for Houston, who have lost four of their last 10 games.
Match Analysis
Martin scored 12 of his 21 points in the opening quarter as the Rockets held a 38-21 lead into the second. The Hornets turned it on in the second quarter and outplayed Houston 30-17 to go into half time just four points behind at 55-51.
New Orleans went on an 8-4 run early in the third quarter to tie the game at 59. The Hornets then got it going offensively and carried a 70-63 lead with just over three minutes to go in the quarter. The Rockets scored four straight points in the next minute
to make it 70-67. New Orleans managed to carry a 74-71 edge into the final stanza.
Both teams played a close game in the fourth quarter with five ties in the first five minutes of the quarter. However, the Hornets went on a 6-0 run in the closing minute to seal the victory.
Houston coach Rick Adelman said that his team did all they could to get to the playoffs but they weren't up to the mark. He said, "We played our tails off. We did everything we could do, we just didn't do enough. Give their guys a lot of credit. We got a
big lead and they came back."
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