Emeka Okafor scores in double figures as the New Orleans Hornets clinch their 17th victory
New Orleans Hornets stand victorious at the end of game with a 14 point lead over the New Jersey Nets 105-91 Wednesday night.
The only time the New Jersey Nets crossed ways with the Hornets during the game was at 10:33 on the clock in the second quarter. The scores were 32-32 at that time. Hornets lunged forward to tear the Nets apart after that and they never relinquished. Sasha
Vujacic grabbed his second free throw after Al Thornton committed a shooting foul to take one more point than the Nets, and from there started their never ending lead.
Emeka Okafor was leading scorer of the game, he scooped 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Chris Paul contributed 12 points and gave 14 assists to his teammates.
Quote it
"Sometimes he doesn't block a shot, but he jumps high enough to distract it," He added, "On most nights, Emeka is an X-factor for us." Williams while praising teammate Okafor.
Wednesday night saw the Hornets pull a breakthrough and the Nets watched in amazement as the Hornets cut the lead to their advantage after 10:33 left in 2nd quarter. The Hornets never trailed after that golden moment and kept moving ahead of the
Nets until they dug their flag on the box at the end.
Game stats
Hornets leaped ahead of the Nets in a tremendous play. They had 48 rebounds, Nets had 30. The Hornets grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, gave away 13 turnovers and took 11 fast break points whereas Nets had seven and nine respectively.
The Hornets took the biggest lead with 22 points and savoured 44 points in the paint and the Nets sufficed with one point at the lead at 10:33 on the clock in 2nd quarter.
The Hornets put the Nets in trouble after that less fortunate moment and dived in deep into the well.
The lead changed twice as well and the game was tied the same number of times. None of the teams committed any technical fouls in a carefully stimulated game.
Players’ stats
New Orleans Hornets (17-12)
Emeka Okafor: 21 points, 10 rebounds
David West: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists
Marcus Thornton: 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Marco Belinelli: 14 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Chris Paul: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 14 assists
Team rebounds: 6
New Jersey Nets (9-21)
Devin Harris: 21 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists
Brook Lopez: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Sasha Vujacic: 12 points, 2 assists
Derrick Favors: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Team rebounds: 2
Improvement
The Hornets had suffered a bad loss at hands of the Detroit Pistons last Sunday. This happened after Detroit shot a three pointer that tied the game with just 20 seconds left. Detroit stole away a last moment victory out of their hands that fortunate night
and left the Hornets at a tragic 108-111 loss. West’s foul might get a blame for that as Will Bynum took a free throw right after and Jason Maxiell savoured a dunk shot to even out two more points.
The Hornets suffered the worst defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers the very next night as they snatched the lead at the last moment. It was Mike Dunleavy’s tip shot that gave the Pacers a single point lead over the disappointed to the very core of
their hearts Hornets 94-93.
Confessions
NJN’s coach Avery Johnson was all open hearted and showed sportsmanship spirit as he wrapped up the game in his gentleman’s manners. “They came out like a desperate basketball team that had lost a couple of tough ones on the road," He added. "They
outhustled us. They were playing another game tonight than what we were. ... Just tip your hat to them. This was not one of our better nights."
More to watch
Hornets: Dec, 26: ATL @ NOH, Dec 27: NOH @ MIN, Dec 29: LAL @ NOH.
Nets: Dec, 27: NJN @ ORL, Dec, 29: OKC @ NJN, Dec, 31: NJN @ CHI.
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