New Orleans Hornets hand surprising defeat to Los Angeles Clippers – NBA Recap
The New Orleans Hornets produced a surprise result on Monday night when they defeated the charging Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center, defeating them 105-98. The Hornets, playing without this year’s number one draft pick
Anthony Davis, outshined the Clippers on a night when Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan both were unable to deliver the goods for their team. Greivis Vasquez scord a team high 25 points and 10 assists for the Hornets, where as Ryan Anderson finished with 17
points and 8 rebounds. Caron Butler finished with a game high 33 points and 6 rebounds, going 12 of 24 from the field and an amazing 9 of 15 from three point range. Chris Paul added 20 points and 8 assists.
The Clippers started the first period strong, and back to back three pointers by Butler and Willie Green had them leading 9-4 early on. The Hornets tied the game at 9 quickly through a free throw by Al-Farouq Aminu. Green later
scored another three to put the Clippers up 17-15, but the Hornets closed the period on a 7-2 run and led 22-19 going into the second quarter.
Matt Barnes scored a three early in the second period to have the Clippers trailing 26-28, but Lance Thomas hit two free throws and Brian Roberts followed with a three to put the Hornets up 36-28. Anderson followed with another
three and the Hornets were cruising with an 11 point lead. Jamal Crawford hit a three for the Clippers and Eric Bledsoe followed with a dunk and the Hornets lead was down to four. The Hornets led 51-44 at halftime.
Butler scored back to back threes to open the scoring for the Clippers in the third period and brought the Hornets lead down to three, but Roger Mason Jr. and Anderson also scored three pointers and to Hornets were up 59-54. Butler
then scored three three pointers in a row but each was responded by a three from the Hornets as they held on to a 68-63 lead. Another three by Butler finally tied the game at 68, but the Hornets replied with an 8-0 run and extended their lead to 76-68. New
Orleans led 81-70 at the end of the third period.
The Clippers tried hard to cut into the Hornets lead in the final period, and a three pointer by Barnes had them within 9, but the Hornets scored consistently to stay ahead. A 6-0 run by the Clippers had them within 5 with 1:38
left, but the Hornets scored their free throws in the final minutes and picked up the 105-98 victory in the end.
Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan both struggled from the field on the night, and Crawford was also only 3 of 9 from the field. Jason Smith came off the bench to score 17 points and Austin Rivers added 14 points off the bench for
the Hornets. New Orleans shot 50.7 percent from the field and 60 percent from three point range, where as the Clippers went 46.8 percent from the field and 48.6 percent from the distance. The Clippers managed only 11 free throw attempts in the game, where
as the Hornets secured 23 attempts.
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