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03-13-2008, 01:01 AM
Paul, Hornets hand Spurs most lopsided loss of the season
Web Posted: 03/12/2008 11:54 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
NEW ORLEANS — The confetti came falling from the sky, drenching bewildered Spurs players in a drizzle of festive colored paper. Considering Wednesday night's game against the New Orleans Hornets hadn't even tipped off yet, the celebration seemed premature at best.
Hornets players accepted the unplanned confetti shower as a challenge.
"Somebody made a mistake to do that," New Orleans' Melvin Ely said, "so we were going to have to play up to it."
Chris Paul had 26 points and 17 assists and as the Hornets overwhelmed the Spurs in the second half en route to a 100-75 victory at New Orleans Arena that set off a Big Easy party 21/2 hours in the offing.
Afterward, the Hornets celebrated as if they had just won a playoff game, albeit without the confetti. The mood was considerably less merry in the Spurs locker room.
The Spurs (44-20) kicked off a brutal three-game road swing, which concludes with back-to-back games at Detroit and Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday, by absorbing their most lopsided loss of the season.
Their previous low-water mark? A 102-78 loss to these same Hornets at the AT&T Center in January.
"That's a hell of a basketball team," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "People should figure it out by now. They play at both ends very, very well. They just played better than we did."
On Wednesday, the Hornets put the pedal to the metal in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spurs 24-8 to transform what had been a competitive game into a rout.
David West, playing in his first game since coming off the injured list with a sprained ankle, added game-high 29 points for the Hornets.
The loss knocked the Spurs into a second-place tie with Houston — proud owner of a 20-game winning streak — in the Western Conference, one game behind the Lakers. The Spurs and Rockets, who currently have the No. 2 seed, are knotted half a game ahead of the Hornets (43-20) in the Southwest Division.
"I think guys understand where we are right now and what is at stake," New Orleans coach Byron Scott said. "They understand the urgency we must have every single game."
Adding another brilliant note to his MVP candidacy, one that has seen his name vault into the stratosphere of single-moniker stars such as Kobe and LeBron, Paul ignited the spark that set off the Hornets.
It marked the eighth time this season Paul had logged at least 20 points and 15 assists in a game.
"Chris was just unbelievable," said Tim Duncan, who scored 24 points to match Tony Parker for team-high honors. "It felt like every shot he put up went in."
The Spurs could only share that feeling vicariously.
They shot 42.9 percent from the field, including a paltry 26.7 percent during the decisive fourth quarter.
"The ball went in on one end and didn't at the other," is how Popovich described that lopsided fourth.
"This was the best defensive game we've played all season long," Scott said.
Just as in the Spurs' other loss to New Orleans this season, they matched a season-low by making just a pair of 3-pointers. Parker, hardly the team's sharpest 3-point shooter, was responsible for both of them
In January's loss to New Orleans, the Spurs shot a season-worst 2 of 20 from beyond the arc. They were barely better Wednesday, making only 2 of 18.
Manu Ginobili scored 11 points, joining Duncan and Parker as the only Spurs in double figures. Outside of the "Big Three," the rest of the Spurs combined for 16 points.
"We had great looks, it just didn't fall," Ginobili said. "A lot of things turned this game into a blowout. They were great, and we were not that good."
Duncan put it another way.
"We just didn't have it," he said.
The Hornets, perhaps inspired by the itchy trigger finger of their resident confetti dropper, did.
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Online at: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031308.01C.BKNspurs.hornets.gamer.388aaeb.html
Web Posted: 03/12/2008 11:54 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
NEW ORLEANS — The confetti came falling from the sky, drenching bewildered Spurs players in a drizzle of festive colored paper. Considering Wednesday night's game against the New Orleans Hornets hadn't even tipped off yet, the celebration seemed premature at best.
Hornets players accepted the unplanned confetti shower as a challenge.
"Somebody made a mistake to do that," New Orleans' Melvin Ely said, "so we were going to have to play up to it."
Chris Paul had 26 points and 17 assists and as the Hornets overwhelmed the Spurs in the second half en route to a 100-75 victory at New Orleans Arena that set off a Big Easy party 21/2 hours in the offing.
Afterward, the Hornets celebrated as if they had just won a playoff game, albeit without the confetti. The mood was considerably less merry in the Spurs locker room.
The Spurs (44-20) kicked off a brutal three-game road swing, which concludes with back-to-back games at Detroit and Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday, by absorbing their most lopsided loss of the season.
Their previous low-water mark? A 102-78 loss to these same Hornets at the AT&T Center in January.
"That's a hell of a basketball team," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "People should figure it out by now. They play at both ends very, very well. They just played better than we did."
On Wednesday, the Hornets put the pedal to the metal in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spurs 24-8 to transform what had been a competitive game into a rout.
David West, playing in his first game since coming off the injured list with a sprained ankle, added game-high 29 points for the Hornets.
The loss knocked the Spurs into a second-place tie with Houston — proud owner of a 20-game winning streak — in the Western Conference, one game behind the Lakers. The Spurs and Rockets, who currently have the No. 2 seed, are knotted half a game ahead of the Hornets (43-20) in the Southwest Division.
"I think guys understand where we are right now and what is at stake," New Orleans coach Byron Scott said. "They understand the urgency we must have every single game."
Adding another brilliant note to his MVP candidacy, one that has seen his name vault into the stratosphere of single-moniker stars such as Kobe and LeBron, Paul ignited the spark that set off the Hornets.
It marked the eighth time this season Paul had logged at least 20 points and 15 assists in a game.
"Chris was just unbelievable," said Tim Duncan, who scored 24 points to match Tony Parker for team-high honors. "It felt like every shot he put up went in."
The Spurs could only share that feeling vicariously.
They shot 42.9 percent from the field, including a paltry 26.7 percent during the decisive fourth quarter.
"The ball went in on one end and didn't at the other," is how Popovich described that lopsided fourth.
"This was the best defensive game we've played all season long," Scott said.
Just as in the Spurs' other loss to New Orleans this season, they matched a season-low by making just a pair of 3-pointers. Parker, hardly the team's sharpest 3-point shooter, was responsible for both of them
In January's loss to New Orleans, the Spurs shot a season-worst 2 of 20 from beyond the arc. They were barely better Wednesday, making only 2 of 18.
Manu Ginobili scored 11 points, joining Duncan and Parker as the only Spurs in double figures. Outside of the "Big Three," the rest of the Spurs combined for 16 points.
"We had great looks, it just didn't fall," Ginobili said. "A lot of things turned this game into a blowout. They were great, and we were not that good."
Duncan put it another way.
"We just didn't have it," he said.
The Hornets, perhaps inspired by the itchy trigger finger of their resident confetti dropper, did.
[email protected]
Online at: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031308.01C.BKNspurs.hornets.gamer.388aaeb.html