Hornets Beat the Blazers

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Chris Paul scored 19 points and Peja Stojakovic added 18 as the sharp-shooting New Orleans Hornets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 113-93 on Friday night.

Seven players hit double figures for the Hornets, who drained 11 3-pointers in a victory that wasn’t in doubt from midway through the third quarter on.

David West and Bobby Jackson each scored 14 for New Orleans. Tyson Chandler had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Rasual Butler scored 11 points and Jannero Pargo 10.

The Hornets did not hesitate to take quick 3-pointers when they were open, and it paid off. Butler hit three of them, Stojakovic two and Paul another in the third quarter as New Orleans opened an 87-64 lead heading into the final period.

With continued good shooting from outside and hustling defense until the end, New Orleans maintained a 20-point lead or better through most of the fourth quarter.

After scoring only seven points in Portland’s opening night loss at San Antonio, Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 23. James Jones added 14, scoring all but five in the fourth quarter, and Martell Webster scored 13.

New Orleans shot 56 percent and outrebounded Portland 40-30.

Having won their opener 104-90 over Sacramento, the Hornets have played exciting, high-scoring and winning basketball through their first two outings since moving back to New Orleans full time from Oklahoma City, where they played most of their games for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina.

If only they can find a way to get more fans to see it. Only 9,817 showed up in the New Orleans Arena, which seats 17,956. The crowd was lively and got a good show, however.

Particularly when Chandler crashed hard to the floor in the second quarter on a drive to the basket during which Jones hit him across the face with a forearm. Chandler had a bloody nose, but after a short delay while he received treatment under the basket, he shot his free throws with cotton hanging out of one nostril.

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