Hornets Hold Off Kings 88-84
Friday, January 26, 2007; 10:48 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- Desmond Mason scored 24 points and Bobby Jackson added 15 against his former team to help the New Orleans Hornets hold off the Sacramento Kings 88-84 on Friday night.
Devin Brown, filling in for injured guard Chris Paul, scored 14 for New Orleans. He hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock ticked down and a clutch free throw, both in the final 30 seconds, to thwart a Mike Bibby-led charge by the Kings.
  New Orleans Hornets forward Linton Johnson tries to keep up with San Antonio Kings Shareef Abdur-Rahim in the first half of their basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 26, 2007.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (Alex Brandon - AP) |
Bibby and Kevin Martin each scored 21 points for the Kings, who tied it at 82 with about 1:30 to go after Bibby's jumper behind Brad Miller's screen.
Tyson Chandler had 13 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, and his basket inside gave the Hornets the lead for good at 84-82 as they snapped a two-game slide.
John Salmons scored 14 points and Ron Artest grabbed 12 rebounds for Sacramento, which had won two straight and three of four coming in.
The Kings had a solid start to this game as well, taking a 50-46 lead into halftime. But they went on to miss their first 11 shots of the second half.
New Orleans took advantage, scoring the first 11 points of the third quarter, capped by David West's free throw after Kings coach Eric Musselman argued with the referees and was called for a technical foul.
The Kings finally scored with 5:48 remaining in the period when Artest put back his own miss to make it 57-52.
New Orleans was only 8-of-20 in the quarter, but the Kings were 3-of-34. And New Orleans took a 67-60 lead into the final period after Mason soared through the lane with his right hand fully extended to slam down Jackson's alley-oop pass.
The crowd went wild as Mason, eyes bulging and arms extended to his side like wings, began trotting triumphantly back up the court.
The Hornets' lead didn't last long, however. Martin made a pair of jumpers, one of them a 3-pointer. Then Corliss Williamson, who didn't play in the first three quarters, spun into the lane for a scoop shot off the glass that tied the score at 73 with just under seven minutes to go.
Artest's jumper as the shot clock ran down put the Kings ahead briefly before Chandler and Mason scored on consecutive possessions to prevent the Kings from regaining the momentum.
Notes:@ The game was the Hornets' fourth of six in New Orleans this season. They are 2-2 at the New Orleans Arena, which again will be their permanent home next season. ... Attendance was announced as 16,607. Capacity is 18,202. ... New Orleans had a 45-43 edge in rebounding. The Kings have been outrebounded in 13 of their last 15 games. ... Bibby has scored in double figures in his last 15 games, and has been held under 10 only twice this season.
