New Orleans Beats Clippers Big, Easy

There’s no place like home for the Hornets against the Clippers, whether here or Oklahoma City.

And the Clippers again contributed to their problems on the Hornets’ home courts in a 120-108 loss Tuesday night at New Orleans Arena.

The Hornets put on a show in winning for the first time in their third and final game here this season. They took another big lead on their original home court, withstood a late Clipper rally and ended a losing streak at eight games.

Coach Mike Dunleavy expected more from a team that had won six of seven, and was sharp defensively in a 99-91 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday.

“There’s no pity for them coming into this game,” said Dunleavy of the Hornets, displaced from New Orleans for most of the season because of Hurricane Katrina.

“A team that loses eight games in a row is going to come fighting for their lives. That message was delivered. We didn’t respond to it

Hornet rookie point guard Chris Paul found teammates for uncontested shots, and Rasual Butler benefited the most. In only his third start, Butler had a career-high 32 points and made seven of nine three-point shots.

Paul had 21 points and nine assists, David West contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds and the Hornets remained in contention for the final Western Conference playoff berth.

The Hornets, scheduled to play six games in New Orleans next season, gave fans something to cheer about, and that hasn’t happened much around these parts lately.

“Just the fact that all of those guys had a chance to be here for a few days, and get around the city and see some of the devastation that Katrina left, made them feel a little guilty,” said Coach Byron Scott, whose team has also played in Oklahoma City; Norman, Okla., and Baton Rouge, La.

“You have these people that are coming to the games, paying their hard-earned money to see a good game. With all of the other stuff that we have going on in this city ... the guys had to come in and give a better effort.”

The Hornets (32-33) did that from the start against the Clippers (39-27).

They led by 10 points after one quarter, 14 at halftime and by as many as 17 in the second half. The Hornets shot 52.4% from the field and made 12 of 25 three-point shots.

It was a big-time turnaround for the Hornets, who scored an NBA-record-low 16 points March 1 in the second half of an 89-67 loss to the Clippers at Staples Center.

This time, the Hornets followed the script from their 102-89 victory over the Clippers on Dec. 14 at Oklahoma City. They stretched the Clipper defense, Paul penetrated and others were open.

“We started off the game really well, and then we just gave them too many easy looks,” said Elton Brand, who had 24 points and eight rebounds. “They got out in transition, and our turnovers really hurt us a lot.”

The Clippers shot 55.4% from the field, but committed costly turnovers.

“We had 19 turnovers and they got 34 points. What’s left to say?” said Cuttino Mobley, who had 12 points.

Despite their problems, the Clippers cut the deficit to 97-93 with 8 minutes 16 seconds remaining on consecutive three-pointers by Corey Maggette, who had a team-high 25 points off the bench, including 18 in the fourth quarter.

Butler then made consecutive three-pointers to extend the lead to 103-93.

“We can’t have good defensive games and then bad lapses like we did tonight,” Maggette said. “They were hungry, aggressive and they totally chewed us up.”