Paul puts on a show against Nash, Suns

NEW ORLEANS -- Steve Nash is on track to finish well ahead of Chris Paul in fan voting for the NBA All-Star game to be played in the New Orleans Arena in a couple of months.

When the Phoenix Suns and their former league most valuable player visited New Orleans on Saturday night, Paul was the best point guard in the building.

Paul had 21 points and 10 assists, outplaying one of the players he admires most and lifting the Hornets to a 101-98 victory.

“It’s my third year in the league. I don’t expect to be at the top of the voting,” said Paul, who was eighth among Western Conference guards in All-Star votes (110,688) after the league’s first returns were released recently. Nash was third (317,091) behind Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady.

Paul has scored 20 or more in eight of his last nine games.

Nash had 12 points and seven assists.

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Atlanta forward Shelden Williams was carjacked at gunpoint before the Hawks’ game against Charlotte, and two suspects were arrested with his car hours later. Police said the two were arrested at Arbor Place Mall near Atlanta. A Fulton County Police spokesman said Williams was approached outside a barbershop, where the men demanded Williams’ keys to his 2008 Chrysler.