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Portland (29-17) at New Orleans (28-16)
Chris Paul’s biggest offensive night of the season wasn’t enough to help the New Orleans Hornets snap out of their slump.
Fortunately for Paul, he hasn’t always needed to be at his best against the Portland Trail Blazers for New Orleans to come out on top.
Paul and the Hornets (28-16) look to avoid losing three straight for the first time this season Monday when they host the Trail Blazers (29-17) in the final regular-season meeting between two of the Western Conference’s best teams.
Paul scored a season-high 38 points—five shy of matching his career high— in New Orleans’ 106-93 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. Paul was 15-of-22 from the field and connected on five of his six 3-point attempts, but it wasn’t enough. The Hornets committed 14 turnovers, leading to 25 San Antonio points, and Paul, David West and James Posey all received technical fouls.
“We sort of got frustrated a little bit and said ‘darn’ and got two techs,” Paul said. “I’m serious, I said ‘darn.’ I mean, I guess that’s not what you should say.”
Paul has averaged 26.2 points, 9.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in his last five games, but the Hornets have lost three of them. Coach Byron Scott says that people underestimate the effect that the loss of Tyson Chandler, the Hornets’ leading rebounder, is having. Chandler has missed six straight with an ankle injury. He is day-to-day.
“We sometimes take for granted how good he is on the back end,” Scott said. “Before Tyson and David (West) went out, we were one of the better teams in the league as far as not giving up points in the paint and since they’ve been out, I think we give up like 40 plus points on average.”
New Orleans will look to avoid its first three-game losing streak since February 2008 on Monday. The Hornets have won two of three against the Blazers this season despite Paul averaging only 16.7 points in those contests.
Paul has averaged 12.6 points in five home games against Portland, all of which New Orleans has won. His 14.8 career scoring average against the Blazers is the second-lowest against any team he’s faced. He’s averaging 13.9 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Portland, meanwhile, is looking to win its fifth straight Monday. The Blazers have cruised to wins in their last four games - three at home - winning by an average of 16.5 points and never trailing by more than five points in any of them.
Portland is coming off a 122-108 win over Utah on Saturday in which it led the entire way. Brandon Roy scored 30 points to lead six players in double figures, and Joel Przybilla added 14 points and 17 rebounds.
“I’m happy that we controlled the game from the tip. We were probably the more physical and active team,” said Roy, who has scored 30 points seven times this season. “It felt good to beat them soundly. It didn’t come down to the last 4 minutes. We played well the entire game.”
Roy missed Portland’s 92-77 home loss to the Hornets on Jan. 2 because of a strained right hamstring. He’s averaged 23.0 points and eight assists in the other two meetings in which the teams split.
Portland has lost six straight road games against the Hornets.
Chris Paul’s biggest offensive night of the season wasn’t enough to help the New Orleans Hornets snap out of their slump.
Fortunately for Paul, he hasn’t always needed to be at his best against the Portland Trail Blazers for New Orleans to come out on top.
Paul and the Hornets (28-16) look to avoid losing three straight for the first time this season Monday when they host the Trail Blazers (29-17) in the final regular-season meeting between two of the Western Conference’s best teams.
Paul scored a season-high 38 points—five shy of matching his career high— in New Orleans’ 106-93 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. Paul was 15-of-22 from the field and connected on five of his six 3-point attempts, but it wasn’t enough. The Hornets committed 14 turnovers, leading to 25 San Antonio points, and Paul, David West and James Posey all received technical fouls.
“We sort of got frustrated a little bit and said ‘darn’ and got two techs,” Paul said. “I’m serious, I said ‘darn.’ I mean, I guess that’s not what you should say.”
Paul has averaged 26.2 points, 9.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in his last five games, but the Hornets have lost three of them. Coach Byron Scott says that people underestimate the effect that the loss of Tyson Chandler, the Hornets’ leading rebounder, is having. Chandler has missed six straight with an ankle injury. He is day-to-day.
“We sometimes take for granted how good he is on the back end,” Scott said. “Before Tyson and David (West) went out, we were one of the better teams in the league as far as not giving up points in the paint and since they’ve been out, I think we give up like 40 plus points on average.”
New Orleans will look to avoid its first three-game losing streak since February 2008 on Monday. The Hornets have won two of three against the Blazers this season despite Paul averaging only 16.7 points in those contests.
Paul has averaged 12.6 points in five home games against Portland, all of which New Orleans has won. His 14.8 career scoring average against the Blazers is the second-lowest against any team he’s faced. He’s averaging 13.9 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Portland, meanwhile, is looking to win its fifth straight Monday. The Blazers have cruised to wins in their last four games - three at home - winning by an average of 16.5 points and never trailing by more than five points in any of them.
Portland is coming off a 122-108 win over Utah on Saturday in which it led the entire way. Brandon Roy scored 30 points to lead six players in double figures, and Joel Przybilla added 14 points and 17 rebounds.
“I’m happy that we controlled the game from the tip. We were probably the more physical and active team,” said Roy, who has scored 30 points seven times this season. “It felt good to beat them soundly. It didn’t come down to the last 4 minutes. We played well the entire game.”
Roy missed Portland’s 92-77 home loss to the Hornets on Jan. 2 because of a strained right hamstring. He’s averaged 23.0 points and eight assists in the other two meetings in which the teams split.
Portland has lost six straight road games against the Hornets.
