Lakers defeat New Orleans Hornets 106-90, lead series 3-2
The Lakers defeated the New Orleans Hornets 106-90 in Tuesday night's Game 5 to take back control of the series.
Game 6 is Thursday night at the New Orleans Arena, and with the Lakers holding a 3-2 lead, the Hornets must win to avoid elimination.
The Lakers outscored the Hornets 22-2 on second-chance points and outscored them 42-25 in the post. With a balanced attack, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 19 points. The Lakers had six players to score in double figures.
Trevor Ariza led the Hornets with 22 points. Point guard Chris Paul had 20 points and 12 assists.
FOURTH QUARTER
The Lakers have outscored the Hornets 20-2 on second-chance points. With 5:57 remaining, the Lakers led the Hornets 92-78.
THIRD QUARTER
Lakers start the quarter on 5-0 run to take 59-51 lead. Hornets struggling to defend. Guard Derek Fisher has made five of six shots for 12 points. The Lakers have taken their biggest lead 65-55 after Kobe Bryant's basket. Lakers are on a 11-4 run. Two 3s by Marco Belinelli have helped the Hornets get back into it. They trail 71-64 with 4:45 remaining in the quarter. Belinelli had averaged 6.5 points after four games, but has scored 13. The Lakers are pounding the ball in the paint, holding a 40-20 advantage. Willie Green and Shannon Brown had to be separated. Brown was given a technical foul.
SECOND QUARTER
Kobe Bryant scored 12 of his 13 points in the quarter to lead the Lakers to a 54-51 halftime lead. The Lakers outscored the Hornets 31-19 in the quarter. The Lakers started the quarter on 8-0 run to cut the Hornets' lead to 32-31. Backup guard Shannon Brown has made consecutive 3s. Matt Barnes' layups allows the Lakers to retake the lead 33-31. Hornets have started the quarter missing three consecutive shots and committing two turnovers. The Lakers are on a 13-4 run but score is tied at 36. Hornets are fighting back to regain control, but Kobe Bryant just threw down a forceful dunk over Emeka Okafor. Hornets are leading 44-42. The Hornets are struggling to score and have committed five turnovers in the quarter. Lakers have outscored the Hornets 23-12 in the quarter to take 46-44 lead.
FIRST QUARTER
Hornets made 13 of 18 shots and held Kobe Bryant to one point to take a 32-23 lead after the quarter. Marco Belinelli made three of four shots for seven points.Lakers strike the first blow with Andrew Bynum's layup. Lakers are up 4-2, with officials stopping play after Belinelli gets hit in nose. Now Carl Landry gets hit in nose. Trevor Ariza makes his first two shots, including a 3-pointer, to give the Hornets a 7-4 lead. Lakers have missed six of their first eight shots. Ariza scored 10 of the Hornets' first 16 points, but he has two fouls.The Hornets have started the game hitting eight of their first nine shots. With 3:39 remaining, the Hornets lead 20-19. Belinelli is making an impact offensively, hitting three of four shots. Hornets have taken 25-19 shots. They have made 11 of 13 shots.
PREGAME NOTES
The New Orleans Hornets have never won a best-of-seven series when tied at 2-2. They are 0-3. The winner of Game 5 in a best-of-seven series that is tied after four games has gone on to win 130 out of 157 times.
Three of the Lakers' four playoff series last season, including their first-round matchup against Oklahoma City, were tied after four games before they went on to win their second consecutive championship.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who has a sprained left ankle, says he has refused to have an MRI performed to disclose the extent of his injury. But Bryant said he will play in tonight's Game 5 at the Staples Center.
Hornets Coach Monty Williams said he has told his players that must stay on the attack and defend the way they did in Game 4 in New Orleans. In the Hornets' 93-88 victory, the Hornets outscored the Lakers 20-4 on second-chance points and held them to 43.1 percent shooting. Point guard Chris Paul finished with his second career playoff triple double with 27 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds.
The Hornets are trying to get their second win in the series at the Staples Center since stunning the Lakers' 109-100 in Game 1.
"We're going have to get stops,"
Hornets Coach Monty Williams said. "We have proven that we can play well here, but we haven't proven that we can withstand their runs on this floor. We have to be ready for the run and not get caught up with the crowd or what that last basket or defensive play may do to you emotionally. We have to be ready for that and withstand it and stay within the scheme of what we want to do, which is to defend and attack."
Forward Trevor Ariza is averaging 14.8 points and 8.0 rebounds and has forced Bryant into shooting only 41.9 percent from the field. Ariza scored 19 points in Sunday's night Game 4.
