girllovesthegame

Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets are hoping to have two starters back in the lineup Wednesday night when they begin a stretch of six of eight games on the road with a matchup against the high-scoring Denver Nuggets.


The Hornets (14-7), who have the best road record in the Western Conference at 8-2, hope Peja Stojakovic (strained left groin) and Morris Peterson (lower back strain) will be healthy enough to return after missing Sunday's 91-88 win over Seattle. Both players were injured in the first half of a 118-116 overtime victory over Memphis on Friday.

Those absences have put the offensive onus on Paul, the team's leader with 21.0 points and 9.8 assists per game. The third-year point guard responded by shooting 10-for-16 from the field, scoring 29 points and adding 10 assists Sunday, two days after he made five 3-pointers and scored 43 points -- both career highs -- against the Grizzlies.

His performance against the SuperSonics even saw a little bit of luck, when he made a 28-foot rainbow at the shot clock buzzer late in the fourth quarter to give the Hornets the lead for good.

"I love the shots with the shot clock running down," Paul said. "Nobody expects me to make them. It was probably like a lucky shot. Crazy stuff happens and I'll take it."

His terrific play without the two starters helped New Orleans close a four-game homestand with three wins.

Paul, though, has struggled shooting the ball in four career games at the Pepsi Center, making 27.6 percent of his shots. He went 3-for-11 from the floor, scoring 15 points and dishing out 11 assists in New Orleans' last contest there, a 93-88 win on Nov. 4.

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I don't know what to expect from this game. Still haven't heard any word on Peja or Mo yet. Hopefully at least one of them will be back and hopefully the Hornets will get the win.

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bee-fan

So we're going to be without Peja tonight and possibly have MoPete. I hate to admit defeat, but I think Denver might get their payback tonight. The next time we play them we'll have them at home, hopefully we'll have everyone healthy.

supermati

Tough team, even if Peja and Mo Pete play, they won't get major PT, so Julian will be there to step it up.

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girllovesthegame

Word is Peja is doubtful and Mo is probable. Last meeting, Peja was a non-factor. Mo provided a little more than Peja but not much more. Hopefully Rasual and Julian will step up. Especially Rasual.

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Diable

Denver is a flaky team.You see them one night they are terrific and you see him again they look terrible.

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girllovesthegame

Word has it Camby may sit out this game with pink eye.

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girllovesthegame

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Diable

I don't know why they called CP for that first foul...It was bobby jackson who fouled.Now he's got two after AI runs into

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girllovesthegame

Yeah I thought that 1st foul on CP should have been on Bobby too but they called it on Chris. Glad it wasn't just me who thought that. Hornets played pretty good in the 1st half. Rasual needs to keep it up. Keep his confidence up and keep knocking those shots down in the 2nd half. Now let's hope in the 2nd half they play good defense, get some shots, stay out of foul trouble and get the win.

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Diable

Diawara's size and athleticism bothered CP in the first game...they haven't put anyone on him tonight who has slowed him down in the least

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bee-fan

This team is playing a lot better than I figured, but the problem is can they come out in the 2nd half and continue what they're doing. Rasual and the help defense are making Carmelo take some difficult shots. Unfortunately we have a whole 2nd half to go. And if everyone don't already know CP is an All-Star.

Diable

I never realized that Najera was such a great flopper.He's really sold the refs a couple of beauties tonight

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Diable

West couldn't hardly hit that elbow jumper the last game...He's locked on from there tonight

Yeah and Pargo can't guard Iverson.I hope noone's shocked

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bee-fan

I really didn't expect to win this game, but it's heartbreaking the way they lost. The turnovers in the end killed the game. They played hard despite what we were missing. Pargo hurt us out there tonight, but who were we going to play?