How did Boston Celtics beat New Orleans Hornets to stay undefeated (AP)?
BOSTON (AP)—Chris Paul(notes) gets the individual accolades. Rajon Rondo(notes) has the team success. Together, it’s enough to make each player a little envious. Paul outplayed Rondo on Sunday night, but the Celtics beat the New Orleans Hornets 97-87 anyway as Boston improved to 4-0 behind Paul Pierce’s(notes) 27 points. After the game, Paul pursued Rondo toward the Celtics’ locker room and had to be blocked by Boston assistant coaches. “Rondo is a lucky guy, to play with guys like Pierce, (Ray) Allen and (Kevin) Garnett,” Paul, who scored 22 points with eight assists, said with a sly smile. Related Video Melo outduels Mayo Melo outduels Mayo Melo outduels Mayo Kobe scores 41 Celtics beat Hornets Blazers quiet Thunder More NBA Videos New Orleans Hornets center Emeka Okafor(notes) (50) goes for a rebound over Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett(notes) during the second half of Boston’s 97-87 win in a NBA basketball game in Boston Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. New Orleans Hornets center Eme… AP – Nov
The New Orleans Hornets rode the Peja Stojakovic train for as long they as they could, but it couldn’t quite get them the first guest victory of the year at TD Garden. That’s because it ran smack into Kevin Garnett. With a late surge led by Stojakovic jumpers (26 points, 11 in the fourth), the Hornets seemed poised to steal the game. But a lack of inside scoring (26 points in the paint) limited them as the Celtics beat the Hornets, 97-87, behind late maestro work from the stars. After Stojakovic poured in 11 consecutive points to open the fourth, the Hornets were down two with six minutes to go. But after Stojakovic missed a heat-check jumper and fumbled a pass out of bounds, the Hornets — who would only score seven more points — had nowhere to go. The Celtics had Garnett and Paul Pierce. “It went through KG and Paul and it really was a two-man game,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “We basically said if they switch, post them; if they don’t, Paul, turn the corner.” Sources:
