Stojakovic Helps Hornets Top Magic 98-97

[April 02, 2008]  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Peja Stojakovic hit a 3-pointer and three free throws in the final minute to lift the New Orleans Hornets over the Orlando Magic, 98-97, on Tuesday night.

Chris Paul had 19 points and 12 assists for the Hornets, Morris Peterson scored 19 points and David West had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Hedo Turkoglu had 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Orlando. Rashard Lewis added 24 points and Dwight Howard had 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Down 98-95 with 9.4 seconds left, the Magic inbounded to Turkoglu. Instead of shooting a 3, the forward drove the wide open lane for an easy dunk.

Turkoglu then fouled Paul on the inbounds pass, and the All-Star missed both free throws.

Orlando had another chance, down one point with 6.1 seconds left, but Keyon Dooling's buzzer-beating jumper was short.

Orlando led 53-44 at halftime, but the Hornets drew to 59-57 on a 12-0 run over 4 1/2 minutes. Peterson hit consecutive 3-pointers -- six of the 11 points he scored in the quarter.

The Magic built their lead back to 11 in the third on Maurice Evans' 3, but New Orleans stormed back. Paul drove the paint on nearly every possession, collecting five free throws and a jumper that again closed the Hornets within two points.

Neither team led by more than three in the fourth quarter.

It was Orlando's first game since clinching the Southeast Division on Monday with Washington's loss to Utah -- the franchise's first division title since the 1995-96 season.

New Orleans (51-22) is sitting atop the Western Conference playoff race, but has a long ride to clinch its division. Four teams in the Southwest appear headed to the postseason, and all could conceivably win 50 games. The Hornets won their 50th on Sunday for the first time since 1997-98.

Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson missed his second straight game with a bruised jaw, and forward Brian Cook was out after breaking a finger Monday in practice. Oddly, both got injured in run-ins with Howard, as did Tony Battie, who has missed the whole season after undergoing shoulder surgery in October.

The Hornets improved to 4-1 on a six-game road trip that concludes Wednesday at Miami.

Notes: New Orleans outrebounded Orlando 51-30. West eclipsed the 2,000-rebound mark for his career. ... Howard and Nelson helped sing "Happy Birthday" to Magic CEO Bob Vander Weide on the arena television during a break. Also appearing with personal messages were former Magic and current Phoenix players Grant Hill and Shaquille O'Neal. Both were booed by the crowd. ... Orlando doesn't play again until Saturday at Cleveland.

[Associated Press; By TRAVIS REED]

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