NBA Game Summary - New Orleans/Oklahoma City at Portland

12.10.2005

Portland, OR (Basketball News) - Martell Webster hit a three-pointer with 58.9 seconds left in overtime to put Portland ahead for good, as the Trail Blazers defeated the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, 98-95, at the Rose Garden.

Juan Dixon poured in a season-high 28 points for Portland, which put an end to a six-game skid. Viktor Khryapa added 16 points while Ruben Patterson had 12 for the Trail Blazers.

Speedy Claxton had a season-best 27 points while Chris Paul scored 21, handed out 10 assists and grabbed seven rebounds for the Hornets, who have dropped four straight games. David West contributed 16 points in the loss.

In overtime, each team hit a basket, and following a series of misses, West knocked down two free throws to give New Orleans/Oklahoma City a 93-91 lead with 1:15 left.

Webster then drained a baseline three-pointer to put Portland ahead by one, and following a blocked shot at the other end, the Blazers made it 96-93 on Patterson’s floater with 10.5 seconds to go.

West then missed a three and the Hornets were forced to foul. Patterson hit both free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Leading 67-64 after three quarters, New Orleans/Oklahoma City extended its advantage to eight points just over four minutes into the fourth period. Portland, though, came back courtesy of an 11-0 run to grab an 85-82 lead.

Dixon scored seven points in the surge, including a deep three-pointer, and Patterson’s breakaway dunk with just over three minutes left in regulation capped the flurry and put the Trail Blazers ahead by three.

The Hornets then scored four straight points to pull ahead 86-85 with 2:10 left in the fourth quarter.

After each team then scored, New Orleans/Oklahoma City assumed an 88-87 lead when Paul hit a leaning jumper with 30.9 seconds to go in regulation. Steve Blake then missed a jumper, and after the rebound got batted around, Paul came down with the ball where he was eventually fouled with 7.7 seconds left in the fourth period.

Paul made 1-of-2 to extend the lead to 89-87, but Dixon hit a jumper with two seconds left in regulation to tie the game. The Hornets then turned the ball over on the inbounds, but Patterson’s desperation heave was off the mark, sending the game into overtime.

New Orleans/Oklahoma City led 27-24 after one quarter and held a 46-41 edge at halftime. The Hornets then enjoyed a slim 67-64 lead after 36 minutes.

Dixon was 13-of-22 from the floor...Joel Przybilla had 11 points and 19 rebounds while Sebastian Telfair also netted 11 points for Portland...Webster finished with four points...Claxton made 10 of 16 shots.

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