Paul helps Hornets overcome Timberwolves

Tyson Chandler posted 16 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks for the Hornets, who won the first three games of their current stand before being handed an 89-78 defeat by the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Jannero Pargo scored 13 points, and Desmond Mason had 12 points and seven rebounds. David West added 10 points.

Mark Blount posted 21 points and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost eight of their last 10 games. Kevin Garnett posted 17 points and 13 boards, while Ricky Davis added 13 points.

Guard Rashad McCants, who had been sidelined for the first 44 games after undergoing microfracuture surgery on his right knee last June, played just under five minutes with an assist.

The tilt against the Hornets was the opener of a three-game road trip for Minnesota, which is 9-15 away from the Target Center. The Timberwolves will also play in Dallas and Houston.

The Hornets shot out to a 12-3 lead in the first four minutes of the game, and staked a 29-22 lead heading into the second.

The Wolves scored the first six points of the second to trail by just one with 8:49 to play. The Hornets defense tightened, and New Orleans/Oklahoma City held a 48-45 halftime advantage.

Minnesota finally got the lead courtesy of a 10-2 spurt midway through the third. Blount’s jumper capped the rally with 4:41 remaining for a 59-58 lead. However, the Hornets regained control on an 8-2 run that closed the stanza, and led 66-61 heading into the fourth.

Minnesota got its deficit down to one midway through the fourth, but the Hornets responded with a decisive 9-0 burst down the stretch capped by a pair of Paul free throws with 2:19 left.

Garnett’s dunk cut the Wolves’ deficit to five, but Paul hit four straight from the charity stripe and West added another on the following possession to seal the win.

The Timberwolves finished 4-of-19 (21 percent) from beyond the arc, but the Hornets didn’t fare much better at 2-for-10 (20 percent).

Game Notes

New Orleans, which is 14-11 at the Ford Center this season, starts a quick two-game road trip on Saturday in Houston...This was the third meeting between the two teams this year with the Hornets holding a 2-1 advantage, after each team had won on its opponent’s home floor...New Orleans has won four of the last six meetings, but the Timberwolves have captured nine of the last 13. The Timberwolves have also won four of their last six road games in the series.