NBA Game Summary - New Orleans/Oklahoma City at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC (Basketball News) - Chris Paul had 24 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals to lead New Orleans/Oklahoma City past Charlotte, 107-92, at Bobcats Arena.

Paul, playing in his first professional game in North Carolina since leaving Wake Forest last year, fell two points shy of a career high.

David West contributed a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds while adding three blocks for the Hornets, who tied a season high by winning their third straight game. Speedy Claxton added 15 points and Rasual Butler netted 13 in the win.

P.J. Brown scored 12 points with seven boards and five blocks before fouling out for New Orleans/Oklahoma City.

Gerald Wallace had 19 points, seven rebounds and a new career-high six blocked shots for the Bobcats, who have dropped four straight games. Primoz Brezec added 18 points while rookie guard Raymond Felton posted 16 points with seven assists in the loss.

"The coaches were bad," said Charlotte head coach Bernie Bickerstaff. "The players were bad. We all share in this. This was one of those days where we kind of fumigated the place."

Knotted at 25 after the first quarter, the Hornets blew the game open in the second, as they outscored Charlotte 41-20 in the period.

New Orleans/Oklahoma City opened the frame with a 7-0 run, all coming from Butler, before Claxton’s two free throws with 5:52 left in the half extended the cushion to 45-32. The Hornets ballooned the edge to 23 points late in the quarter and eventually held a commanding 66-45 lead at halftime.

Charlotte trailed 88-69 after three periods and Felton’s whirling layup with 8:47 left in the fourth quarter cut the Bobcats’ deficit to 15 points, but that was as close as they came.

"It’s starting to get better," Hornets head coach Byron Scott said. "I thought we had some lapses in the second half. We get a little comfortable when we get a nice lead."