Pelicans 92 - 81 Wizards
Final
  for this game

Ariza, Okafor help Hornets down Wizards

Jan 2, 2011 - 6:39 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Trevor Ariza scored a season-high 22 points, Emeka Okafor had 17 points and 15 rebounds and the New Orleans Hornets beat Washington, 92-81, for their second road win in two days.

Chris Paul added 13 points and 11 assists for the Hornets, who were coming off an 83-81 win over Boston on Friday that snapped a seven-game road losing streak.

No stranger to road woes themselves, the Wizards failed to rebound from a loss at Indiana on Friday that kept them winless (0-16) on the road this season.

Finding no comfort at home, Washington dropped back to .500 (8-8) in the Verizon Center despite getting a game-high 24 points from Nick Young and 12 points and 10 assists from No. 1 draft pick John Wall.

Rashard Lewis added 14 points in the loss and JaVale McGee scored 12 with 13 rebounds.

The Wizards played shorthanded, missing both Kirk Hinrich (thigh) and Josh Howard (knee), but still led by five points at halftime.

"We came out ready to play," said Lewis. "But we let them back in the game."

New Orleans started the third quarter with an 8-0 run to take the lead, with Ariza scoring the last six points after an Okafor dunk.

Washington re-gained the lead, and the teams went back and forth until the Hornets scored the last six points for a 68-62 lead heading into the final quarter.

They would never trail again.

The New Orleans lead reached 10 with 3:55 remaining when Paul's three-pointer made it 84-74. The Wizards cut it to seven points on Lewis' three, but Marco Belinelli made back-to-back threes to give the Hornets a 90-77 lead with 2:36 remaining -- far enough out of reach to be comfortable.

New Orleans shot 46 percent for the game, including 50 percent in the first quarter for a 24-23 lead after 12 minutes. The Hornets shot just 33 percent in the second quarter, however, and trailed 47-42 at halftime.

Washington let the game get away in the second half.

"We have to play 48 minutes," Lewis said. "We can't play one half or play three quarters to win the ball game."

Game Notes

The Wizards shot 43 percent in the game...The teams, despite having ball- handlers Paul and Wall up top, combined for 32 turnovers...Washington split a home-and-home with the Pacers.






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