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West sinks game-winner to lift Hornets over Thunder

Jan 25, 2011 - 4:29 AM New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - David West sank the game-winning shot with 0.5 seconds left to lift surging New Orleans past Oklahoma City, 91-89, at New Orleans Arena.

West finished with 20 points while Chris Paul supplied 24 points and nine assists for the Hornets, who have won nine in a row.

"They are a good team and they have won nine in a row for a reason," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. " I'm proud of our guys and their effort though."

Emeka Okafor scored 11 points, grabbed nine boards and blocked four shots for New Orleans, which improved to 19-5 at home.

Kevin Durant scored 22 points, hauled in eight rebounds and handed out four assists while Jeff Green supplied 19 points and seven caroms for the Thunder, who have dropped three of the last four games.

Paul made a steal and was fouled trying to track the ball down with 9.7 seconds to play. Off the inbounds pass, West turned, faced up on Serge Ibaka and drained a step-back jumper from the right of the foul line.

Oklahoma City threw the subsequent inbounds pass over the outstretched arms of Ibaka. The play was reviewed since no player touched the ball and the call on the floor was upheld, ending the game.

After Green's corner three-ball gave the Thunder a 69-66 with 1 1/2 minutes to in the third quarter, Paul and Willie Green hit buckets to give the hosts a three-point edge. Ibaka's bucket with 21.9 ticks to go evened the game at 71 heading into the final stanza.

Paul's three-pointer tied the game at 83 with 5:25 to go before an Ibaka dunk and Westbrook jumper put the visitors ahead by four.

West then hit two jumpers to even the game inside of two minutes before each team missed on its next trip down the floor.

Russell Westbrook moved the Thunder back in the lead with a leaping put-back off a Durant missed triple prior to West knotting the game again with 57.2 ticks to play.

Both teams missed on their next trips and Oklahoma City took over with 14.4 seconds to go after an Ibaka rebound and timeout.

Durant poured in a dozen as the Thunder grabbed a 33-19 lead after the first quarter during which the Hornets made only 6-of-18 shots.

"We started off the game in a fashion that we didn't like," Hornets coach Monty Williams said. "We were giving up easy baskets, giving up threes, but we just felt like if we got a few stops it would change the way they played the game."

New Orleans turned the tables in the second quarter, making 12-of-22 shots while holding the visitors to 33 percent shooting to take a 50-45 lead at the break.

The Hornets closed the half with a 13-2 run over the final 4 1/2 minutes that West started with a mid-range jumper and Paul finished with a jumper just inside the arc.

Game Notes

Westbrook scored 18 points and handed out 10 assists in defeat...The Thunder lead the season series, 2-1...New Orleans connected on 4-of-15 from beyond the arc while Oklahoma City was 6-for-16...The Hornets converted 17 Thunder turnovers into 27 points.