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Pargo provides the offense as Hornets top Blazers

Jan 30, 2007 - 6:21 AM OKLAHOMA CITY (Ticker) -- After the New Orleans Hornets took control of the game with a run, Jannero Pargo ensured a victory with a spurt of his own.

Pargo came through with a big fourth quarter and the Hornets recorded their sixth straight home win with a 103-91 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Hornets led, 76-71, after three but Juan Dixon started the fourth quarter with a three-point play to pull Portland within 76-74. The Hornets responded with a 10-2 run to open up an 86-76 lead with 6:58 to play.

"They were a lot more active today than we were. We settled for shots," Portland coach Nate McMillan said. "We weren't as aggressive as we could have been, especially taking 24 threes and not attacking. That is what the defense wanted us to do and we walked right into it."

Bobby Jackson capped the spurt with a 3-pointer and then Pargo took over the offense for the Hornets. Pargo scored 12 consecutive points for the Hornets, keeping a comfortable margin with a mix of jumpers and drives.

After Zach Randolph scored to make it 96-89, Pargo answered with a jumper and pushed the ball for a fast break that resulted in a three-point play by Desmond Mason to make it 101-91 with 1:28 to play.

"I tried to go out there and play with a lot of energy, and take good shots in the flow of the game, and I had a stretch where my teammates kept finding me," Pargo said. "My confidence is a lot higher than it was a few games ago, and I was able to knock them down."

Pargo scored 16 of the Hornets' 25 bench points and guard Bobby Jackson added seven. Jackson has now played in seven games since returning to the team after suffering cracked ribs and Pargo's playing time has been cut back.

"My minutes have dropped since Bobby Jackson came back, and we need him a lot on this team," Pargo said. "So I have to make the most of the opportunities I get to get out on the floor and help this team win."

Pargo was 7-of-13 from the field and added three rebounds and a pair of assists for the Hornets, who had six players in double figures led by David West with points 21. Mason had 16 points, Rasual Butler 15, Tyson Chandler 14 and Devin Brown had 12.

"It's nice to have three or four guys in double figures, but when you can get six players, that just shows how well we are spreading the ball around and shows how good we are playing at times," Chandler said. "We have needed a different guy every night since David West and CP (Chris Paul) have been hurt, and now that we've got West back it makes everything a lot easier."

Randolph scored 20 points and rookie Brandon Roy had 19 for Portland, which had won the first two meetings with New Orleans this season.

"They played like they were fresh and beat us to every loose ball, outrebounded us, and they outscrapped us," Roy said. "That is something that we are not used to. We are not good enough to win off of talent, we have to try to outwork teams and we didn't do that. Didn't even come close."