• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Hornets top Bucks to remain undefeated

Nov 7, 2010 - 7:14 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - David West finished with 25 points while Marco Belinelli and Chris Paul each contributed 14 points, as the New Orleans Hornets topped the Milwaukee Bucks, 87-81, at the Bradley Center.

Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor both finished with 11 points for the Hornets, who remain undefeated through six games.

Andrew Bogut ended with 19 points and 14 rebounds and John Salmons added 14 points for the Bucks, who have lost three of their last four, as well as both meetings with the Hornets this season.

Milwaukee started the fourth quarter on an 11-2 run, which Brandon Jennings ended with a three-pointer that cut the Hornets' lead to two with 7:07 remaining.

The Bucks hit crucial shots down the shots, but after each basket New Orleans was able to respond. Luc Mbah a Moute got a layup to fall with 1:48 remaining to get Milwaukee within 84-81, but the Bucks missed three straight free throws following the make.

Then, after West intercepted a Salmons pass inside the final minute, Paul sank a jumper with 21.5 seconds left for an 86-81 edge.

Ersan Ilyasova and Jennings each missed a three on Milwaukee's next possession, and West was fouled after he grabbed the rebound off Jennings' miss.

He hit 1-of-2 from the line for a six-point margin, effectively sealing the victory with 6.6 seconds left.

"We came out in the third quarter and we didn't have a lot of offensive juice," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said. "We were just kind of ball holding and not looking at the basket in rhythm and it hurt us. Some of it's that (the offensive rhythm) and some of it is we missed a bunch of shots again in the first half."

West and Paul each scored eight points in the first quarter to help give New Orleans a 23-18 lead after 12 minutes of play.

Milwaukee tied the game three times in the second quarter, but after each instance New Orleans responded. The Hornets held a 41-35 advantage heading to the locker room.

A Bogut layup with 7:57 left in the third had Milwaukee within 45-42, but the Hornets then started an 11-2 run. A Belinelli three during the stretch put New Orleans up by double-digits, and West's jumper ended the burst with 4:36 left.

Milwaukee shot 8-of-22 from the field in the third quarter, and New Orleans led 65-54 heading to the final stanza.

Game Notes

Bucks forward Carlos Delfino left the game in the second quarter with a strained neck...The Hornets have won 10 of the last 11 meetings...Milwaukee shot 38.6 percent from the field, and made only 4-of-16 from beyond the arc...All five Hornets starters finished in double figures. Paul also had nine rebounds and six assists...Mbah a Moute finished with six points and seven rebounds for Milwaukee...The Hornets hit 18-of-22 from the free throw line, compared to 13-of-20 for the Bucks.