Pelicans 92 - 81 Wizards
Final
  for this game

Hornets and Wizards clash in nation's capital

Jan 1, 2011 - 3:39 PM (Sports Network) - The New Orleans Hornets shoot for back-to-back road wins in as many nights when the visit the hapless Washington Wizards on New Year's Day.

The Hornets took advantage of Kevin Garnett's absence to halt a seven-game road losing streak in Boston last night. Chris Paul scored 20 points and handed out 11 assists in that one, while Emeka Okafor supplied 18 points and 13 rebounds as New Orleans outlasted the Celtics, 83-81.

David West chipped in with 19 points and Marco Belinelli added 10 for the Hornets, who won for just the second time in their last 11 contests away from the Big Easy.

Boston was playing its first game without Garnett, who is expected to miss two weeks after suffering a right calf strain in the C's Wednesday setback to Detroit.

"Well, when you play this team in Boston you not only need big plays but you have to be poised," New Orleans head coach Monty Williams said. "I thought our guys were poised when they made that run in the fourth quarter. We didn't lose sight of winning. We just kept knocking down shots. Against this team, if you lose sight of winning, you give up big plays."

The Wizards, meanwhile, fell to a miserable 0-16 on the road last night in Indianapolis when Darren Collison scored 18 points and dished out six assists to help the Indiana Pacers take a 95-86 decision over Washington in the back end of a home-and-home set.

The Wizards had defeated Indiana 104-90 in Washington on Wednesday and have been much more respectable on their home floor, compiling an 8-7 mark at the Verizon Center.

Rookie John Wall notched 25 points last night for the Wizards, who have dropped four of five overall. Rashard Lewis had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists in the losing effort, Washington's 17th straight setback away from the nation's capital dating back to last season.

"It seems at home we play with a lot more urgency and aggressiveness and on the road we seem to come out passive," said Washington head coach Flip Saunders. "I love the way our crowd gets us into the start of the game, but we just don't seem to come out with the same passion on the road."

These two teams split their home-and-home series a year ago with each winning on the other's home floor.






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