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Hornets snap Orlando's nine-game win streak

Jan 13, 2011 - 6:40 AM New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Marcus Thornton ended with 22 points and nine rebounds and hit the go-ahead basket in overtime, as New Orleans ended Orlando's long winning streak with a 92-89 decision.

Emeka Okafor had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and David West added 13 and 10 for the Hornets, who were coming off a win in Denver on Sunday. Chris Paul also posted a double-double for the victors, notching 12 points and 13 assists.

"It definitely was a grind out there," Okafor said. "They played great, it was very physical, the refs did a great job. In a hard fought game like this it was great to come out with a win. It feels great, we needed this one. It's good to break a streak."

Dwight Howard had a robust 29 points and 20 rebounds but missed two crucial free throws in the extra session as the Magic's franchise record-tying nine- game win streak came to an end. Jason Richardson chipped in 21 points and seven boards in defeat.

A Brandon Bass dunk pulled the Magic within 74-72 with 5:05 remaining in regulation, but the visitors went the next four minutes without scoring.

Following two Thornton free throws, Howard was whistled for a technical foul. Paul made the subsequent freebie and followed it with a floater for a 79-72 lead with 1:36 on the clock.

Richardson's three-pointer ended Orlando's drought with just under a minute to play, then he nailed another one from long range for an 80-78 game following Okafor's 1-for-2 effort at the stripe.

Paul made 1-of-2 free throws with 15.2 seconds left to keep it a one- possession game. Coming out of the timeout, a perfect tic-tac-toe designed play between Howard, J.J. Redick and Hedo Turkoglu ended in the latter draining the tying three with 6.9 ticks showing.

West's contested jumper at the right elbow fell off to the right, sending the game to an extra five minutes that stayed a one-possession game throughout.

Richardson's layup put the Magic up 89-88 with 58 seconds to go, but Thornton answered with a mid-range jumper at the other end.

The Hornets then fouled Howard, and the 59.7 percent career free throw shooter missed both attempted at the stripe with 11.6 seconds showing.

With 8.2 to go, Thornton cooly sank two free throws for a three-point lead. The Magic designed a final play for Redick, but the sharpshooter air-balled an off-balance three to end Orlando's winning streak.

"The great thing about the NBA is that if you lose a game, most of the time you have a game the next day," Redick said. "It will be a quick turnaround, but we'll be ready."

Howard came out aggressively, scoring 13 points in a first quarter that saw the Magic grab a 21-17 lead.

The Hornets held a slim 40-39 edge at halftime and scored the first six points of the third quarter.

They led the rest of the stanza and took a 67-61 advantage into the fourth.

Game Notes

This was Orlando's first overtime game of the season. New Orleans lost its only other OT contest, a 111-108 defeat at Detroit on December 19...The Magic also won nine straight in 1994 and again in 2001...Ryan Anderson tallied 14 points for the Magic, who shot just 39.1 percent overall...Trevor Ariza scored 16 points for New Orleans.