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Paul, Hornets look to continue strong play vs. Magic

Apr 1, 2008 - 1:59 PM New Orleans (50-22) at Orlando (47-27) 7:00 pm EDT

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) - Chris Paul has his sights set on the NBA Most Valuable Player award and the New Orleans Hornets are eyeing the top spot in the Western Conference.

Paul and the Hornets continue their pursuits on Tuesday when they visit the Orlando Magic.

The 22-year-old Paul leads the league with 11 assists and 2.7 steals per game while leading the Hornets with an average of 21 points. Paul's performance has helped New Orleans (50-22) tie the San Antonio Spurs (51-23) for first place in the Western Conference.

New Orleans' point guard has been even better over the last 13 games, averaging 24 points and 14 assists while leading the Hornets to 10 wins over that span, including a 118-111 victory against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Magic claimed a 103-86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday and clinched the Southeast Division title after the Washington Wizards were routed by the Utah Jazz on Monday.

With Friday's win, Orlando (47-27) remains in control of third place in the Eastern Conference, 5 1/2 games behind the Detroit Pistons (52-21) and six games in front of the Cleveland Cavaliers (41-33). The Magic will enter the playoffs no lower than a fourth seed after winning their division.