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<< Previous   of   Next >> Bill Haber / Associated Press  (click to enlarge) New Orleans guard Chris Paul (3) is carried from the court by teammates Sean Marks (4) and Darius Songaila Friday. Paul sprained his left ankle at the end of the third quarter and the Hornets lost 86-78 to Portland.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, November 14, 2009 NBA Roundup: Hornets feel the sting in loss Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — The lasting image from the head coaching debut of Hornets general manager Jeff Bower will be that of New Orleans’ biggest star, Chris Paul, being carried off the court by teammates with one hand over his face. Given the way the New Orleans has struggled when Paul is not on the court, Bower could be in for a tough first few games in his new job. LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and 13 rebounds, helping Portland to an 86-78 victory over a New Orleans team on Friday night that lost Paul to a sprained left ankle while trying to adjust to the firing of Byron Scott. Paul left the arena on crutches, saying he would not play tonight in Atlanta and beyond that could not be sure about how serious the injury was. “I hate to watch and I hate to know that I’m going to miss a game,” said Paul, who said he expected about 75 friends and relatives to attend the Atlanta game. “They just took X-rays. I don’t know anything.” The Hornets trailed for most of their first game since Scott’s firing on Thursday. Bower and new top assistant Tim Floyd struggled to find a lineup that could score consistently even when Paul was in the game. Still, Bower was pleased with the way the Hornets played defense, allowing the second-fewest points in 10 games this season. “We struggled scoring the ball obviously, but we didn’t let our offense affect our defense and I think that’s another sign of a step forward,” Bower said. Paul sprained his left ankle at the end of the third quarter, moments after setting up Hilton Armstrong’s dunk that cut Portland’s lead to 62-52. Brandon Roy scored 15 points for the Trail Blazers, who won their fifth straight game while dropping New Orleans to its fourth loss in five games. “Any time you win road games, it’s huge,” Roy said. Andre Miller had 12 points and Joel Przybilla 10 for the Blazers, while Greg Oden grabbed 12 rebounds. Oden and Przybilla each blocked three shots. Portland outrebounded New Orleans 60-40 and finished with a 22-3 advantage in second-chance points. Nuggets 105, Lakers 79 DENVER — Carmelo Anthony got the better of Ron Artest, scoring 25 points in 29 minutes and leading Denver past Los Angeles. Mavericks 89, Timberwolves 77 MINNEAPOLIS — Dirk Nowitzki scored 15 of his 20 points in the third quarter and had 11 rebounds to lead Dallas. Magic 88, Nets 72 ORLANDO, Fla. — Dwight Howard had 26 points and 12 rebounds and Matt Barnes added 13 points and 13 rebounds and Orlando put away winless New Jersey. New Jersey got a triple-double from point guard Rafer Alston, the first triple-double of his career, but the Nets fell to 0-9. They are the NBA’s only winless team. Jazz 112, 76ers 90 PHILADELPHIA — Carlos Boozer had 24 points and 12 rebounds, Wesley Matthews added a career-high 16 points and Utah ran past Philadelphia. Warriors 121, Knicks 107 NEW YORK — Stephen Jackson scored 23 points, three other players had 22, and Golden State sent New York to the worst 10-game start in franchise history. Hawks 97, Celtics 86 BOSTON — Joe Johnson scored 24 points, Jamal Crawford had 18 and the Atlanta Hawks pulled away in the fourth quarter. Josh Smith scored 14 and Al Horford had 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Hawks (7-2) continued their strong start this season. Kings 109, Rockets 100 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Thompson had a career-high 27 points and added 11 rebounds for the Kings, who won their fourth straight game. Trevor Ariza scored 28 points for the Rockets. Shane Battier had 23 points and Luis Scola had 20 points and nine rebounds. Raptors 104, Clippers 89 LOS ANGELES — Chris Bosh had 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Raptors, who overcame an early 22-point deficit and made four 3-point shots during a game-ending 16-0 run. Toronto began a four-game road trip with its fourth straight victory over the Clippers at Staples Center. Andrea Bargnani had 19 points and Jose Calderon added 18 for the Raptors. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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