Hornets make good showing

The playoffs are just like the regular season: if you make shots and play defense, you usually win.

The New Orleans Hornets did both in the second half of their 104-92 come-from-behind win over the Dallas Mavericks in game one of their first-round series Saturday night in the New Orleans Arena.

The Hornets returned to the Hive in game two last night. The final score was not available at press time.

In Saturday night’s match, Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul made one of the best NBA playoffs debuts ever, compiling 35 points, 10 assists, four steals and committing only one turnover.

He out-dueled last season’s MVP, Mavericks’ forward Dirk Nowitzki, who had 31 points and 10 assists.

The game was a tale of two halves. The Hornets played the first half like a team that has not been in the post-season since 2004.

They missed wide-open jumpers, free throws and a lay-up. The Hornets shot 9-of-27 in the first quarter, when Dallas took a 26-19 lead.

“I was real nervous coming into the game, but early in the first quarter, my coach [Byron Scott] told me to just play and have fun,” Paul said following Saturday night’s win.

Tough defense kept it close until two Dallas three-pointers at the end of the half pushed the Mavericks lead to 52-40.

“We felt we weren’t playing our style of game,” Paul said. “I knew I had to come out [in the second half] and be a little more aggressive.”

Paul stepped up big time in the third quarter scoring 15 points, including a lay-up with two minutes left in the quarter that gave the Hornets its first lead, 70-68, since midway through the first.

The Hornets other All-Star, forward David West, scored 23 points, and Tyson Chandler chipped in 10 points and 15 rebounds. Peja Stojakovic added 14 points.

The Mavericks had only nine field goals in the second half and were outscored 64-40.

They had no answer for Paul, an MVP candidate, who slashed through Dallas’ defense at will for easy baskets and ally-oops to Chandler.

Paul, and the rest of the Hornets starters, left the game with a minute left to a thunderous ovation and chants of “M-V-P.”

“We won; that’s all I care about right now,” said Paul.

Games three and four will be Friday and Sunday nights in Dallas at the Mavericks’ home court.

New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul is surrounded by media after game 1 of their NBA play-off basketball series with the Dallas Mavericks in New Orleans Saturday. The Hornets won 104-92. * AP Photo ALEX BRANDON