Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

Final Score: Dallas 103 - New Orleans 127

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Chris Paul scored 32 points and dished out 17 assists as New Orleans routed Dallas, 127-103, in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

David West added 27 points and five assists for the Hornets, who took a 2-0 series lead and snapped a five game skid in Game 2s during the postseason. Peja Stojakovic chipped in with 22 points.

"Early on, everything we tried on Paul didn't work. We wanted to come out and get the ball out of his hands," Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson said. "And then the main thing is their other guys stepped up big for them tonight."

Dirk Nowitzki netted 27 points for the Mavericks, who have lost three straight and five of their last six playoff contests. Brandon Bass came off the bench to contribute 19 points and eight rebounds, while Jason Terry had 16 points.

"We just got out-played, out-fought, and out-worked. They out-worked us on both ends of the floor," Terry said. "We're in the hole now 0-2, but we're going home and we've got to take care of business at home."

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Friday in Dallas.

"We just held serve. We've done what we were supposed to do as far as keep home court advantage," Hornets head coach Byron Scott said. "That's the only thing that we have accomplished so far in this series."

The Hornets used a high-flying offense to take control early. Stojakovic stroked a three from the top of the circle to put New Orleans up 30-21 with just over two minutes left in the opening frame.

The run-and-gun action continued from there. Jannero Pargo drained another three to give the Hornets their first double-digit cushion, 37-26, with under a minute to go in the first.

Jerry Stackhouse matched Pargo at the other end with his own three before Paul deposited a floating jumper as time expired in the opening frame with New Orleans on top, 39-29.

"We didn't want to wait to get things going in the game," West said. "My mindset was to come out with an aggressive mentality. Dallas is a tough team because of their ability to make shots and we didn't want to give them any life."

Things slowed a bit in the second quarter but the Hornets continued to hold Dallas at arm's length until finishing the frame with an 8-2 burst to extend their lead to 67-51 at intermission.

New Orleans scored all eight of its points during the mini-run from the free throw line while all the Mavs could manage was a Brandon Bass driving layup.

The rout was on in the third quarter. Stojakovic buried consecutive threes to push the Hornets lead past 20, 80-58, with under eight minutes to go in the frame.

Less than two minutes later, Morris Peterson notched yet another three to give New Orleans its largest lead of the quarter, 86-62.

Terry connected on a buzzer-beating three at the end of the third for Dallas but the Mavericks still trailed 99-79 heading to the final frame.

The Mavs tried to make one last push in the fourth and closed the gap to 16, 107-91, after Stackhouse drained a jumper with 7:50 left.

But, Paul answered by hitting 1-of-2 from the charity stripe and then hooking up with Tyson Chandler on an alley-oop, before Bonzi Wells deposited a finger roll to push the Hornets lead back to 112-91.

Dallas never seriously threatened the rest of the way.