41610http://fullcourtpress.kingsconnect.com/archives/4161Postgame+Recap%3A+Kings+%40+Hornets2009-10-31+03%3A19%3A42Darryl+Arata

Postgame Recap: Kings @ Hornets

NEW ORLEANS 97, SACRAMENTO 92
October 30, 2009 – At New Orleans Arena, Chris Paul scored 13 points in the fourth quarter and made four free throws down the stretch to finish with a game-high 31 points in leading the Hornets to a 97-92 win, denying the Kings their first win of the season. The Kings held a three-point lead, 91-88, with 2:13 left to play. However, Paul tied the score at 91-91 on a three-point play with 1:16 remaining. The Kings could not convert on their next possession and the Hornets took the lead as Emeka Okafor slammed in a Paul miss for a 93-91 advantage with 43.9 seconds left. Jon Brockman was fouled and made the first of two free throw attempts. Jason Thompson, who struggled all night from the field going 4-of-16, grabbed his team-high 12th rebound on Brockman’s miss to give the Kings another chance. After the timeout, Tyreke Evans’ shot attempt was blocked by Okafor and Paul was fouled. Paul made both free throw attempts to put the Hornets up, 95-92. The Kings had one final opportunity to tie the game, but Okafor blocked Kevin Martin’s three-point attempt with 3.1 seconds left. For the first time since Nov. 28, 2006 vs. L.A. Clippers, Kevin Martin did not attempt a free throw despite playing over 23 minutes. Against the Hornets, Martin still finished with 20 points on 9-of-29 shooting from the field. Evans led the Kings with 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting form the field and 7-of-8 from the line. He also recorded three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 33 minutes of action. Brockman came off the bench to grab 10 rebounds in 19 minutes and Andres Nocioni tallied 16 points off the bench. David West added 13 points and Okafor recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Okafor also had four of the Hornets’ nine blocked shots, two coming in the final 10 seconds of the game.

NOTES: The Kings outrebounded the Hornets, 52-43, but were outshot from the field, 37.5 to 45.2. In the fourth quarter, the Hornets outscored (25-17) and outshot (50.0 – 25.0 FG%) the Kings. Sacramento struggled to score in the paint, shooting 15-of-42. Martin finished with 20 points without making a trip to the free throw line. The last Kings player to tally 20 points without visiting the charity stripe was Spencer Hawes who scored 21 points (10-18 FG, 1-3 3pt) versus the Lakers on April 7, 2009.