The Big Easy Closeout Game

April 28, 2010

By Anthony CinQue Carter

HGSTAR1NEWS

New Orleans, LA – For every first round game Chris Paul stole with his stellar play, the Los Angeles Lakers followed with two decisive victories. There was no difference on Thursday evening, as the Lakers closed out Paul’s New Orleans Hornets four games to two with 98-80 road victory before 17,949 at New Orleans Arena.

“We just lost to a really, really good team,” Paul said. “It’s obvious why they’re the two-time defending champs. They did a really good job of closing the lane down.

“I still tried to find my spots, but the lane was packed.”

Paul actually teetered on the verge of his second triple-double of the series, finishing with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. However, Paul’s game was much quieter than each of his five other performances.

“We were up at every screen and roll,” said Lakers center Andrew Bynum, “and didn’t let Chris Paul come off and dictate too much.”

Bynum finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds (eight offensive), leading the Lakers in their 43-30 board dominance. 

“[The answer was] just pursuing the basketball,” added Bynum on how he single-handedly surpassed the Hornet’s combined seven offensive boards, “and knowing when my teammates are going to shoot plus my length is pretty good.”

Interjected Hornets coach Monty Williams on Bynum’s performance, “Every time he got an offensive rebound, it was deflating. You don’t really realize how good he is until you face him in a series. Kobe’s Kobe, but I thought Bynum decided the series. He was that good.”

With the Lakers leading 24-20 early in the second period, Hornets backup point guard Jarrett Jack scored six straight New Orleans points to spark a 10-4 run that would give them both their final lead of the game at 26-24.

After the Lakers tied the game at 28 on a Lamar Odom layup, Kobe Bryant pushed the Lakers ahead for good with a three-pointer.