NBA Scores: Chris Paul Leads New Orleans Hornets Past Miami Heat in OT, Clinch Playoff Berth

Chris Paul had 26 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assist and 6 steals, Peja Stojakovic added 24 points and 6 boards and David West finished with 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds as the New Orleans Hornets (48-29) knocked off the Miami Heat (41-37) 93-87 in overtime on Tuesday night to lock up a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Hornets jumped to a 13-4 lead in the opening minutes of the first quarter and led by as many as 13 before the Heat closed the frame on a 5-0 spurt to pull within 27-19. Miami’s offense was awful in the second quarter as they put just 11 points on the board but New Orleans was equally inept and they managed just 13 point as the score at the break was 40-30

Miami began to put things together in the third as Dwyane Wade scored nine points in the frame to get the Heat within six heading into the fourth. In the final quarter Miami opened with an 8-2 spurt to tie the game at 56-56 but Paul pushed the Hornets advantage back to six and that lead held at the four minute mark but then the Heat used a 13-3 run to move in front 76-72 with 1:02 left in the game. That four point advantage stood until Paul hit a layup with 18 seconds to cut the deficit to two and Wade had a chance to ice the game at the foul-line but made one of two to open the door for New Orleans and Rasual Butler buried a triple at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

New Orleans built an 87-81 advantage in the extra frame but Wade brought the Heat back and after a three-point play and a long three-pointer Miami was knotted at 87-87 with 33 seconds left. David West then hit a 16-footer to give the Hornets the lead with 8 seconds and after Wade lost the ball Stojakovic hit a pair of free-throws to ice the game.

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