Paul's 39 points leads Hornets past Mavericks, 114-107 in OT

By BRETT MARTEL , Associated Press

Last update: November 5, 2009 - 12:00 AM

NEW ORLEANS - Peja Stojakovic hit a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation and Chris Paul scored six of his 39 points in overtime, lifting the New Orleans Hornets to a 114-107 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

David West scored 25 points and Bobby Brown 18 points for the Hornets, including a 3 and a breakaway dunk in overtime. Emeka Okafor had 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Jason Terry had 35 points and Eric Dampier had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Dallas, which snapped its three-game winning streak.

The Mavericks had a 97-94 lead with 10 seconds left, but Terry missed a technical free throw and Jose Barea missed two more foul shots, setting up the dramatic 3 by Stojakovic, who'd been 0 for 5 from long range before that.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 12 points, but did not have one of his better games, going 4 for 15 from the floor and fouling out inside the last 3 minutes.

It looked as though Dallas would not need him with Terry scoring 18 of his points in the fourth quarter. But Dallas started to fall apart when Terry missed one of two free throws with 13.1 seconds left and a chance to put Dallas up by four.

Still, the Mavs appeared to have the game in hand when Paul was called for a charge on Barea with 10 seconds to go and Hornets coach Byron Scott was called for a technical foul. Dallas needed to make only one free throw but got none.

When overtime began, it appeared that the Mavericks, who'd beaten Utah the night before, were worn out.

West scored inside and on a baseline jumper, then Brown added his second 3 of the game, putting New Orleans up 106-99.

Terry's 3 made it 106-102 with 1:22 to go, but Paul came right back with a jumper from the top of the key with 59 seconds left and Dallas was unable to recover after that.

The Hornets led throughout the third quarter, going up 74-66 on Paul's lunging fastbreak layup.

James Singleton's 3 cut it to 74-69 at the end of three periods, then Terry scored 10 quick points on three jumpers and a driving scoop as he was fouled during what turned into a 15-0 run, giving Dallas an 81-74 lead with about 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

Terry's 15th point of the quarter on another jumper gave Dallas an 88-83 lead, but the Hornets tied it on Paul's 3 and Brown's driving floater in the lane.

Dampier's putback of Nowitzki's miss and his alley-oop dunk on Jason Kidd's lob put Dallas up 92-88.

West then fought for an offensive rebound and scored inside while being fouled, then Okafor hit a free throw to tie it, setting up the dramatic close of the quarter.

NOTES: Paul was 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, making him 12 of 15 on the season. ... The Hornets are 2-0 at home. ... Okafor has double-digit rebounds in all five Hornets games this season and four double-doubles. ... Dallas rookie Rodrigue Beaubois got his first NBA start for the injured Quinton Ross (bruised lower back) and scored the Mavericks' first nine points, but did not score again and wound up playing less than 14 minutes. ... Kidd had 10 assists. ... Seven of Dampier's rebounds came on the offensive end.