It was too much CP3 in the second quarter. The shorthanded Atlanta Hawks didn't stand a chance.
New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul scored 10 points in the final six minutes of the frame as New Orleans stung the Hawks with a 21-5 run to end the second quarter and essentially put the game away. Paul, who will always be remembered as the guy who was passed over in favor of Marvin Williams, has a team-high 14 points on 3-of-5 shooting. But unlike the rest of the Hawks, he has actually gotten to the free throw line, posting seven points on eight attempts.
The Hawks continue to struggle from the field, connecting on just 14-of-41 shots (34.1-percent) through the first half. And with the team just piling up jumpers and refusing to go inside, the Hawks aren't making up the difference at the charity stripe. Atlanta has just five free throw attempts in the first 24 minutes of the game. They trailed 49-34 at the break.
New Orleans continued to pour it on to start the third quarter. Jason Collins was ejected for a flagrant-2 foul on David West early in the frame as the Hornets have opened up the quarter by scoring the first eight points of the frame to build a 25 point lead with 8:47 left in the third quarter.
The Collins ejection comes at a bad time for Atlanta, which does not have much depth at center. Al Horford missed the game with a sprained right ankle.