NBA Playoffs: Spurs, Hornets, Magic All Win

The New Orleans Hornets took control of their first round series with a 127-103 blowout of the Dallas Mavericks.

Tony Parker (middle) scored a game-high 32 points and had seven assists, while Manu Ginobili (left) added 29 points. Tim Duncan (right) collected 18 points and 17 rebounds as the Spurs beat the Suns 102-96 Tuesday night. Photo courtesy: San Antonio Spurs

SAN ANTONIO - As the Suns faltered in the third quarter Tuesday, held scoreless for 6½ minutes to open the second half, the Spurs went on a 10-0 run to take their first lead of the game.

It was a lead San Antonio never relinquished as the defending NBA champs upended Phoenix 102-96 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series.

Tony Parker scored a game-high 32 points and had seven assists, while Manu Ginobili, who accepted his Sixth Man of the Year award prior to Game 2 at AT&T Arena, added 29 points. Tim Duncan collected 18 points and 17 rebounds.

Amare Stoudemire had the hot hand in the first half, scoring 25 points as the Suns led by as many as 14 before going into the locker room with a seven-point advantage with the score at 61-54. But the Suns forward went ice-cold after intermission and didn't score a field goal until 3:43 in the fourth. Stoudemire finished with 33 points.

That cold front -- otherwise known as the Spurs defense -- hit other Suns hard, too. Steve Nash scored 23 points, but tallied just one of his 10 assists in the second half. Shaquille O'Neal weathered the Spurs well, notching 19 points and 14 boards, but other Suns starters scored just eight points on the night.

This rough-and-tumble series now heads to Phoenix, where the Spurs went 1-1 with the Suns during the regular season.

Hornets 127 - Mavericks 103

The New Orleans Hornets took control of their first round series with the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday with a 127-103 home win to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Three Hornets scored at least 20 points as New Orleans built a 10-point first-quarter advantage before cruising to a franchise playoff record for points scored in a half, with 67, and for a game.

Chris Paul led the way with 32 points and a franchise playoff-record 17 assists, while David West and Peja Stojakovic added 27 and 22 points, respectively.

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 27 points. Brandon Bass contributed 19 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

The series moves to Dallas on Friday for Game 3 as the Mavericks take their first crack at the Hornets in front of their home crowd at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Magic 104 - Raptors 103

Hedo Turkoglu hit a driving, go-ahead layin with 30 seconds left to play as the Magic escaped with a 104-103 home win over the Raptors on Tuesday night.

Dwight Howard recorded his second straight 20-point, 20-rebound game with 29 points and 20 boards and was joined by three other Magic players in double figures. Orlando led by as many as 18 but let the Raptors back in the game in the second half.

Chris Bosh, who scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, had a chance to win the game for the Raptors in the final possession, but his shot fell short. Jason Kapono scored 20 for Toronto on 8-of-12 from the floor.

Game 3 is set for Thursday in Toronto at 7:30 p.m on NBA TV.

Source: NBA.com

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