Peja Stojakovic scored 19 points and Chris Paul finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for New Orleans, which went up 3-1 and can wrap up the series in Game 5 Tuesday in New Orleans.

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Jason Terry scored 20 and Brandon Bass had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks -- who face elimination in the first round for a second straight year.

The Hornets limited Dallas to 36 percent shooting from the field, and the Mavericks played much of the fourth quarter without Jason Kidd, who was ejected following a flagrant 2 foul under the basket on Jannero Pargo. Kidd finished with just three points on 1-of-6 shooting.