OKLAHOMA CITY, April 13 (UPI) -- Chris Paul scored 21 points Wednesday night to help the New Orleans/OKC Hornets beat Seattle, 104-99.
The rookie from Wake Forest also had six assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Marc Jackson added 17 points, three assists and 14 rebounds; Desmond Mason added 17 points and 10 rebounds; while both Speedy Claxton and Kirk Snyder scored 10 points for the Hornets (38-40), who broke a two-game skid and pulled within two games of Sacramento for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Ray Allen had 36 points, six rebounds and eight assists; Rashard Lewis added 20 points and three rebounds; while both Nick Collison and Robert Swift scored eight points for the SuperSonics (33-45), who have lost their last two games.
The Hornets won the season series, 3-1.
