NEW ORLEANS, April 4 (UPI) -- A big game from Chris Paul Friday allowed the New Orleans Hornets to inch closer to a conference championship with a 118-110 victory over New York.
Paul scored 33 points and dealt out 15 assists. The Hornets have not lost a home game since Feb. 25.
The New Orleans victory, combined with a loss by San Antonio, boosted the Hornets' lead to 1 1/2 games over the Spurs in both the Western Conference and the Southwest Division.
Peja Stojakovic added 22 for the Hornets and David West had 17.
New York, loser of five straight and 10 out of 11, was led by Jamal Crawford with 29 points and Nate Robinson with 23.
The Knicks had a four-point lead during the fourth period, but that was erased by an eight-point New Orleans run. Another six-point surge that ended with three minutes remaining put the game away.
