Davis too much for Celtics to handle

By By Richard Dark / EMG staff writer
Nov. 2, 2003
NEW ORLEANS The New Orleans Hornets couldn't do much to stop Boston's Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz. But the Celtics had absolutely no answer for Baron Davis.
And it wound up costing them. Davis continued to show that when healthy, he is one of the league's elite players, pouring in 37 points, and seven assists in New Orleans' 97-90 win. He sank two of four free throws in quick succession to give New Orleans (3-0) a 6-point lead with 29 ticks left. The total was one shy of his career high.
His backcourt mate David Wesley added 18 to complete a dazzling 3-point barrage that saw the team shoot 12-of-24 from long range. Davis drained 6-of-7.
"I have been very pleased with our unselfishness offensively," Hornets coach Tim Floyd said. "We've shared the ball and we've been very good collectively on defense."
LaFrentz scored 17 before fouling out in the final minute. Pierce led Boston (2-1) with 25 points and 10 rebounds. The Hornets have never started a season with three straight wins.
As a team, the Hornets shot 48 percent, outdistancing the ugly 31 percent they drew in last week's home opener. P.J. Brown added 14 for New Orleans, which got outrebounded 40-32. But tough Hornet defense held the Celtics to just 11 points in the fourth, when they went through a drought of 10 straight possessions without a score.
Mashburn's
return uncertain
What was originally thought to only be a five-game stint on the injured list has turned into a much longer hiatus for All-Star forward Jamal Mashburn. He received a second opinion Friday and will undergo arthroscopic surgery Monday to remove "loose particles" from his knee. The team has not released a timetable for his return. But it will probably be in mid-December. "I don't know, we'll have to wait until after the surgery and see," Floyd said. "That's going to be up to Jamal."
What's Next
The Hornets head back on the road this week to take on Atlanta (Monday) and Philadelphia (Wednesday) before heading home to host the Los Angeles Lakers next Friday night.
Star Gazing
Hornets co-owner and Mississippi State alum Ray Wooldridge regularly hosts celebrities who are visiting the Crescent City. At courtside for the Celtics game, was Black Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson and his wife, actress Kate Hudson, who is also the daughter of actress Goldie Hawn.
Quick Quotable
"I'm not paying, but I'll go if somebody gets me tickets." Saints RB Fred McAfee on whether or not he would attend the New Orleans Hornets home opener last Wednesday. McAfee was spotted at courtside that night with teammates Joe Horn and Jerome Pathon.