Hornets’ Paul injured vs. Cavs

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

The New Orleans Hornets were more concerned with the condition of their star point guard than they were talking about a win that was crucial to their playoff hopes.

Chris Paul left the court on a stretcher with an apparent head injury in the Hornets’ 96-81 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night. The four-time All-Star was taken to a Cleveland hospital and the team was awaiting test results.

Hornets coach Monty Williams didn’t speak directly to Paul during a phone call he made to the hospital following the game.

“I talked to people in the room with him on the phone, and he is in good spirits, talking and cracking jokes in the background,” Williams said. “He was upset that they had to wait for the CT results. He was ready to get out of the hospital, as most of us hate being in hospitals. We’ll see what the doctors say.”

Paul was injured with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter when he lost the ball driving into the lane as he was defended by Ramon Sessions and Samardo Samuels. When Paul tried to retrieve the ball, he hit his forehead on Sessions’ right shoulder and immediately fell to the court. Paul stayed on the floor as trainers from both teams attended to him.

Paul, who was moving his legs and feet, was placed on a flat board and a brace was put on his neck.

David West scored 23 points, and Paul had 13 points and 11 assists in 26 minutes. West played with a sprained left ankle that occurred Friday in Memphis.

Cleveland (12-49) hasn’t won consecutive games since winning three in a row from Nov. 5-9.

Baron Davis, making his home debut, scored 17 points for Cleveland, including a 40-footer at the third quarter buzzer for his only points of the second half.

“In the first half he played great and in the second half he was kind of so-so,” Scott said. “A little bit like our whole team it seemed like.”