The New Orleans Hornets missed just three shots in the first quarter, shooting 81.3 percent from the field en route to a 32-23 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers. To say the Hornets were on fire would be an understatement as the Lakers hung on and hoped to weather the storm through the first 12 minutes while just keeping it close.
Lakers Vs. Hornets Score: New Orleans Uses Hot Shooting To Take Early Lead
Chris Paul missed two of those three shots, but dished-out eight assists while scoring just two points. Trevor Ariza scored a team-high 10 points, connecting on all four of his shots from the field, two of which came from beyond the arc. Marco Belinelli had the Hornets' other miss, but finished the quarter with seven points.
Kobe Bryant appeared to still be hobbled by his sprained ankle and finished the quarter with just one point. Andrew Bynum led the way with eight points and Pau Gasol had six. Bynum also collected five of the Lakers' six rebounds in the quarter, though New Orleans wasn't giving them much of chance on the defensive glass.
Be sure to see our Lakers vs. Hornets hub for full series coverage. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Hornets, visit At The Hive.
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