Los Angeles - David West and the New Orleans Hornets were back at home and back in control. West poured in career playoff highs of 38 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots as the Hornets blew past the visiting San Antonio Spurs 101-79 on Tuesday night to grab a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinal playoff series.
"We had to treat this game like a game seven, because there was no way we wanted to go back to San Antonio with them having an opportunity to close us out down there," said West, who played despite suffering a sore back in the second quarter. "We just wanted to take care of our home."
The Hornets head back to San Antonio with a chance to close out the defending champions on Thursday night in the best of seven series. Should the Spurs win, decisive game seven will be back in New Orleans.
"We can't count on coming back here with home-court advantage and winning game seven," Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul said. "We have to approach game six like it's a game seven. We have an opportunity to close them out and I think we'll find a way to do it."
Paul had 16 of his 22 points in the second half and handed out 14 assists for New Orleans, which outscored its guests 57-32.
In both home victories, the Hornets used a strong third quarter to blow the game open, and game five was no different. Energized by their rabid fans, they held the Spurs to five-of-19 from the field and outscored them 28-11, to turn a three-point halftime deficit into a 72-58 cushion.
"We knew coming in here that the third quarter was our Achilles' heel and we allowed them once again to change the game in that quarter," Spurs Tim Duncan said. "It's on us and finding a way to change that."
The Spurs pulled to within 85-77 with just under five minutes left to play. But Paul made consecutive layups and West followed with a basket to trigger a game-sealing 16-2 closing run.
Argentine Manu Ginobili scored 20 points for San Antonio, which shot just 38 per cent from the field (29-of-77). Frenchman Tony Parker had 18 while Duncan finished with 23 rebounds but just 10 points.
Elsewhere: Detroit Pistons 91, Orlando Magic 86 The Pistons are back in the Eastern Finals again.
Richard Hamilton scored six of his 31 points in the final 20 seconds, Tayshaun Prince made a key block, and the Pistons held off the visiting Magic to close out their Eastern Conference semifinal series in five games.
"I thought Orlando probably played its best game tonight," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "They gave us everything we wanted and helped us prepare for the next round, no matter who it is."
The Pistons advanced to the conference finals for the sixth straight season, and await the winner of the Boston-Cleveland series, squared at 2-2.
"It's an awesome feeling to make it to the conference finals for the sixth straight year," Hamilton said. "But we feel were supposed to do it."
Antonio McDyess had 17 points with 11 rebounds for the Pistons, whose three turnovers set a record for fewest in a playoff game. Rookie Rodney Stuckey, filling in for injured All-Star guard Chauncey Billups (strained hamstring) for the second straight game, added 15 points.
Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Dwight Howard collected 14 points with 17 rebounds.
Orlando was its own worst enemy, converting just 16-of-28 free throws and committing 21 turnovers, leading to 34 Pistons' points.
"Nothing is going to feel good if you lose, but if you come in play great, they play great and you just can't get it done, that's one thing," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "But 21 turnovers, 57 per cent at the free throw line is very disappointing to come into an elimination game, play that poorly and make that many mistakes.
"I don't know how you stay in a game with those numbers other than we would not let it go and just kept fighting."
The Pistons trailed by five with a minute gone in the final quarter. However, McDyess scored 11 points to spark a 17-2 run, putting the hosts ahead for good, 82-72 with 3:49 remaining.
The pesky Magic pulled to within 85-84 with 40 seconds left on back-to-back baskets by Turkoglu. After Hamilton's two free throws, Prince came up with the defensive play of the game.
Following a timeout, Turkoglu drove the right side for a dunk attempt, but the long-armed Prince rose up to block the shot. Hamilton made both free throws after being fouled and added two more to make the Magic disappear.
