Sports | NBA Hornets Clinch Playoff Spot Become the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff berth By Lev Weinstein Posted Apr 5, 2008 12:04 AM CDT Copied New Orleans Hornets center Tyson Chandler, right, pulls down a rebound against New York Knicks forward Zach Randolph, left, during the second quarter of a basketball game in New Orleans. ((AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)) Chris Paul had 33 points and 15 assists, and the New Orleans Hornets became the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff berth by beating the New York Knicks 118-110 on Friday night. Jamal Crawford had 29 points for the Knicks, who have lost 17 of 19 but stayed competitive into the fourth quarter. The Hornets trailed 95-91 with 10:20 left before putting away the game with a 26-9 run, getting 12 points from Peja Stojakovic during that spurt. Stojakovic finished with 22 points and David West added 17 for the Hornets, who won their 10th in a row at home. They were coming off a season-high, six-game road trip in which they went 5-1. Read These Next Why Catherine O'Hara's death feels like a 'gut punch.' A new 'No Kings' protest is on the calendar. Trump's jokes to 'people I hate' aren't all hits. New batch of Epstein files contains more eyebrow-raising claims. Report an error