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The Hornets played their second game in a row without All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who is out indefinitely with a left knee injury that coach Jeff Bower said could require surgery. Paul was injured on Wednesday against Golden State. He got hurt again when he collided with a camera while chasing an errant pass on Friday against Chicago.
Channing Frye added 20 points, including three 3-pointers as the Suns took control in the second quarter. Robin Lopez added 18 points and Steve Nash had 18 points and 12 assists.
Phoenix led 83-63 on Stoudemire’s layup late in the third quarter, but the Hornets used a 26-11 run in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 100-98 on David West’s dunk with 1:41 left.
Hill responded with a 3-point play and an outside jumper on consecutive possessions to close out the Hornets.
The Suns have won three in a row for the first time since November. The Hornets have lost two in a row at home for only the second time this season.
Marcus Thornton led New Orleans with 25 points. Darren Collison, Paul’s replacement at point guard, had 16 points and 14 assists.
The Suns took control in the second quarter, making five 3-pointers in the first seven minutes. Frye hit all three of his 3-pointers and converted another 3-point play when he tipped in a long-range miss from Jared Dudley while being fouled.
That last basket was part of a 13-0 run as Phoenix took a 57-42 lead. Nash started the spurt with a 3-pointer and an off-balance, buzzer-beating shot while the Hornets went cold from the field. After hitting 12 of 21 shots in the first quarter, they were 6 of 23 in the second quarter, falling behind 59-46 at the break.
New Orleans had won at home against Phoenix without Paul in November, and the Hornets almost put themselves in position to do it again with their fourth-quarter run. Thornton scored eight quick points to cut a 97-88 deficit to 99-96, but Hill took over from there.
The bigger concern for New Orleans is Paul’s status.
Bower said that an MRI taken Sunday revealed the injury was more serious than a knee bruise, the original diagnosis.
“We’re in fact-finding stages right now, gathering as much information as possible for decisions to be made to take the next steps,” Bower said earlier Monday. “It is likely there will be surgical solution for it. We don’t have a timetable (for Paul’s return) right now, nor do we know a surgical procedure right now.”
NOTES: Although Bower did not rule out signing a player to a 10-day contract in Paul’s absence, he indicated it was not a priority. “We’ll look at everything,” Bower said. “But our whole area of emphasis will be on who we have and what we need to do with this group. ... Hornets reserve James Posey returned after missing two games with an Achilles’ tendon strain. ... Phoenix has won two in a row on the road after losing 12 of 13. ... The Hornets fell to 5-5 without Paul.
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