New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul (centre) celebrates with teammates Hilton Armstrong (left), Morris Peterson and Tyson Chandler (right) after Game Two of their NBA semi-final play-off series against the San Antonio Spurs in New Orleans on Monday night. The Hornets won 102-84. - AP

NEW ORLEANS (AP):

CHRIS PAUL had 30 points and 12 assists, leading the New Orleans Hornets to a 102-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night and a 2-0 lead in their second-round series.

Peja Stojakovic hit five three-pointers and scored 25 points for the Hornets, who have won both games by wide margins in becoming the first team to put San Antonio in an 0-2 play-off hole since 2001, when the Spurs were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. Game Three is tomorrow night in San Antonio.

Disputed shot

Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 18 points and eight rebounds, far better than his miserable Game One, when he tied a career play-off low with five points and three rebounds. Manu Ginobili had 13 points for the Spurs and Tony Parker 11. Brent Barry added 14, some of it when the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter.

At Auburn Hills, Michigan, Chauncey Billups scored 28 points, three coming on a disputed shot at the end of the third quarter, and Detroit got past Orlando 100-93 for a 2-0 lead in the second-round series.

Billups officially made a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in the third, ending a play that started with 5.1 seconds and seemed to take a fraction of a second longer using replays the officials didn't use during a five-minute delay.

Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince scored 17 points apiece, and Prince added 10 rebounds and five assists. Game Three in the best-of-seven series is tonight in Orlando.

Dwight Howard bounced back from a lacklustre game with 22 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks. Jameer Nelson scored 22 points, making five three-pointers, before fouling out with 1:23 left in the game. Rashard Lewis overcame a slow start to score 20 points.