NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- Baron Davis and fatigue helped hand the Los Angeles Lakers their first loss of the season.
Davis collected 23 points and 12 assists as the New Orleans Hornets knocked the Lakers from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 114-95 victory.
Los Angeles was coming off Thursday's emotional double-overtime victory at San Antonio on Thursday in which Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Gary Payton and Karl Malone all logged at least 42 minutes. New Orleans took advantage with a strong perimeter attack, nailing 6-of-11 3-pointers in a 61-point first half.
"I'd be lying if I said it didn't take something out of me, but we have to give the Hornets credit," Bryant said. "They are a good team and they made some big shots tonight."
After the Lakers took their only lead, 67-66, on a three-point play by O'Neal early in the third quarter, Davis nailed a long 3-pointer over Bryant to send the Hornets on a 15-4 run.
Davis, a Los Angeles native who attended UCLA, had a pair of assists in the burst, including one on a basket by former Laker George Lynch that opened an 81-71 advantage with 5:45 left in the period.
"I just tried to be a leader out there and get guys open," Davis said. "I wanted to penetrate and get George and David Wesley good shots early. The most important thing for me is to have a good floor game and to get everybody going. Then, as flow of the game picks up, I try to look for my offense as well."
The 19-point victory was the biggest over the Lakers in Hornets' franchise history, eclipsing an 18-point triumph in 1991. New Orleans improved to 5-1, tying Indiana for the best mark in the Eastern Conference.
P.J. Brown fouled out with 20 points and David Wesley chipped in 17 for New Orleans, which placed six players in double figures. Lynch netted 15 points and Jamaal Magloire added 13.
"Our defense set a tone and we were able to play very aggressive in the open floor," Hornets coach Tim Floyd said. "I thought Baron made some great decisions early in the game with some penetrations and kicks and dishes to Cat (Magloire) and P.J. for easy baskets."
The Hornets were not buying any excuses from the Lakers.
"I don't want to hear that (about the fatigue)," Wesley said. "It's an NBA schedule. You wouldn't be asking us that if (the Lakers won). I don't want to hear about that. They've got to play just like we do, and they got beat."
O'Neal finished with 21 points and six rebounds for Los Angeles, which also fell to 5-1. But O'Neal had just seven points and a pair of rebounds in the first half.
Bryant misfired on 10-of-14 shots for 11 points and Malone also was a non-factor with 10 and six rebounds. The tired legs contributed to the Lakers' failure to keep up with the fresher Hornets.
"We were slow getting the ball to Shaq," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "But that is recognition. The passes to him were very errant."
This was a coaching matchup between Jackson and Floyd, the man who replaced him with the Chicago Bulls.
Magloire scored six points as New Orleans used an early 14-4 run to build a 10-point cushion. Magloire and Brown bodied up defensively on O'Neal throughout and took advantage of him on offense, combining to make 12-of-15 shots. Brown made all seven shots and added seven rebounds.
"I thought one of the big keys in the game tonight was the rebounding by our bigs," Floyd said. "I think P.J. Brown and Cat really got that established early on in the game."
Davis nailed four 3-pointers and Wesley added three as New Orleans was 12-of-23 from beyond the arc. Darrell Armstrong made a pair off the bench and netted 11 points.
Facing a 16-point deficit after three quarters with tired starters, Jackson played his reserves in the final period and rookie Luke Walton's layup cut the deficit to 100-88 with 5:50 to go. Bryant and O'Neal returned before Brown had a pair of baskets as the Hornets scored eight of the next 10 points.
New Orleans shot a robust 57 percent (43-of-75), held a 36-32 edge on the glass and improved to 3-0 at home this season.
Devean George was 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and scored 16 points for Los Angeles, while reserve Derek Fisher added 11. Payton handed out 11 assists but was just 3-of-10 from the floor for seven points.
