Marks In As Hornets Buzzed
Tagged in: Kiwis Abroad, Tall Blacks
New Zealand’s lone NBA star Sean Marks scored his first playoffs points but his New Orleans Hornets were outplayed 113-84 in game one of their Western Conference quarterfinals series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday.
Marks threw down a dunk off a Chris Paul assist with 3:38 remaining in the second quarter, pulling the Hornets within two points at 45-43, and finished with two points (1/1 FG) and three rebounds in seven minutes of court time.
The 2.08m (6ft 10in) centre’s first three-minute foray in the game was eventful, scoring, corralling two rebounds and also picking up three quick personal fouls.
He and Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin were whistled for matching technical fouls in the second period, after Martin committed a hard foul on Paul as he drove to the basket and Marks took exception, stepping across the lane and jawing with the former All-Star.
After sitting out the third and most of the fourth, Marks entered the game again with 4:26 remaining and the Nuggets in control, up 105-75.
The seven minutes was double Marks’ previous NBA Playoffs court-time in his first eight seasons in the Association.
Game two is scheduled for Wednesday (NZ time), with the series then heading to the Bayou for games three and four.
