New Orleans/Oklahoma City 94, Charlotte 85

OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 14 (AP)-- From start to finish, Peja Stojakovic kept showing why the New Orleans Hornets wanted him this offseason.

Stojakovic scored a career-high 42 points and directed a decisive fourth-quarter run as the Hornets beat the Charlotte Bobcats 94-85 on Tuesday night, breaking a three-game losing streak.

``I just came out aggressive, playing like every other game. I got going, so guys kept looking for me,'' Stojakovic said. ``I kept playing, I kept shooting the ball.

``I don't know how to describe it,'' said Stojakovic, who scored New Orleans' first 20 points of the game. ``When you're a shooter, you just shoot it even when you're missing - just trying to get yourself involved in the game, and when you make a couple in a row your teammates start looking to you.''

Stojakovic scored 22 points in the first quarter - a franchise record - and added 11 more during a 13-4 fourth-quarter surge.

``To me, Peja's always hot. I don't care if he's missed 10 shots in a row, he's still hot if you ask me,'' said Hornets guard Chris Paul, who had seven of his 10 assists on baskets by Stojakovic. ``That's just the kind of player he is.''

New Orleans picked up Stojakovic in a sign-and-trade deal with Indiana in the offseason and gave him a contract worth about $64 million over five years. A three-time All-Star, Stojakovic entered the season as a 40 percent shooter from 3-point range.

``Whenever he misses, I usually say something to him because I don't think he's supposed to miss,'' Paul said.