Whether Chris Paul remains with the New Orleans Hornets after next season, when he can opt out of his contract and pursue free agency, is not certain.

However, the Hornets did not hurt their chances of keeping him around long-term after extending the two-time defending Los Angeles Lakers to six games in the opening Western Conference playoff series before losing 98-80 at the New Orleans Arena.

After the game, Paul said he saw a positive sign, teammates showing disappointment instead of satisfaction for extending the series when most predicted a Lakers sweep.

“They are most definitely serious about winning,’’ Paul said. “Guys were devastated, and that’s one thing you always look for.’’ ...

Paul said first-year coach Monty Williams was exceptional with preparation. Paul also commended the numerous personnel moves by General Manager Dell Demps that improved the roster and helped the Hornets earned the first playoff berth since 2009.

Chris Paul has averaged 25.5 points, 11.5 assists and 7.0 rebounds against the Lakers, including a 33-point effort in a 109-100 victory in Game 1.

“I just look at it as a great opportunity for us as a team to forget about the regular season and seize the moment,’’ said Paul, who played Sunday night with a jammed left thumb and a cut above his right eye.

“I play with a chip on my shoulder. Regardless, day in and day out. I’m not trying to make a statement. When you get to the playoffs, nobody feels sorry for you. Nobody. They don’t care what’s wrong with your ankle, your knee or anything like that.
“This is what players are made of.’’

According to The Times Picayune, Paul is shooting 11-of-19 (58%) inside the paint, 14-of-23 (61%) from midrange, and 7-of-14 (50%) from beyond the arc through four games of the Hornets’ first round series against the Lakers.

Hornets coach Montie Williams showed his team a YouTube video phenomenon called “Battle at Kruger” about a wildebeest calf in peril vs. lions — but saved by the wildebeest herd that initially was run off by the lions but hung with it and came back better focused and organized. The wildebeest calf that was about to be devoured is able to escape into the herd, and the lions get chased away.

Hornets coach Monty Williams said lead assistant coach Mike Malone introduced Williams to the footage.

Williams said the point for the Hornets players despite not having the advantage that the lions had: “Don’t give up. The calf lived. It was getting attacked for about three, four or five minutes, and it lived. They just stayed together. The lions obviously had the advantage, but the wildebeests were pretty tough when they’re together.”

With 27 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists, Chris Paul recorded his second career triple-double in the postseason.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Paul joined Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson as the only players with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists in a playoff game. Robertson accomplished that feat twice, once in 1962 against theDetroit Pistons and again in 1964 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Paul was also a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line, something Robertson did too in that 1964 game when he was 12-12 in free throws.

It's just the sixth triple-double in the postseason against the Lakers in the last 20 seasons.

Derrick Caracter was arrested early Sunday morning in New Orleans after an alleged altercation near the team hotel.

Caracter was charged with battery and has yet to play in the 2011 NBA Playoffs for the Lakers.

Chris Paul expects to play in Game 4 against the Lakers despite a thumb injury.

Paul said he didn’t know how the injury occurred in Friday night’s 100-86 Game 3 loss.

“I don’t even remember; one of the times I was reaching,’’ Paul said. “I have no clue. It’s better. I’ll be all right by (today).’’

The swelling has subsided in Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum's right knee and he will play in Game 4 on Sunday.

Bynum entered the Hornets practice facility, located about 10 miles outside of downtown New Orleans, with a smile on his face, a day after he fell to the floor for the third time in the past three weeks because of injuries to his right knee that was surgically repaired last summer.

"It's the same bone bruise," Bynum said of his latest scare, which happened early in the third quarter of the Lakers' 100-86 win in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Hornets on Friday. "I keep doing the same thing to it."

Ron Artest is averaging 15.5 points on 45.5% shooting and 8.5 rebounds in 34.5 minutes per contest, a stark improvement from the numbers he posted in the regular season with a career-low 8.5 points on only 39.7% shooting in 29.4 minutes per game.

Artest attributed the turnaround to decreasing his workload of off-court conditioning and shooting exercises since the All-Star break, though he didn't reveal specifics.

"I used to be in the gym a lot," said Artest, who averaged 15.5 points on 45.5% shooting in 34.6 minutes per game following the All-Star break. "I can't do it now. You can't be here shooting and wasting your legs."

• Oklahoma City Thunder 106, Denver Nuggets 89

The Thunder joined the Heat, Celtics, Mavericks and Bulls in the up two games to nil column with a convincing, well-balanced victory over Denver.

Denver adjusted onto Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook following their Game 1 explosion, but the Thunder countered with strong offensive performances from Serge Ibaka, James Harden and Nick Collison.

The 54-31 rebounding differential was also huge for Oklahoma City, as they scored 24 second-chance points compared to just 10 for Denver.

The Nuggets just can’t effectively go small and quick against the Thunder and is why this was probably the worst possible matchup for them in the first round.

• San Antonio Spurs 93, Memphis Grizzlies 87

We knew Marc Gasol would regress to the mean and that the Spurs would have a better solution for defending Zach Randolph, but Gregg Popovich still needed Manu Ginobili’s return to prevent the series falling apart into an 0-2 deficit. 

Ginobili was a modest 5-for-13 from the floor, but his ability to get to the line 13 times was a big factor for the Spurs. Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Richard Jefferson and George Hill all scored 16 or 17 points apiece.

• Los Angeles Lakers 87, New Orleans Hornets 78

Even though Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol combined for just 19 points, the Lakers made significant adjustments to their defense to slow down Chris Paul.

The Hornets committed 16 turnovers one game after limiting themselves to three and the Lakers converted those into 22 points.

The Lakers also dominated the points in the pain battle, outscoring New Orleans by a margin of 50-32.

Michael Malone, lead assistant coach for the Hornets, is a candidate for the vacant Houston Rockets head coaching job, according to league sources.

Daryl Morey and the Rockets have not yet requested permission to speak to Malone.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with all of that, but I know he’s held in high regard throughout the league and it’s only a matter of time,’’ Hornets Coach Monty Williams said.

“He’s put the work in; he’s got a lot of respect for the position of head coach. He hasn’t gone after jobs the way I’ve seen other guys do. He’s a prime candidate.''

“My whole focus right now is on beating the Lakers,’’ Malone said after Tuesday’s practice. “As I said many times before, I have aspirations of being a head coach, but the No. 1 task at hand right now is helping this team and helping Monty anyway I can in terms of preparing for Game 2 and the rest of this series and whatever series after that.’’

Before Williams hired Malone, he spent five seasons as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Malone’s father, Brendan Malone, is an assistant with the Orlando Magic and former head coach of the Cavaliers.