Chris Paul led the New Orleans Hornets to a 107-99 victory over the winless Houston Rockets on Wednesday as the team improved to 4-0 and matched its best start to an NBA season.

The three-time All-Star led all scorers with 25 points, including 13 in the final three minutes, and added eight assists.

Paul, who missed 37 games last season due to injury, put New Orleans ahead for good with 2:33 remaining, sending Houston (0-4) to its worst start since 1999.

The Hornets, meanwhile, remained one of three unbeaten teams in the NBA alongside the Atlanta Hawks and two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

"We talked about being as desperate as (the Rockets) are before the game," Hornets first-year coach Monty Williams said.

"I asked the guys, 'How would you feel if you were 0-3?' That was my mind-set all day. How would I feel if we were 0-3?"

Guards Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks each scored 18 points for Houston, which led by one point with three and a half minutes to play before collapsing.

Brooks was ejected in the final minutes after receiving a double technical for arguing a call.

"It's been the same story for four games now," Houston coach Rick Adelman said. "We were right in that game with a couple minutes to go, and we're just not finishing them."

Yao Ming, who missed last season after surgery on his left foot, had 15 points.

Marco Belinelli added 18 points for the Hornets who trailed by nine in the third before a 14-2 run helped them go ahead by two heading into the fourth.

In other games, it was: Celtics 105, Bucks 102; Lakers 112, Kings 100; Hawks 94, Pistons 85; Magic 128, Timberwolves 86; Mavericks 102, Nuggets 101; Bobcats 85, Nets 83; 76ers 101, Pacers 75; Jazz 125, Raptors 108; Spurs 112, Suns 110; and Clippers 107, Thunder 92.

Hawks stay unbeaten

In Atlanta, Al Horford had six straight points in an 18-4 run to finish the game and the undefeated Hawks beat winless Detroit.

Josh Smith had 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Hawks improved to five wins, remaining the only unbeaten team in the Eastern Conference.

In Boston, Paul Pierce scored 12 of his 28 points in overtime to reach 20,000 points in his career and added a key steal with 27 seconds left to help the Boston Celtics beat Milwaukee 105-102.

Ray Allen had 23 points for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo had 17 points and 15 assists, and Kevin Garnett scored 13 and grabbed eight rebounds.

In Sacramento, Kobe Bryant had 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds - his 17th career triple-double - to help Los Angeles win its fifth straight game to open the season.

Pau Gasol added 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Lamar Odom scored 18 for the Lakers, who have won seven straight against their northern California rivals.

In Orlando, Dwight Howard had 18 points, 16 rebounds and eight blocked shots to help Orlando beat Minnesota.