Remember that adidas commercial with the ticker counting off Tracy McGrady’s moves while T-Mac talked about schooling the youngsters? That was basically what went down last night, as T-Mac stamped 25 points and 10 dimes on the Hornets and knocked NOK out of the playoff race. Chris Paul — one of those youngsters in question — was carving up the Rockets for a while, finishing with 20 points, 8 boards and 15 assists and keeping the Hornets right in it until late in the fourth. But then T-Mac checked in with about five minutes left and proceeded to absolutely dominate on both ends. On one play he picked CP3 clean, and on the next whistle went up to Paul and gave him a look like “That’s how it’s done, kid.” Paul couldn’t help but laugh … Rafer Alston did his thing against Paul, putting up 21 and 13, and Yao Ming scored 30. The last time these two teams played, Tyson Chandler was able to neutralize Yao by getting on the bicycle all night until the big man was too exhausted to do anything. With Chandler (toe) out last night, let’s just say Marc Jackson couldn’t pull off the same feat … PR is in Houston right now on business (you’ll see why a couple of issues from now), and went to last night’s game. Pre-game, he spotted Big Baby buying a ticket to get in … That’s not as random as the guy Austin saw at the Resorts casino in Atlantic City: “Bootleg stunner shades. Team USA white Kobe jersey. Army fatigue pants. And the jersey was tucked in. What’s going on in the world?” … The Suns destroyed the Jazz, who actually are playing for something (home-court in the first round) despite looking lifeless lately. Up by 25 in the fourth, D’Antoni put Steve Nash back in the game for some unknown reason. Really, is Marcus Banks that bad? Why not just put Jalen Rose at the point? Maybe D’Antoni was trying to let Nash hit 20 assists (he finished with 18 dimes and zero turnovers), but that could have gone down as one of the dumbest coaching moves of all-time if Nash had gotten hurt … The Nuggets’ eight-game win streak was snapped by the Grizzlies. And it wasn’t like the Nuggets — who clinched the sixth seed the other day — were resting their stars, either: Carmelo played 40-plus minutes, A.I. played 39 and Camby was knocking on 30. Memphis just exposed that often-shaky Denver D, getting 28 points and 12 dimes from Chucky Atkins and 28 points from Tarence Kinsey, who no doubt won somebody out there a fantasy championship this season … Comedy: Kyle Korver trying to jump with Dwight Howard on an alley oop. How do you think that one ended up? Yeah. Howard hung 35 points on the Sixers, including 26 in the first half on 10-for-10 shooting — or 10-for-10 dunking, basically … Cavs/Hawks might as well have been LeBron and Co. practicing against a junior high team — ‘Bron scored 23 on autopilot, and ATL offered about as much resistance as some orange cones … Raef LaFrentz (8 pts, 6 rebs) started for the Blazers last night against the Sonics. Can we just start the playoffs already? … Sightings during a Euroleague game yesterday on NBATV: Scoonie Penn, Baby Shaq (the huge Greek guy, not the AND 1 guy) and Tiago Splitter. Yes, the same Tiago Splitter who has been in and out of the draft every year for what seems like the last five years … We’re out like the Hornets …