Field Level Media
Mar 7, 2018
Anthony Davis recorded 41 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots and the New Orleans Pelicans won their ninth consecutive game by posting a 121-116 victory over the host Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday at Staples Center
Jrue Holiday contributed 19 points and a career-best 17 assists as the Pelicans continued their winning ways with their best streak since a 10-game run during the 2010-11 campaign. Rajon Rondo added 13 points and nine assists, Nikola Mirotic scored 13 and E'Twaun Moore added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Lou Williams had 27 points and 11 assists and Tobias Harris added 27 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who lost for just the third time in nine games. Montrezl Harrell scored 26 points and DeAndre Jordan collected 20 rebounds to go with 10 points.
Davis scored 31 points in the second half after briefly departing in the second quarter with a rib injury.
"It was sore," Davis said in a postgame interview on TNT. "I got hit in the ribs but knowing the position we're in, I just wanted to get back out there and do what I can to help the team."
Davis drained a 12-foot turnaround jumper with 30.5 seconds left to give New Orleans a 115-113 lead. Ian Clark made two free throws with 15.4 seconds left to make it a four-point margin before Williams buried a 3-pointer with 11.8 seconds left.
Clark and Davis each added two more free throws to seal it.
The Pelicans led by 15 at halftime and expanded the lead to 20 when Rondo drained a 3-pointer to make it 81-61 with 7:49 left in the third quarter. Davis tallied 19 points in the quarter.
Los Angeles trailed 97-82 entering the final stanza but opened the period with a 17-5 spurt to pull within 102-99 on Harrell's basket with 7:15 remaining. The Clippers finally caught New Orleans at 104 on a basket by Sindarius Thornwell with 5:23 left.
Los Angeles inched ahead at 111-109 on Harrell's three-point play with 2:22 left and Williams added a driving hoop 17 seconds later. Davis responded with two baskets, the latter a 10-foot bank shot to tie it at 113 with 1:16 remaining.
Holiday and Mirotic each scored 13 first-half points as New Orleans led 67-52 at the break.
Davis departed with 3:04 left in the half and the Pelicans leading 54-51 after taking a shot in the ribs from Jordan. Mirotic replaced Davis and ignited a 13-0 surge by knocking down a 3-pointer.
--Field Level Media