New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Lakers Match Player Stats On Apr 11, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Apr 12, 2017

LOS ANGELES -- Metta World Peace scored 18 points and the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to five games with a 108-96 victory over the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night at Staples Center.

Jordan Clarkson and Brandon Ingram contributed 15 points apiece for the Lakers (26-55), who won five straight for the first time since the end of the 2012-13 regular season. David Nwaba added 14 points for Los Angeles.

The Pelicans played without DeMarcus Cousins (right Achilles tendinitis) and Anthony Davis (left knee soreness). Cheick Diallo came off the bench to score 19 points and grab 11 rebounds for the Pelicans (33-48), who lost their fifth consecutive contest. Alexis Ajinca and Jrue Holiday each chipped in 14 points.

D'Angelo Russell missed the game to be with family in Louisville, Ky., where he is mourning the death of his grandmother. Peace filled in with his best game this season and received a standing ovation for his efforts.

Peace sparked a third-quarter run that allowed the Lakers to increase their four-point halftime lead into as much as 16. They also got a crowd-pleasing dunk near the end of the quarter from Ingram. Los Angeles held an 85-73 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Peace scored 11 points, nine of them coming from 3-point range.

The Lakers led 57-53 at the break. Both teams shot 51.2 percent from the floor in the first half. For the game, the Lakers made 47.7 percent of their shots to 46.8 for the Pelicans.

NOTES: Lakers coach Luke Walton offered high praise for F Metta World Peace, who isn't expected to return to the club next season. The 36-year-old Walton and 37-year-old Peace were teammates on the Lakers' 2010 championship team. "His value is the way he conducts himself," Walton said. "When you have a team full of young men like we do, it's important to put some good role models around them. A lot of these guys for the first time are living in a city they're not from so it's important to have some positive vets to show them how to have longevity in this league, and Metta does that." ... Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton sat courtside. ... Both teams close their seasons on the road Wednesday. The Pelicans will play at the Portland Trail Blazers while the Lakers will visit the Golden State Warriors.