NEW ORLEANS — Anthony Davis highlighted a 34-point and 13-rebound performance with a clutch left-wing 3 with less than two minutes remaining, and the New Orleans Pelicans remained unbeaten through three games with a 116-109 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
New Orleans won for the first time when Nikola Mirotic struggled from 3-point range. He was 0-for-6 from deep, but still managed to score 18 points and grab 12 rebounds.
Elfrid Payton scored 20, including a 3 that made it 113-103 with just less than a minute to go. Julius Randle added 18 points before fouling out with 2:17 to go.
Tobias Harris scored 26 points and Danilo Gallinari 24 for the Clippers, who were playing their first road game of the season after winning their previous two at home. Lou Williams added 17 points for Los Angeles, which narrowly outshot New Orleans but was done in by 17 turnovers.
New Orleans shot just 39.6 percent (19 of 48) in the first half, after which the Clippers led 62-59.
But the Pelicans seized control with a 21-4, third-quarter run that began with E’Twaun Moore’s 3, which tied the game at 66. Moore, who had 14 points, added another 3 and Davis also hit from deep during the decisive surge. Mirotic, Payton and Jrue Holiday also chipped in with points during the run that gave the Pelicans a 13-point lead.
The Clippers never trimmed their deficit below five points after that.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Shot 47.1 percent (41 of 87) but missed 15 of 20 3-point attempts. … Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell each scored 12 points. … Los Angeles reserves combined for 45 points.
Pelicans: New Orleans scored 27 points in the first quarter and 25 in the fourth, marking the first two times that they failed to score at least 30 in a quarter in their first three games. They scored 32 points in second and third quarters. … The Pelicans missed seven of their first eight 3-point attempts and finished 6 of 24 from deep, with two of their made 3s coming in the crucial final two minutes. … Holiday had eight points and nine rebounds. … The Pelicans committed eight turnovers.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Visit Houston on Friday.
Pelicans: Host Brooklyn on Friday.
Courtesy: ESPN.com
