NEW ORLEANS (AP) Anthony Davis capped a 28-point, 13-rebound, five-block performance with a 15-foot baseline fade, a gritty put-back and two free throws in the final minute, and the New Orleans Pelicans outlasted the Indiana Pacers 96-92 on Wednesday night.
E’Twaun Moore scored 23 for New Orleans, which had to overcome a scrappy defensive effort by Indiana to win its third straight.
The Pelicans, who average nearly 112 points per game, were limited to 43 percent (34 of 79) accuracy by the Pacers, who also turned 20 New Orleans turnovers into 15 points.
The Pacers shot only 36.6 percent (34 of 93), but kept the game close with 15 offensive rebounds and 17 second-chance points.
Neither team led by more than six, and the game was tied at 87 with 1:49 left, after Victor Oladipo’s block of Jrue Holiday sent Darren Collison away for a fast-break layup as he was fouled by Moore.
Moore put back his own miss with 1:24 to play to put the Pelicans back in front, and after Oladipo was called for a travel with 1:12 to go, Davis hit his clutch fade in front of the Pacers’ bench, holding his right arm up triumphantly as the shot went down.
Nikola Mirotic scored 15 for New Orleans, including crucial back-to-back 3s inside the final four minutes after he’d started 0 for 7 from long range. Holiday returned from a one-game absence caused by flu symptoms and scored 10 points.
Oladipo led Indiana with 21 points. Myles Turner added 13 points and 10 rebounds, but had to play the last 4:29 with five fouls, likely limiting his aggressiveness on defense while Davis was closing out the game.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Dropped to 1-5 when scoring 92 or fewer points. … Shot their second-worst percentage of the season. … Went 7 of 22 (31.8 percent) from 3-point range. … Have recorded at least 10 steals in 10 of 15 games and 16 of 26. … Collison scored 11 points and Trevor Booker scored 10.
Pelicans: Finished its home schedule against the Eastern Conference at 11-4 and improved to 21-8 against the East overall. … Second-year forward Cheick Diallo had 10 rebounds to go with nine points. … F Solomon Hill, only two games into his comeback from a torn hamstring, was given the night off to rest and is expected to return for New Orleans’ next game.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
Pelicans: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
