Pelicans (14-27), Timberwolves (13-30)
It took a while, but New Orleans eventually wore down Minnesota en route to a decisive victory Tuesday. For a large portion of the Western Conference matchup, it didn’t look like it would be a convincing Pelicans win, particularly after the Timberwolves built a 17-point second-quarter lead and piled up 60 first-half points. But New Orleans completely reversed the momentum with a 31-15 third quarter, then pushed its advantage into double digits, aided by a five-minute span in which Minnesota went scoreless. It wasn’t always pretty, especially early, but the Pelicans began their season-long seven-game homestand in effective fashion. New Orleans next hosts Detroit on Thursday.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Jrue Holiday sank two free throws with four-plus minutes remaining, giving New Orleans a 100-87 lead and simultaneously winning fans a free drink from Raising Canes, the reward for the Pelicans reaching the century mark. Holiday’s free throws meant New Orleans had turned a 17-point deficit into a 13-point lead, representing a 30-point swing over the Timberwolves.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
Anthony Davis was the biggest reason New Orleans was still in the game at halftime, scoring 22 of the hosts’ 51 points, leaving the Pelicans in just a nine-point hole instead of something dire. Davis finished with 35 points, his fourth-highest scoring tally of 2015-16 and his best output since he racked up 36 points at Utah on Nov. 28. Davis did it in efficient fashion, going 13 of 22 from the field and 8 of 10 on free throws.
PELICANS UNSUNG CONTRIBUTOR
New Orleans has the highest-scoring bench in the NBA this season, according to Alvin Gentry. Holiday continues to be a big reason behind that No. 1 status. The point guard scored 19 points and proved to be an excellent distributor for a fourth straight game. Over the past four games, Holiday has dished out 10, 10, nine and nine assists, respectively. New Orleans is 3-1 during that stretch, with its only defeat a two-point loss in Memphis yesterday.
