Leonard paces Clippers to win over Pelicans
Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points and Lou Williams had 32 as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 133-130 on Saturday afternoon.
It was Leonard's fifth consecutive game with more than 30 points in the absence of second-leading scorer Paul George, who is sidelined by a hamstring injury. Montrezl Harrell added 24 points and Landry Shamet scored 11.
The Clippers made 31 of 39 free throws (79.5 percent) and the Pelicans made 23 of 36 (63.9). Los Angeles outscored New Orleans 31-20 in the fourth quarter.
Derrick Favors (10-for-10 from floor) had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Brandon Ingram scored 21, JJ Redick tallied 19, Lonzo Ball had a triple-double with 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, Jaxson Hayes scored 14 and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 10 points for New Orleans.
Redick and Ingram made back-to-back 3-pointers to start the third-quarter scoring and give New Orleans an 86-72 lead.
Los Angeles got within six points on three occasions before the Pelicans took a 100-92 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Williams scored five points and JaMychael Green made a 3-pointer as the Clippers needed just 63 seconds of the fourth quarter to tie the score.
The lead changed hands four times before Harrell's three-point play and Leonard's two free throws gave L.A. a 125-117 lead with 5:33 remaining.
The Pelicans got within five, but Leonard assisted on Harrell's layup and made a jumper for a 130-122 lead with 2:28 left.
Ball's 3-pointer pulled New Orleans within three with 1:10 left. Leonard missed a jumper, but Patrick Beverley got an offensive rebound and Williams' 3-pointer gave L.A. a 133-127 lead with 31 seconds left.
Redick cut the lead in half by making a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left and Leonard missed a 3-pointer, giving New Orleans a chance to tie with 2.4 seconds left, but Redick's off-balance 3-pointer missed.
Leonard scored 15 points in the first quarter, but the Pelicans shot 68.4 percent from the floor (13 of 19), including 5 of 19 on 3-pointers, to take a 35-33 lead at the end of the period.
New Orleans had its highest-scoring half of the season in taking an 80-72 halftime lead.
--Field Level Media
