Pelicans edge off Warriors 103-100 into West 8th place
Xinhua, April 8, 2015 Adjust font size:
Anthony Davis scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half, including two free throws with 9 seconds left, and New Orleans Pelicans moved into eighth place in the Western Conference by beating Golden State Warriors.
Stephen Curry scored 25 points, hitting five 3-pointers, but his final attempt that would have tied the game went in and out.
That allowed the Pelicans to move back into the West's last playoff spot by a half-game over Oklahoma City, which lost to San Antonio.
Quincy Pondexter had 20 points for New Orleans, including his fourth 3 of the game to tie it at 95.
Draymond Green had 24 points for Golden State and Andrew Bogut blocked nine shots.
In Oklahoma City, Kawhi Leonard matched a career high with 26 points, and the San Antonio Spurs rolled past the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-88 for their eighth straight victory.
The defending NBA champions have won each game during their streak by double digits, and by an average of 20.9 points. Tim Duncan had 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks for the Spurs, who still have a shot at the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
San Antonio point guard Tony Parker left the game with tightness in his right Achilles tendon and did not return.
Russell Westbrook scored 17 points for the Thunder, who lost their fourth straight and fell a half-game behind the New Orleans for the No. 8 spot.
In Miami, Goran Dragic scored 28 points for the Heat by topping Charlotte Hornets 105-100, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Luol Deng scored 21, Dwyane Wade had 19 and Hassan Whiteside added 12 on 6-for-8 shooting for Miami.
Gerald Henderson led the Hornets with 29 points. Kemba Walker scored 17, Mo Williams had 15, Bismack Biyombo had a 12-point, 12-rebound night for Charlotte.
In Atlanta, Atlanta Hawks set a single-season franchise high with its 58th victory, getting 16 points each from DeMarre Carroll and Jeff Teague in a win over Phoenix Suns 96-69.
Mike Muscala finished with 16 points and Al Horford added 14 for the Eastern Conference champion Hawks.
The Suns missed 31 of 40 shots from the field in the second half to score a season low.
In Los Angeles, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick scored 27 points apiece and the Clippers completed a 4-0 season sweep of their downtrodden Staples Center co-tenant Lakers 105-100.
Chris Paul had 19 to go over 13,000 in his career for the Clippers, who have won four in a row and 11 of 12. They beat the Lakers for the second time in 48 hours, winning 106-78 after leading by 43.
In Sacramento, Omri Casspi scored 16 of his career-high 31 points in the third quarter and Sacramento overcame a sluggish start to beat Minnesota Timberwolves 116-111. Endi