Spurs pull away in final minutes to beat Pelicans
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Kawhi Leonard capped 30-point, 11-rebound performance with a huge 3-pointer in the final minute, and the San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to seven games with a 94-86 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and Danny Green scored 11 for the Spurs, who trailed 86-84 before closing the game on a 12-0 run during the final 3:10.
Leonard was 12-of-22 shooting, including 6 for 10 from 3-point range, one night after San Antonio clinched its 19th straight playoff berth with a victory at home against Detroit.
Anthony Davis had 17 points and 13 rebounds for New Orleans, which dropped its third straight. Eric Gordon added 23 points and Jrue Holiday scored 13.
The Pelicans missed their last six shots and allowed the Spurs to grab a pair of critical offensive rebounds that led to five second-chance points during San Antonio's game-ending run.
Aldridge began the decisive run with an 11-foot jumper. Leonard followed with a tough baseline turnaround with Holiday's hand in his face to tie it. Aldridge then gave the Spurs the lead for good with a jumper set up by Tim Duncan's no-look pass from the lane.
Patty Mills widened the lead with a 3 and then Leonard rebounded Green's miss, dribbled back beyond the top of the key and suddenly pulled up for his final 3, which sent fans to the exits.
Davis went to the locker room in the third quarter after taking an elbow to the mouth from Duncan while trying to defend the Spurs' star near the basket. Davis, who was bleeding from his lip, was called for a blocking foul, which incensed Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry and drew a torrent of boos.
Yet New Orleans was able to control tempo during the 7 minutes Davis spent getting his lip treated and turned a two-point deficit into a seven-point lead. Consecutive 3s by Gordon made it 68-61, but the Spurs were able to close the gap after Davis returned and trailed 68-67 following Leonard's layup.
New Orleans rebuilt its lead to seven points in the final quarter and still led by six on Dante Cunningham's 3 with 4:29 left before the Spurs took over.
Neither team led by as many as 10 points the entire game.
After shooting nearly 55 percent in the first quarter and taking a 26-22 lead, New Orleans then went more than 6 minutes into the second period without a field goal, going 0 for 10 from the field and committing three turnovers.
That allowed San Antonio to put together a 14-1 run that put the Spurs up 36-27, but New Orleans was able to erase its deficit quickly after Luke Babbitt hit a 3 for the Pelicans' first field goal of the quarter with 5:31 left in the half. Holiday followed with a 3 and Norris Cole hit another from deep a couple of minutes later to tie it at 41.
New Orleans went back into the lead when Davis' putback dunk of Gordon's missed layup made it 46-45 just 3 seconds before halftime.
TIP-INS
Spurs: For the second time this season, San Antonio arrived in New Orleans on a six-game winning streak. The first time, the Spurs lost. ... San Antonio secured its 23rd road win, which matches New Orleans' total number of wins this season.
Pelicans: Davis tied David West's franchise record of 127 games with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds. ... With 7-footers Omer Asik (sprained right ankle) and Alexis Ajinca (fractured sternum) both out, Kendrick Perkins started at center. He finished with two points, four rebounds and two assists in about 27 minutes.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Host Sacramento on Saturday night.
Pelicans: Host Utah on Saturday night.
