Clippers 114, Pelicans 111 (OT)
LOS ANGELES -- Point guard Chris Paul had 25 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers captured their ninth win in a row on Sunday with a 114-111 overtime victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, who were without star forward Anthony Davis.
Guard Jamal Crawford contributed 21 points for the Clippers (25-13), who had seven players score in double digits. Forwards Wesley Johnson and Luc Mbah a Moute added 15 and 14 points, respectively
Guard Jrue Holiday had a game-high 29 points to lead the Pelicans (11-25), who dropped their third in a row. Guard Tyreke Evans finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while forward Ryan Anderson came off the bench to score 16.
Davis, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, missed the game with a back contusion suffered in Friday's loss to the Indiana Pacers.
In overtime, consecutive 3-point buckets by Johnson and Paul put Los Angeles up 111-106 with 1:15 remaining. Two foul shots by Evans pulled New Orleans within 111-109 with 38.4 seconds left before forward Mbah a Moute missed one of two free throws for a 112-109 lead.
Mbah a Moute again made one of two foul shots for a four-point lead with 20.3 seconds left.
Evans made two more free throws to slice the lead to two, but Johnson made one of two foul shots for a three-point cushion with 10.4 seconds left. Anderson's 3-point attempt near the buzzer missed, allowing Los Angeles to prevail.
The Clippers, who were playing the second end of a back-to-back after Saturday's win over the Charlotte Hornets, led 84-76 heading into the fourth quarter. New Orleans cut the gap to 100-98 on a jumper by Evans with 2:56 left in regulation, but the Pelicans failed to convert on four straight possessions.
Paul's miss with 27.9 seconds remaining in regulation gave the Pelicans another opportunity. However, forward Dante Cunningam's wide-open 3-point attempt with 7.9 seconds left was short.
After guard J.J. Redick, an 88.2 percent free-throw shooter, missed one of two foul shots. Holiday drew a foul on guard Austin Rivers behind the 3-point stripe with 1.6 seconds remaining. He made all three free throws to tie the score at 101.
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan missed a game-winning shot just before the final horn in regulation, forcing overtime.
NOTES: Pelicans F Anthony Davis was not in the lineup Sunday, because he was still sore two days after hurting himself diving in the stands for a loose ball in the first quarter in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry believed it best to be cautious with his superstar. "It is just a bruise, and he feels better, but in certain movements he has to make, he gets a sharp pain," Gentry said. "It's not worth the risk (to play him)." ... The Clippers limited opponents to 95.6 points per game in the previous eight games. ... The Hornets play the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Tuesday, while the Clippers are off until Wednesday, when they host the Miami Heat.