Nets at Pelicans
The Brooklyn Nets are making a charge at third place in the Eastern Conference and go after their fifth straight victory when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Brooklyn is 27-10 since the calendar turned to 2014 and is just 1 1/2 games behind third-place Toronto and one game behind fourth-place Chicago in the East after rallying for an overtime victory over Dallas on Sunday. The Pelicans have won two straight, including an impressive win over the Miami Heat on Saturday.
Second-year forward Anthony Davis was the best player on the court – not LeBron James or Dwyane Wade – in New Orleans’ stunning victory over the Heat. Davis had 30 points and 11 rebounds, making him the first player in franchise history to post three consecutive 30-point, 10-rebound outings. Brooklyn trailed by 14 points in the third quarter on Sunday before rallying for a 107-104 overtime win to open a three-game road trip. Nets guard Joe Johnson has put together three straight 20-point outings after scoring 22 against Dallas.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE NETS (37-31): Backup guard Marcus Thornton had 20 points off the bench against the Mavericks for his fourth 20-point outing in the last 12 games. Thornton made four 3-pointers, marking the fifth time he has made four or more in 14 games since joining the club in a trade with the Sacramento Kings. New Orleans is familiar with Thornton, who spent his first 1 1/2 seasons with the franchise before being dealt to the Kings midway through the 2010-11 campaign.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (29-40): Davis is in the midst of a superb stretch in which he is averaging 35 points and 13 rebounds over his past four games. He has scored at least 28 points in each of his past eight appearances and is emerging as one of the league’s top players. “He’s spectacular, he’s getting better every single day,” James said after watching Davis destroy Miami’s frontcourt. “When you know you’re a star and your team looks at you as a leader, as a star, you make plays and that’s what he’s doing.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nets have won four of the last five meetings, including a 93-81 home win on Feb.9.
2. New Orleans G Eric Gordon (knee) could miss his second straight outing.
3. Brooklyn F Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) is questionable after leaving Sunday’s game.