Spurs 94, Pelicans 86
NEW ORLEANS -- Forward Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 30 points and forward LaMarcus Aldridge added 26 while sparking a 16-2 run in the final 4:12 to lift the San Antonio Spurs to a 94-86 comeback victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday at the Smoothie King Center.
New Orleans led 84-78 with 4:29 remaining when forward Dante Cunningham hit a wide open 3-pointer from the right baseline. Aldridge scored six of the Spurs' next eight points, and Leonard's 15-footer from the right baseline tied the game at 86 with 2:37 left.
The Spurs' run reached 13-2 when Aldridge hit a go-ahead, 17-foot jumper, and guard Patty Mills nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key, giving San Antonio a 91-86 lead with 1:21 left.
Leonard closed out the spurt with a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining as the Spurs improved to 52-9.
The Pelicans (23-37) blew their third consecutive fourth-quarter lead. They were led by guard Eric Gordon, who scored 23 points, and forward Anthony Davis, who had 17 points and 13 rebounds.
The Pelicans used an 11-4 run to open the fourth quarter -- with five points from Davis and four from guard Jrue Holiday -- to take a 79-72 lead with 6:28 left.
Three minutes into the third quarter, Tim Duncan inadvertently swung his left elbow into Davis' mouth while spinning near the lane, and the blow sent Davis to the locker room to stitch up a bloody lip. Gordon hit a deep 3-pointer to put New Orleans up 68-61, but the Spurs closed with the final five points of the quarter to tie the game at 68 entering the fourth quarter.
The Pelicans took a 26-22 first-quarter lead, but the Spurs opened the second quarter with a 14-1 run, holding New Orleans without a field goal for 6 1/2 minutes to build a 36-27 lead.
Luke Babbitt's 3-pointer from the right corner, which ended a streak of nine missed field goal attempts, started a 19-9 New Orleans spurt that gave the Pelicans a 46-45 halftime lead.
The half ended on a hard-nosed defensive play, with point guard Norris Cole stripping Patty Mills near halfcourt and David finishing off the play with a rebound dunk.
Gordon had 13 points and Davis had 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half. San Antonio was paced by Leonard, who scored 15 points, including 3-of-4 from long range.
Davis recorded the 127th double-double of his career, tying him with David West for the franchise record.
NOTES: Adding to the Pelicans' injury woes was the fractured sternum suffered by backup C Alexis Ajinca, who took an elbow to the chest in a 100-95 loss at Houston on Wednesday night and is out indefinitely. New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said the freak injury is just the latest of an inexplicable injury situation. "Not in the 27 years I've been in the league and not in the 11 years I was in college as a coach," Gentry said. "It's been a very frustrating year." ... Gentry recanted his comments that his team's season was over. "I was very frustrated and emotional," he said. "I know we're still a long shot to make the playoffs, but we're going to play just like we're playing for the playoffs." ... San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was asked why the Spurs hired respected analytics expert Kirk Goldsberry. "To give us analytics," he said, grinning. "He wasn't going to play much point guard, and I don't think he's going to rebound much."