Pelicans 106, Nets 87
NEW YORK -- Tim Frazier had his first career double-double with 19 points and 13 assists as the New Orleans Pelicans put on a passing clinic during a 106-87 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
After getting extensive praise from coach Alvin Gentry before the game, Frazier had the most productive game of his career. In his 10th game for the Pelicans, he made 7 of 10 shots while playing 38 minutes.
Luke Babbitt led the Pelicans with 21 points but it was Frazier who highlighted the Pelicans' third win in four games.
Alexis Ajinca added 16 points, including a thunderous dunk late in the fourth to put New Orleans over 100 points. James Ennis, who signed a 10-day contract last week, contributed 14 points.
Playing without their five top scorers, the Pelicans won by shooting 55.3 percent (42-of-76) and getting 30 assists. Those numbers were compiled after New Orleans missed its first seven shots and fell behind 7-0 in the opening minutes.
New Orleans had assists on its first 17 baskets and 19 assists on 20 baskets in the first half as it took a 53-42 lead. The Pelicans added seven more assists on eight baskets in the third and took a 75-66 lead into the fourth.
The Nets played without Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young and Bojan Bogdanovic, who all rested. They lost their fifth straight after electing to sit Lopez and Young for the rest of the season.
Without their two best players, it was a massive struggle on offense for the Nets, who shot 38.8 percent and gave up 30 points on 21 turnovers. Sean Kilpatrick led the Nets with 15 points, Henry Sims started for Lopez and scored 12 points while Thomas Robinson started for Young and had 11 and 15 rebounds.
Brooklyn was within 68-63 on a basket by Willie Reed with about two minutes left. New Orleans then answered with a fast-break layup by Toney Douglas, two free throws by Frazier, a cutting layup by Babbitt, a free throw by Ennis and sealed the win early in the fourth.
NOTES: Nets C Brook Lopez will not play for the rest of the season, ending his eighth NBA season having played in 73 games. ... Lopez said Brooklyn GM Sean Marks called him Tuesday to say the decision was precautionary. Besides Lopez, the Nets also are shutting down F Thaddeus Young for the rest of the season. ... Pelicans F Ryan Anderson (sports hernia) will meet with a specialist Monday in Philadelphia to see how he is healing. ... New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry joked about F Luke Babbitt being shocked when asked to take 25 shots during Friday's win over Denver. "It was the first time in the history of my coaching career where some guy complained about shooting too much," Gentry joked. ... Brooklyn G Donald Sloan (upper respiratory) missed his second game of the season.