Davis' 46 points lead Pelicans to OT win over Hornets
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Anthony Davis put on a fabulous performance with 46 points and 21 rebounds and the New Orleans Pelicans pulled out a 125-122 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night at the Spectrum Center.
Davis played despite a bruised left wrist suffered earlier in the week, but he was not to be denied, scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
His three-point play gave the Pelicans the lead for good at 119-118 with 1:11 left in overtime, and then he scored on drives on the Pelicans' next two possessions to push the lead to five.
Charlotte got as close as three in the final four seconds, but Kemba Walker's 3-point attempt to tie at the buzzer was short.
The Pelicans (26-40) let a seven-point lead slip away in the final two minutes of regulation.
Davis was 18 of 31 from the field with four 3-pointers. The Pelicans also got 19 points from Jordan Crawford, 16 points from Solomon Hill, 15 points from Jrue Holiday and 14 points from Dante Cunningham.
The Hornets (29-37) were led by Marvin Williams with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Walker and Nicolas Batum scored 24 points each, with Walker adding 12 assists. Jeremy Lamb scored 14 points and Marco Belinelli had 12.
The Pelicans led 110-103 after Davis' 3-pointer with 1:56 remaining in regulation. But the Hornets scored on their next three possessions to tie the score 110-110 on Batum's 3-pointer with 49.5 seconds left.
Davis gave the Pelicans the lead again with an off-balance bank shot with 37 seconds remaining, but Walker answered with a layup with 30.1 seconds remaining to make it 112-112. Davis missed a shot from the corner and Walker couldn't get a shot off in the final seconds.
The Pelicans led 32-27 after one quarter, 59-58 at halftime and 83-78 after three quarters.
NOTES: The Hornets were without F Frank Kaminsky (AC joint), C Miles Plumlee (calf), F Johnny O'Bryant (ankle) and G Ramon Sessions (knee). ... The Pelicans were without C Omer Asik (illness) and F Quincy Pondexter (knee). ... The Pelicans won the only previous game this season, 121-116 in overtime on Nov. 19 in New Orleans. ... The New Orleans franchise holds an 18-8 advantage over the Charlotte franchise in the all-time series. Both franchises have been the Hornets at various times. ... Pelicans C DeMarcus Cousins got in early foul trouble and carried a running feud with officials the rest of the game. ... The Hornets were coming off a 121-81 win over Orlando on Friday. They are now 4-9 on the second night of a back-to-back. ... The Pelicans had been idle since a 94-87 loss to Toronto on Wednesday. ... The Hornets will close out a three-game homestand on Monday against Chicago. The Pelicans will return home to face Portland on Tuesday.