Hot Pelicans close homestand with dominant win over Clippers
FILE – Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during the second half against the Boston Celtics at the Smoothie King Center on February 21, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Jonathan Bachman / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
Zion Williamson scored 27 points and Brandon Ingram added 23 as the hot-shooting New Orleans Pelicans routed the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 135-115 on Sunday night.
Lonzo Ball scored 20, Jaxson Hayes had 17 off the bench for his second consecutive season-high, and Josh Hart and Kira Lewis Jr. scored 13 each as the Pelicans finished a six-game homestand with their second consecutive dominant performance. They beat Cleveland 116-82 on Friday.
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New Orleans shot 65.4 percent from the floor, had 38 assists on 53 field goals and scored the most points by a Clippers opponent this season.
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Kawhi Leonard scored 23, Reggie Jackson, starting in place of injured Patrick Beverley, had 18, Paul George and Luke Kennard added 15 each and Amir Coffey had 13 for the Clippers, who started a three-game road trip by losing for the fourth time in five games.
The Pelicans scored the first nine points of the third quarter to take a 76-57 lead.
Leonard’s jumper gave the Clippers their first points of the period, but New Orleans took an 88-65 lead on an Ingram jumper midway through the quarter.
The Pelicans increased the lead to 27 points twice, the second at 110-83 at the end of the quarter.
New Orleans made 17-of-22 field goals as it outscored L.A. 43-26 in the period.
Ball set the tone for a fast start for the Pelicans as he scored 11 points, making all four of his shots, including three 3-pointers in the first quarter.
New Orleans had 12 assists while making 14-of-21 field goals, 4-of-8 3-pointers and 4-of-5 free throws in the period. It led by as many as 15 points before finishing with a 36-24 lead at the end of the quarter.
L.A. closed within five points twice earlier in the second quarter before Lewis scored four points during an 8-0 Pelicans run.
New Orleans led by 13 four more times before Kennard beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that cut the Pelicans’ lead to 67-57 at halftime.
