New Orleans (23-34) and Minnesota (18-40) are outside the top eight in the Western Conference standings with roughly six weeks remaining in the 2015-16 season, but hope for future success centers on three of the past four No. 1 overall draft picks, a group that includes Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, as well as Timberwolves standouts Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
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Next up for the Pels, a home matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
With a minute to go in the contest Davis knocked down a pair of free throws, putting the finishing touches on his 30 point night and giving the Pelicans a 121-116 lead.
Reserve forward Ryan Anderson and Toney Douglas chipped in 26 points and 12 points respectively, while Jrue Holiday contributed 22 points and nine assists in 25.45 minutes of playing time for the New Orleans. “I said, ‘Man, they weren’t as good as we were, ‘” Green said.
Anthony Davis, who has been on a tear recently, led the Pelicans with 30 points and six rebounds.
New Orleans had postseason aspirations heading into the season, largely because of Davis, and it needs its superstar to be healthy if it plans on making a late charge. Curry is up to 276 3-pointers on the season, 10 short of tying the National Basketball Association record he set last season.ABOUT THE THUNDER (41-17): Oklahoma City allowed Cleveland and New Orleans to shoot better than 51 percent from the floor in each of the last two losses.
Though he missed more than a month, Gordon’s 101 made 3-pointers still rank second on the Pelicans to Ryan Anderson’s 113.
“They did whatever they wanted and we didn’t show any resistance”, Durant said.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan had no issue with his team’s 54.7 percent shooting, or its point total approaching 120. “Coming out to start the first quarter, that was the tell-tale sign for us when we gave up (35 points)”.
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Thunder: Durant scored 20 or more points for a 43rd straight game…. Serge Ibaka notched 15 points and five rebounds, but he was the only other Thunder player to score in double-digits. “They scored whenever they wanted and they did whatever they wanted”. It might mean nothing; just a side effect from playing back-to-back nights on the road. New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said he has been texting Williams regularly. He underwent surgery the next day. “I expect him to be a little rusty”, Gentry said.
