Davis keys victory
Anthony Davis scored a season-high 48 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, leading New Orleans back from 19 points down late in the third quarter to a 123-118 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday.
NEW YORK — Anthony Davis’ fullcourt heave after the third quarter was too late to give him points, though it gave him that unstoppable feeling great players get.
“I kind of saw it, but I mean you never really make those,” Davis said of the shot he launched from just inside the opposite baseline. “So when it went in I just kind of felt like tonight was definitely my night.”
And thanks to his monster effort, it became the Pelicans’, too.
Davis scored a season-high 48 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, leading New Orleans back from 19 points down late in the third quarter to a 123118 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday.
Jrue Holiday added 31 points, and DeMarcus Cousins had 15 points, 16 rebounds, 7 steals and 5 assists and for the Pelicans. They were down 16 after one, even further back late in the third and still down nine with 4 ½ minutes left in regulation.
But they kept coming and Holiday had three baskets and a couple free throws in overtime to help them finish it off.
Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. each scored 25 points for the Knicks, who lost their third consecutive and 10th in their last 12 games. Jarrett Jack had a season-high 22 points, and Enes Kanter finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Five days after a double-overtime loss to Chicago in a game they led by 11, the Knicks coughed up another big lead in a miserable way to finish a rare January home game before they begin a seven-game, coast-to-coast trip today in Brooklyn that has them away for two weeks.
The Knicks seemed in control late in a high-scoring third quarter, when they outscored the Pelicans 39-34. Hardaway’s jumper gave New York a 96-77 lead with 1:22 remaining in the period, but New Orleans then went on a 17-4 run to cut it 10094 midway through the fourth.
The Pelicans then finished regulation with a 13-4 charge, tying the game on Davis’ basket with 3.5 seconds remaining. New Orleans then nearly won it, as E’Twaun Moore stole an inbound pass and launched a three-pointer that rimmed out at the buzzer.
HEAT 97, BUCKS 79
MIAMI — Goran Dragic scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the Miami Heat ran their winning streak to seven games by topping the Milwaukee Bucks.
Josh Richardson scored 16 and Hassan Whiteside finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for Miami. The Heat trailed 4341 at the half, then took control by outscoring the Bucks 41-21 in the first 16 minutes of the second half.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 22 for Milwaukee, which started 1 for 14 from the floor in the second half and shot 32 percent for the game. Khris Middleton added 16 for the Bucks but shot only 3 for 16.
It was a rare easy victory for Miami. The first six Heat victories in this winning streak were all by single digits.
The Bucks were making a run in the fourth when Dragic took over. His three-pointer with the shot clock expiring with 5:19 left put the Heat up by 14, part of a run in which he scored 11 consecutive Miami points.
The Heat turned the ball over 15 times, but Milwaukee converted those into only two points.
TIMBERWOLVES 120, TRAIL BLAZERS 103
MINNEAPOLIS — Jimmy Butler scored 24 points, Jeff Teague added 22 and Minnesota wrapped up a perfect homestand with a victory over Portland.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points and 11 rebounds for his NBA-leading 37th double-double of the season.
Damian Lillard scored 21 points for Portland.
PACERS 120, SUNS 97
PHOENIX — Darren Collison scored 19 points to help Indiana rout Phoenix.
Victor Oladipo scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half for the Pacers, who were coming off a home victory over Cleveland and have won four of five after a five-game losing streak.
Rookie Josh Jackson scored a career-best 21 points for Phoenix, which has lost four of five. Devin Booker added 15.