Pelicans get easy third win vs. Clippers

Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double and five teammates scored in double figures as the host New Orleans Pelicans never trailed during a 113-89 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers last night.

Valanciunas finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds, Brandon Ingram scored a game-high 24 points, Hebert Jones added 14, Jaxson Hayes and Devonte' Graham had 13 each and Josh Hart scored 12.

The Pelicans led by 13 points at the end of the first quarter and by 19 at halftime. They never lost control against a Clippers team that had overcome a 25-point third-quarter deficit in defeating visiting Denver 87-85 on Tuesday.

New Orleans improved to 3-0 against Los Angeles this season and won for the seventh time in nine home games.

Terance Mann scored 15 points, and Marcus Morris Jr. added 12 as the only Clippers starter to score in double figures. Serge Ibaka, Brandon Boston Jr. and Xavier Moon tallied 10 points each.

Jones scored the first seven points of the third quarter to give New Orleans a 60-34 lead.

Los Angeles trimmed the deficit to 17 on a 3-pointer by Reggie Jackson, but Valanciunas and Jones answered with consecutive 3-pointers.

The Pelicans led by as many as 28 before the Clippers reduced the deficit to 87-63 at the end of the third quarter.

Los Angeles scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter before Jones' basket provided New Orleans' first points.

The Clippers eventually crept within 13, but they didn't get any closer. In the first quarter, Ingram converted a three-point play and made a 3-point jumper as New Orleans took a 13-2 lead. Hayes' basket extended the lead to 26-7 as the Clippers' cold shooting continued.

But the Pelicans scored just two points in the final 2:50, and their lead shrank to 28-15 by the end of the quarter.