DAVIS LEADS PELICANS PAST L.A. CLIPPERS

new orleans»Anthony Davis highlighted a 20-point performance with a soaring, one-handed alley-oop dunk during a pivotal fourth-quarter spurt, and the suddenly surging New Orleans Pelicans beat the Los Angeles Clippers 102-98 on Wednesday night.

Buddy Hield scored 17 points for New Orleans, which was won three straight, while Pelicans reserve guard Tyreke Evans added a season-high 12 points in his sixth game back from a right knee injury.

Chris Paul returned from a three-game absence and scored 21 points, while DeAndre Jordan had 25 rebounds to go with 13 points.

Marreese Speights, who scored 11 points, missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds. Davis then tipped the miss to Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, dooming the Clippers to a fourth straight loss.

Holiday had 11 points and nine assists.

WEDNESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

Kemba Walker scored 21 points, Nicolas Batum had 20 and the Hornets used a huge third quarter to rout the Magic 120-101. Jeremy Lamb added 14 points and Ramon Sessions scored 13 off the bench as the Hornets won for the fourth time in five games. … John Wall had 36 points and 11 rebounds, and the Wizards held off the Pacers 111-105 night despite playing the second half without Bradley Beal. … Jabari Parker scored 31 points and Giannis Antetokuompo added 23 points and eight rebounds as the Bucks beat the Pistons 119-94. Greg Monroe added 14 points, six assists and five rebounds against his former team to help the Bucks win for the second time in five games. Tony Snell and Matthew Dellavedova each scored 11. … Dennis Schroder scored 27 points, Dwight Howard added 16 points and 22 rebounds, and the Hawks took advantage of Carmelo Anthony’s second-quarter ejection to beat the Knicks 102-98 in overtime. … Jimmy Butler matched his season high with 40 points and hit an 18-footer at the buzzer roughly five minutes after being helped off the court with an apparent injury to give the Bulls a 101-99 comeback victory over the Nets.

FOOTNOTES

George fined $15,000. Indiana Pacers forward Paul George was fined $15,000 and coach Nate McMillan $10,000 on Wednesday by the NBA for public criticism of officiating. George and McMillan spoke after the Pacers’ 90-85 loss at Chicago on Monday night.