LDN - Sports

Pelicans blow lead, then rally to top Lakers

[October 23, 2017] LOS ANGELES -- Even when the New Orleans Pelicans were up by 20 points late in the third quarter, coach Alvin Gentry knew the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn't go quietly.

Sure enough, the Pelicans not only withstood a heavy second-half push from the Lakers on Sunday, but they had to come from behind in the fourth quarter before winning 119-112 at Staples Center for their first victory of the season.

Anthony Davis had 27 points and 17 rebounds, and DeMarcus Cousins finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Pelicans (1-2). E'Twaun Moore added 19 points, and Jrue Holiday and Ian Clark contributed 14 points apiece.

Jordan Clarkson scored 24 points off the bench to lead the Lakers (1-2). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made his Lakers debut and started at shooting guard after he was suspended the first two games. He finished with 20 points.

"What I'm most proud about with Jordan is he's sticking with it because he was struggling in training camp, he was struggling in the preseason," Lakers coach Luke Walton said.

Kyle Kuzma scored 20 for Los Angeles, and Lonzo Ball had eight points, eight rebounds, 13 assists and five turnovers.

Walton was searching for a combination that would put pressure on the Pelicans, and he found it late in the third quarter with Clarkson, Kuzma, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.

Kuzma and Clarkson combined for all the points in a 9-0 run that got the Lakers back within 11 at the start of the fourth.

"I know Luke and I know the (Lakers), and this is not a team that will ever quit," said Gentry, who was an assistant coach with Walton on the Golden State Warriors during the 2014-15 season.

Randle scored off an offensive rebound on the first possession of the final quarter to get the Lakers back within single digits for the first time since the final minute of the first quarter. Clarkson's 3-pointer with 9:35 left pulled Los Angeles within four points, and Hart's layup gave the Lakers their first lead at 99-98 with 7:54 remaining.

The Lakers stretched the lead to five and were still ahead 110-106 after Randle scored on a dunk with 4:16 left, but the Pelicans followed with an 11-0 run, and the Lakers couldn't get back to a one-possession game.

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Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) battles New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) for a loose ball during the fourth quarter at Staples Center. Left is New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23). The Pelican hung on for a 119-112 win. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

"I was just searching for a lineup," Walton said. "I was just going up and down the bench looking for guys that were going to play at that level. We had some guys tonight that I didn't think they were mentally or physically ready for it. I kept making subs, trying to find a group of guys that were going to compete the way that we want to compete."

The Lakers, who missed their first five shots in their last home game on Thursday, missed their first eight against the Pelicans and 10 of 11 to fall behind 10-3. New Orleans took its biggest lead of the opening quarter at 34-22 on Tony Allen's fastbreak layup off a missed shot by Los Angeles with 29 seconds left.

Gentry earned his 400th victory as an NBA coach, becoming the 45th coach to reach that milestone. He was prouder of his players for getting their first win of the season, however.

"At the end of the day, I told our guys anytime you get a win on the road, that's a good win," Gentry said.

NOTES: New Orleans PG Jameer Nelson made his team debut with 5:35 left in the first quarter and finished with five points and five assists. Nelson agreed to terms with the Pelicans on Saturday, and the 13-year veteran drove four hours from Philadelphia to New York to catch a six-hour flight to Los Angeles. Nelson spent the past two seasons playing with the Denver Nuggets but was waived before the start of this season. He averaged 9.2 points and 5.1 assists last season. ... Lakers C Ivica Zubac was active for the first time this season and did not play. He is the tallest player on the Los Angeles roster at 7-foot-1.

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