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Jonas Valanciunas added 17 points and 12 rebounds as the
ninth-place Pelicans (34-43) moved three games ahead of the 11th
place Lakers (31-46) and two games ahead of the 10th-place San
Antonio Spurs (32-45).
Places 7 through 10 in each conference advance to a play-in
tournament, with two winners from each conference joining the
main field in the NBA playoffs.
Despite the return from injury of both Anthony Davis and LeBron
James, the Lakers lost their fifth consecutive game as their
hopes of playing at the conclusion of the regular season
continued to fade.
Davis produced 23 points and 12 rebounds in 37 minutes after
missing the past 18 games due to a mid-foot sprain. James, who
sat out three of the previous four games with an ankle sprain,
compiled 38 points and eight rebounds in 40 minutes.
The Lakers had a prime chance to gain ground on the Pelicans
over the last week, but the Friday loss came after a 116-108
defeat at New Orleans on Sunday.
Davis and James both were game-time decisions for Lakers coach
Frank Vogel, but both were in the starting lineup. The Pelicans
led 30-25 after one quarter before Los Angeles held New Orleans
to 20 points in the second quarter, leading to a 50-all tie at
halftime.
James had 21 points in the third quarter alone, his highest for
a single quarter this season, as Los Angeles took an 87-86 lead.
New Orleans trailed 98-92 with 8:17 to play before cutting into
the deficit and then going up 112-108 with 1:57 remaining.
The Lakers pulled within 112-111 on a 3-pointer by Avery Bradley
with 16.5 seconds remaining, but two free throws by McCollum put
the Pelicans up by three with 9.4 seconds left. James missed a
3-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied the game.
The Lakers' Carmelo Anthony was out because of a non-COVID
illness.
--Field Level Media
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