Pelicans push past Mavericks

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) guards Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic (77) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) guards Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic (77) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld)

NEW ORLEANS-Julius Randle had 27 points and 18 rebounds and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Dallas Mavericks 132-106 on Wednesday night.

Anthony Davis had 27 points, a career-high nine assists and five blocks despite twisting his ankle and briefly leaving the court for treatment after stepping on Dorian Finney-Smith's foot.

Jrue Holiday had 17 points and four steals for New Orleans, which largely controlled the contest while winning for just the third time in nine games.

Harrison Barnes had 16 points and Wesley Matthews 15 for the Mavericks, who came in having won five of six but had trouble with the Pelicans' up-tempo pace while playing one night after beating Portland at home.

J.J. Barea scored 14 points, and Dwight Powell added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Dallas, which also was short-handed as usual starting guard Dennis Smith Jr. sat out with a sprained right wrist.

E'Twaun Moore scored 17 points in a reserve role, and New Orleans never trailed after his 20-foot jumper put the Pelicans up 32-31 at the end of the first quarter.

Running the floor relentlessly, and effectively after many of the Mavs' 18 turnovers, the Pelicans scored 60 points in the paint and 29 on fast breaks.

New Orleans led by 16 at halftime, by as many as 25 in the third quarter and 29 in the fourth.

 

Warriors 129, Cavaliers 105

CLEVELAND-Stephen Curry made nine 3-pointers and scored 42 points, Kevin Durant added 25 and the Golden State Warriors came back to face a very different looking Cleveland team for the first time since winning another NBA title, and beat the Cavaliers 129-105 on Wednesday night.

Curry scored nine points in less than a minute midway through the fourth quarter to help the Warriors pull away for their eighth straight over their former Finals rivals.

photo

Austin Capps

Curry added nine rebounds, seven assists and appears completely healed after missing 11 games with a strained groin. Durant had 10 rebounds and nine assists.

It was Golden State's first visit to Cleveland since June, when the Warriors completed a sweep to win their third championship in four years.

Nothing looked the same.

The Cavaliers lost LeBron James over the summer as a free agent and are starting from scratch after a four-year run as Eastern Conference champions. Cleveland also is playing without injured All-Star Kevin Love, forward J.R. Smith is on a forced hiatus and the team recently traded Kyle Korver.

Tristan Thompson, one of the only holdovers from those powerful Cleveland teams, had 19 rebounds and 14 points. Rookie Collin Sexton scored 20 points for Cleveland.

 

Nuggets 124, Magic 118 OT

ORLANDO, Fla.-Jamal Murray scored 31 points and Denver shut down Orlando in overtime for its seventh straight victory.

After Terence Ross tied it for Orlando with a 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets outscored the Magic 9-2 until Nikola Vucevic dunked for the Magic's first field goal of the overtime session with just 1:04 left.

Paul Millsap added 18 points for Denver, and center Nikola Jokic had 12 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists. Evan Fournier led Orlando with 26 points before fouling out in overtime. Nikola Vucevic added 24 points and 15 rebounds.

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