[ad_1]
CJ McCollum scored a season-high 30 points while backups Larry Nance Jr. provided a season-high 30 points. And Jose Alvarado made key contributions to thrill New Orleans over Memphis 113-102 in Tuesday’s NBA game.
McCollum shot 11 of 23 shots from the floor, 7 of 13 from 3-point range, and caught nine passes as the Pelicans improved to 8-6, behind Memphis (9-6) in the Western Conference.
Read also | FIFA President Gianni Infantino expects five billion to watch FIFA Qatar Globalism 2022 cup
“I just tried to be aggressive, take chances,” said McCollum, who had 22 points in the second half. “I’ve been in the gym a lot trying to work on my fundamentals and my shooting discipline and tonight I carried it over.”
“I had so many great looks all season, and I didn’t drop them. I just wanted to focus on work and it paid off.”
Ja Morant scored a game-high 36 points to lead Memphis, but when he went to the bench late in the third quarter, with the Grizzlies leading 86-85, the Pelicans seized the lead.
New Orleans went on a 15-5 run with Morant’s break and extended the surge to 19-5 for a 104-91 edge with 6:12 remaining, Alvarado scored five on the run and Nance and McCollum added four each.
Nance finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots while Alvarado had 12 points and six assists.
The Pelicans, among the worst three-point shooters in the NBA, went 18 out of 38 from outside the arc, aided by guidance from coach Willie Green and a confident drive to the hoop to draw in defenders and set up passes out when no shot would develop.
“The coach focused on the easy early pass, making sure the players have a willingness to shoot,” McCollum said. “The guys have been in the gym a lot and work on catching and shooting on the three, and we shot them tonight.”
“All the times we make our way to the paint we have to trust our judgment. It is a credit to players who make the right pass and make the right play.”
Memphis forward Yaren Jackson Jr. made his season debut after undergoing right foot surgery following the 2022 playoffs, contributing seven points, six rebounds and five blocked shots.
Swan star star Zion Williamson missed the game with a bruise on his right foot.
The Grizzlies have been without guard Desmond Bean, for up to three weeks with a sprained right big toe.
Mavericks Edge Clippers
And in Dallas, Luka Doncic scored match-highs of 35 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Mavericks over the Los Angeles Clippers 103-101.
Reggie Bullock’s consecutive three-pointers put the Mavericks ahead 99-93 with 91 seconds to play.
Nicholas Batum answered with a 3-pointer for the Clippers and Paul George added a layup to put the visitors within 99-98 with 51 seconds remaining.
Doncic sank a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining to extend the Dallas lead to 102-98. George answered a layup with 18 seconds to play, and Bullock only threw 1 of 2 with 7.3 seconds to play to make it 103-100.
The Mavs missed Batum and made a free throw and then missed another, but Dallas grabbed the rebound and ran out the final seconds.
George Clippers topped with 23 points and Batum 22, while Dorian Vinnie Smith added 21 for Dallas.
New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 25 points and had eight assists as the Knicks beat Utah 118-111.
And Terence Davis came off the bench, scoring 31 points and grabbing nine rebounds to lead the Sacramento Kings at Brooklyn’s expense 153-121. Kevin Durant scored 27 goals for the net in a lost cause.
The Kings have scored the most goals in any game since 1993 and the most by any team in an NBA game that season.
Jerami Grant scored 29 points as the Portland Trail Blazers beat San Antonio 117-110.
Read all files The latest sports news over here
[ad_2]
Source link
