Brooklyn Nets vs New Orleans Pelicans Box Score on Dec 27, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 27, 2017

NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Davis scored a team-high 33 points, DeMarcus Cousins had 27 points and 14 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo dished out a career-high 25 assists to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 128-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night at the Smoothie King Center.

Jrue Holiday added 23 points and E'Twaun Moore had 20 for the Pelicans (18-16), who won their third consecutive game. The Nets (12-22) lost for the seventh time in eight games. Brooklyn was led by Caris LeVert with 22 points.

Davis also had a season-high six blocks and tied a career high with four made 3-pointers.

Continuing their 3-point barrage, the Pelicans expanded their lead to 91-58 late in the third quarter. By the time Cousins made his second 3-pointer of the game, New Orleans was 14 of 23 from long range. The Nets tried to make a game of it when the Pelicans sent both Davis and Cousins to the bench, closing the half on a 17-0 run to cut the deficit to 91-75.

But when the Pelicans reinserted their starters, they put the game away with a 15-5 run to start the fourth quarter for a 106-80 lead.

The Pelicans took good care of the ball in the first half, committing four turnovers and taking a 69-46 lead into the locker room. Davis and Cousins combined for 35 points, point guard Rajon Rondo had 11 assists and the Pelicans shot 11-of-18 from 3-point range.

The Pelicans had 21 assists overall on 24 made baskets.

The Nets, playing the back end of a back-to-back, looked sluggish. They trailed only 31-23 after one quarter, but New Orleans used a 20-6 run in the first five minutes of the second quarter to build. 22-point lead. Davis had nine points and Darius Miller eight in that run.

Hollis-Jefferson scored a team-high 11 points in the first half, and Quincy Acy added 10 for Brooklyn.

NOTES: New Orleans has four of its next seven games at home, and only two of those opponents have winning records. "I think our guys understand what's ahead of us right now," New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. ... Gentry said G Ian Clark, who scored a team-high 19 points in a victory over Miami on Saturday, has remained ready despite limited playing time. "I just think it's opportunity," Gentry said. "I said to someone the other night it's really tough for a guy when he's not in the rotation and he may or may not not play. The thing about Ian is that he's an unbelievable pro. He works at it and he's prepared. He comes in every day as if he's going to play." ... Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said he was humbled by the positive comments San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich had about the direction of the franchise. "We aspire to have a similar culture, but that's a tough task," he said.