New York Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans Box Score on Dec 30, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 30, 2017

NEW ORLEANS -- Jarrett Jack made two free throws with 9.1 seconds left and Kristaps Porzingis scored seven of his team-high 30 points in a critical late-game stretch to lift the New York Knicks to a 105-103 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night at the Smoothie King Center.

The Knicks, who won for just the third time on the road this season, erased an eight-point deficit in the final three minutes.

The Pelicans led 99-91, but Porzingis scored seven consecutive points to get the Knicks (18-18) back in the game. Anthony Davis' 3-pointer at the buzzer was no good for New Orleans (18-18).

New Orleans was led by Davis, who scored 31 points, and by DeMarcus Cousins, who had 29 points and 19 rebounds.

The Pelicans ran off the first eight points of the fourth quarter, as New York missed its first seven shots, to take an 86-79 lead. Jrue Holiday used his size against the Knicks smaller guard, Ron Baker and Frank Ntilikina, to score twice on layups.

The Knicks responded with an 8-2 run, including a spinning layup by little-used Joakim Noah, to move within 88-87 with 6:35 left.

Rajon Rondo sandwiched a half-court assist to Davis with a driving layup and a 15-foot jumper to put New Orleans on top 94-89 with 4:29 left.

The Pelicans led 99-91, but New York tied the score with a 10-2 run, the last five points coming on a 3-pointer from the right corner by Porzingis and a dunk with 1:02 left that made it 101-101.

Porzingis hit an open 16-footer for a 103-101 New York lead, but Cousins tied it again by drawing a foul on Porzingis and making both free throws with 27.4 seconds left.

Jack then drew a foul on Holiday while driving through the lane and made both free throws, putting New York up 105-103 with 9.1 seconds left.

Davis scored 14 third-quarter points to spark a 20-8 New Orleans run that cut a double-digit deficit to 79-78 entering the fourth quarter.

Davis also picked up a fourth foul on Porzingis a strong move to the basket that sent the Knicks center to the bench. The Pelicans outscored New York 33-23 in the quarter.

Porzingis scored 15 first-half points on 6-of-11 shooting and Michael Beasley added 11 points in just 10 minutes to lift the Knicks to a 56-45 halftime lead.

The 7-foot-3 Porzingis frequently esd matched up against guards on pick-and-rolls.

The Pelicans continued their cold shooting from the perimeter, making just 2 of 14 3-pointers in the first half after going 8 of 31 in a 128-120 loss to Dallas on Friday night.

Cousins and Anthony combined for 29 points and 17 rebounds in the first half, but the Pelicans' bench was missing in action, getting outscored 30-8 by the Knicks' reserves.

NOTES: New Orleans C DeMarcus Cousins has three games this season in which he has scored at least 30 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, which makes him the first player since Kevin Love in 2010-11 to do so. Cousins had 32 points, 20 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks in a 128-120 loss to Dallas on Friday night. ... Six of the Pelicans' next eight games are on the road. ... The Knicks improved to 3-12 on the road. ... Knicks G Ron Baker received three stitches after catching an inadvertent elbow from Anthony Davis in the first half.