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Pelicans 105, Heat 95
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
NEW ORLEANS — Forward Anthony Davis scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds — his eighth consecutive game of scoring at least 28 points — to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 105-95 victory over the Miami Heat Saturday night at the Smoothie King Center.
In snapping a five-game losing streak to the Heat, the Pelicans (29-40) outscored Miami 16-6 in the first 5:37 of the fourth quarter to build a 92-78 lead. They extended the lead to 100-84 on guard Tyreke Evans’ 18-foot jumper with 3:54 left.
In the last eight games, Davis has averaged 32.5 points and 13.4 rebounds. He is the first player in franchise history to have three consecutive games of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.
Miami (47-21) lost for the seventh time in its last 11 games. Forward LeBron James led the Heat with 25 points, and point guard Mario Chalmers added 19, but the Pelicans were able to finish off the game.
There was a scary moment for James late in the third quarter. He drove left past Davis in the lane but appeared to step with his right foot on the foot of center Chris Andersen and went down in a heap, holding his right ankle. After a timeout, James limped to the other end of the court but remained in the game and finished out the fourth quarter.
The Pelicans made four of six from 3-point range in the third quarter — two by forward Luke Babbitt — to take a 76-72 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Heat trailed 38-30 with 4:14 left in the first half, but they scored eight straight points to tie the game and trailed 45-43 at halftime. They also made their final six shots of the half.
James hit an off-balance 18-foot jumper at the buzzer to cut the New Orleans lead to two, and he finished the half with 10 points. Forward Michael Beasley came off the bench to lead Miami with 12 first-half points, but the Heat struggled to run their offense efficiently, committing 11 first-half turnovers.
Davis looked a bit too amped up early in the game, missing his first two mid-range jumpers and four of his first six shots before settling down to lead the Pelicans with 14 points in the half. He had a dunk and a 15-footer in the final 70 seconds of the half to keep New Orleans in front.
The Pelicans’ backcourt shot a combined eight of 23 in the first half, including Evans, who was three of 10 despite taking no shot longer than four feet.
NOTES: G Dwayne Wade (knee) and C Greg Oden sat out for the Heat. G Toney Douglas replaced Wade in the starting lineup. Wade played in 50 of Miami’s 68 games this season. … SG Ray Allen averaged 18.6 points in his last five games. “Ray’s been terrific,” said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. “He understands what time of year it is. He understands we’re trying to push to a different level, a more consistent level. He’s leading by example. We’ve needed that boost off the bench.” … The Pelicans were without SG Eric Gordon (left knee tendinitis). … In the absence of PG Jrue Holiday, G Tyreke Evans has been playing more lead guard for the Pelicans. That was his position as a rookie at Sacramento.
