Trey Murphy scored 27 points and the New Orleans Pelicans held off the Los Angeles Clippers for the second night in a row, prevailing 105-99 on Thursday night in the Smoothie King Center.
Saddiq Bey scored 20 points, Zion Williamson had 15, Yves Missi had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Herb Jones scored 11 for the Pelicans (25-46), who won their seventh straight home game, including their 124-109 win 24 hours earlier.
Derrick Jones scored 22, John Collins had 18, Bogdan Bogdanovich scored 16, Isaiah Jackson had 13 and Jordan Miller added 11 to lead the Clippers (34-36), who lost their fourth straight.
Three key players did not play because of injury management as the teams completed a back-to-back. The Pelicans played without guard Dejounte Murray (returning from right Achilles surgery), who had 17 points and 11 assists in Wednesday’s game.
The Clippers played without leading scorer Kawhi Leonard (left ankle sprain), who had 25 points and eight rebounds Wednesday, and without point guard Darius Garland (left toe), who had 13 points and six assists Wednesday.
Bey scored the Pelicans’ first eight points of the third quarter as they increased their three-point halftime lead to 63-57. The Clippers briefly took a one-point lead, but Bey had seven points and added an assist on Derik Queen’s 3-pointer as New Orleans took a 79-74 lead.
L.A scored the next seven points to take a two-point lead, but Jordan Poole made a 3-pointer and Williamson scored the Pelicans’ final five points as they took an 87-84 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Clippers scored the first five points of the fourth quarter while New Orleans failed to score for more than five minutes. Bey’s free throws ended the drought and Williamson’s putback produced the Pelicans’ first field goal after more than six minutes, triggering a 9-0 run for a 100-94 lead with 4:14 remaining.
L.A. got within three, but Jones fed Williamson for a dunk, Murphy made two free throws and Williamson added one free throw for a 105-97 lead with 1:17 left.
The lead changed hands six times during the first quarter and the fourth tie was broken by Jeremiah Fears’ basket from the lane, giving New Orleans a 28-26 lead at the end of the period.
The score was tied six more times during the first 7½ minutes of the second quarter before Murphy’s jumper gave the Pelicans a 45-43 lead. They increased the lead to as many as six points before holding a 55-52 halftime lead.