Sports

Pelicans complete Blazers sweep

April 22, 2018
New Orleans Pelicans’ guard Jrue Holiday leaps to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers’ center Jusuf Nurkic during Game 4 of the NBA playoffs at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans Saturday. — Reuters
New Orleans Pelicans’ guard Jrue Holiday leaps to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers’ center Jusuf Nurkic during Game 4 of the NBA playoffs at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans Saturday. — Reuters

NEW ORLEANS — Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday combined to post one of the greatest duo performances in NBA history as the New Orleans Pelicans beat Portland 131-123 to sweep the Trail Blazers from the playoffs.

Davis delivered a franchise playoff-record 47 points and Holiday tallied 41 to equal the NBA record (88) for most points by a pair of teammates in a single playoff game as the host Pelicans eliminated Portland in four straight games.

“We put the ball in these guys’ hands and they delivered for us,” said Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo.

The 88 points allows them to join John Havlicek and Jo Jo White in the 1973 postseason and it beat Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s best total together by one point.

“Their stars really put on a show tonight,” said Blazers coach Terry Stotts.

The pair scored 28 of the Pelicans’ final 29 points in Saturday’s contest. Holiday nailed an 18-foot pull-up jumper that gave the Pelicans a six-point lead with 40 seconds remaining.

Rondo added 16 assists and Davis also had 11 rebounds and three blocks for New Orleans.

The Pelicans series sweep of the Trail Blazers moves them into the second round for only the second time since the NBA returned to the city 16 years ago.

C.J. McCollum led Portland with 38 points. Al-Farouq Aminu scored 27, Damian Lillard added 18 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Sixers 106, Heat 102: JJ Redick scored 24 points and Ben Simmons added a triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to carry Philadelphia past host Miami.

Simmons is the fifth rookie in NBA history with a triple-double in the playoffs and the first since Magic Johnson had five in 1980.

Joel Embiid had 14 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots and Dario Saric added 11 points as the Sixers took a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 25 points while Goran Dragic added 20. Game 5 will be Tuesday at Philadelphia.

Timberwolves 121, Rockets 105: Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague combined for 51 points, and Minnesota finally produced a terrific offensive performance to blow past visiting Houston.

The starting backcourt of Butler and Teague outplayed the Rockets’ tandem of James Harden and Chris Paul, helping the Timberwolves cut the series deficit to 2-1 with Game 4 Monday at Target Center. Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double-double (18 points and 16 rebounds) as Minnesota shot 50 percent and rode a 69-point second half to victory.

Harden paired 29 points with seven assists while grabbing seven boards. Chris Paul scored 17 with six assists. Ryan Anderson, in his first action since April 3 after recovering from a sprained ankle, added four 3-pointers for 12 points in 18 minutes off the bench.

Jazz 115, Thunder 102: Ricky Rubio recorded 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career postseason triple-double to lead Utah to a home victory over Oklahoma City. Game 4 is Monday at Salt Lake City.

Donovan Mitchell contributed 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Jazz took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round playoff series. Joe Ingles made five 3-pointers while scoring 21 points, Rudy Gobert added 18 points and 12 rebounds and Derrick Favors tallied 11 points.

Paul George led Oklahoma City with 23 points while Russell Westbrook made just 5 of 17 shots while producing 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton scored 14 points apiece. Westbrook committed eight of the Thunder’s 17 turnovers. — Agencies


April 22, 2018
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