Davis, Rondo power Pelicans past Spurs
NEW ORLEANS — The chemistry between Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo continue blossoming to spectacular effect, infusing the New Orleans Pelicans with confidence as they head into the playoffs on a resounding five-game winning streak.
"When he's going, he's got a high motor, pushing the basketball," Davis said of Rondo. "If we want shots, we have to run with him. He's making sure we're making the effort to get back into the offense and get some assists for him."
Davis had 22 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks and three steals, Rondo had 19 points and 14 assists and the Pelicans assured themselves no worse than the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 122-98 victory over San Antonio on Wednesday night (Thursday Manila time).
Rondo set up all three of Davis' dunks — including a soaring roundhouse jam on a cut to the basket in the first half and a reverse alley-oop in the fourth quarter that drove the crowd wild with delight.
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LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker and Dejounte Murray each scored 11 points for the Spurs, who were already playoff bound but went to the locker room after their loss in New Orleans knowing they'd be at best a seventh seed, and that's where they ended up. With his team struggling to keep pace with the Pelicans, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich pulled his regulars early in the fourth quarter, limiting all of his key players to fewer than 30 minutes on the court.
Popovich didn't sound at all concerned about whether his club entered the playoffs with momentum.
"I think that is all psycho-babble," he said. "We have been on both ends of everything for all of these years, so, you just go play."
Spurs veterans also downplayed their late-season stumbles, which included an eight-game road losing streak.
"We got in and now it is time to fine-tune things and try to get better," Aldridge said. "There is no pressure on us, so we've just got go play and be better and just be locked in."
Nikola Mirotic had 21 points and 15 rebounds, Jrue Holiday added 19 points and E'Twaun Moore added 13 points for the Pelicans, who led by double-digits throughout the second half, with their largest lead topping out at 25.
The Pelicans finished with 78 points in the paint and shot 59.1 percent (52 of 88). New Orleans also had 32 points on fast breaks, compared to 17 for the Spurs.
"In transition, with Rondo leading us, and A.D. running the floor, and we got E'Twaun on the wing and Niko shooting 3s — I feel like we've got a pretty good chance," Holiday said.
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