Quincy Pondexter scored a career-high 25 points and the New Orleans Pelicans won their third straight, 102-96 over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Pondexter surpassed his previous high of 22 points by hitting his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 49.9 seconds left to all but seal the victory by giving New Orleans an eight-point cushion.
Tyreke Evans had 15 points and 11 assists for the Pelicans, who won their second straight without All-Star Anthony Davis in the lineup. Omer Asik had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Dante Cunningham added 13 points, Norris Cole 11 and Alexis Ajinca 10 for the Pelicans, who overcame 20 turnovers by shooting 51.4 percent.
Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Thaddeus Young added 19 for Brooklyn.
Jarrett Jack, who had missed Brooklyn's past two games with a sore left hamstring, scored 15 points against his former team. Brook Lopez also scored 15 for the Nets.
New Orleans was clinging to an 83-82 lead early in the fourth quarter when Luke Babbitt's 3 ignited a 10-0 run. Babbitt hit a second 3 during the surge, which ended with Evans' reverse layup.
The Nets were able to trim the lead to five before Pondexter's decisive 3, after which he pounded his chest three times.
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Brooklyn held numerous key statistical advantages, outscoring New Orleans 52-42 in the paint, 16-9 on second-chance points, and 16-12 on fast break points.
But New Orleans combined for 11 3s and outrebounded the Nets, 43-37.
The Nets also opened the game looking more like tourists coming off a long night on Bourbon Street, missing 13 of their first 15 shots while also turning the ball over four times.
That helped New Orleans take an early 15-4 lead, and also helped Asik grab seven rebounds in the first seven minutes.
But the Nets snapped out of their early funk, hitting 15 of their next 24 shots while not turning the ball over once during that span.
Lopez and Young both wound up with double-digit points in the half, and Young's 3 gave the Nets a brief 44-43 lead late in the second quarter.
Gordon then responded with his second 3 to put New Orleans back in the lead, and the Pelicans led 53-50 at halftime.
TIP-INS:
Nets: Markel Brown made his second career start in his home state. Brown is from Pineville, Louisiana, which is in the central part of the state. He had family and friends in the stands, and treated them to a 360-spin and dunk on a breakaway in the first quarter. ... Young banked in a free throw early in the game and could be seen chuckling to himself.
Pelicans: Asik was called for traveling in the first quarter when he appeared to take five steps without dribbling on a drive toward the hoop before tossing up a running hook. The call was obvious enough that it evoked laughter, not boos, from the home crowd. ... Pondexter scored 11 of his points in the first quarter. ... Pondexter, who was wearing a microphone for FOX Sports, was assessed a technical foul for arguing an official's charging call against Evans in the third quarter.
UP NEXT:
Nets: Visit Houston on Friday night.
Pelicans: Host Miami on Friday night.
