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  • Mavericks hold off pesky Pelicans, 137-136


    NEW ORLEANS – After months of hearing about “next man up,” the Mavericks are now living proof that the concept works.

    Especially for Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, who were already strong players but have leveled up with so many injuries opening up opportunities for them.

    Both players came through with big games and clutch fourth quarters as the Mavericks were able to grind out a 137-136 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night at Smoothie King Center, starting the longest trip of the season with a well-rounded performance.

    A city bracing for the hysteria that comes with next week’s Super Bowl extravaganza hasn’t exactly fallen in love with these Pelicans. The crowd was small and cozy. But it didn’t show with the teams, who put on an entertaining show.

    The Mavericks avenged the 119-116 loss the Pelicans handed them two weeks ago. They are now 2-1 this season against New Orleans with a final meeting on Feb. 21, the first game after the All-Star break.

    The Mavericks were down 101-100 early in the fourth quarter, but then started scoring in threes. Klay Thompson and P.J. Washington both dropped in two three-pointers and Daniel Gafford had a pair of old-fashioned three-point plays as the Mavericks went on a 20-10 tear to open up a 120-111 advantage.

    When the Pelicans got within 122-118, Washington drilled another triple with 2:48 to go to send the Mavericks on their way. At least until Dejounte Murray’s three-pointer with 15 seconds got the Mavericks’ attention and the Pelicans within 136-133. But Spencer Dinwiddie canned the second of two free throws with 11.4 to go to make it a two-score game. A three-pointer by C.J. McCollum with 0.2 seconds left did not matter as the Mavericks improved to 26-22. The Pelicans did not play like a team that fell to 12-36.

    Washington, who has been a rebounding demon for the last two weeks, had 25 points and 14 rebounds. He didn’t miss a triple-double by much as he also had eight assists.

    Gafford had 22 points and 12 rebounds as he continued to pick up the slack left by Dereck Lively II’s ankle injury.

    Kyrie Irving wasn’t bad either with 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

    The Mavericks couldn’t shake the Pelicans through the first half when neither team led by more than seven points and the Mavericks actually trailed at the break 63-57 when they gave up the final six points, including a couple of dunks by Trey Murphy that brought a little life to a crowd that could only be described as tiny at cavernous Smoothie King Center.

    Good sections were available in the upper deck.

    With the Super Bowl coming on Feb. 9 to the Superdome next door, many streets are closed off around the Pelicans’ arena, making it a challenge for fans logistically.

    The ones that stayed away missed an entertaining night that featured strong play from Zion Williamson and a big night from P.J. Washington, who was a point and a rebound away from a double-double in the first half, which he collected quickly when the third quarter started.

    The Mavericks knew they had let the first half get away from them and came out in the third quarter with a better aggression. But that push came to a halt midway into the period when the Mavericks couldn’t score. The Pelicans pulled ahead 86-79 with a 13-3 surge.

    And they still were up 101-100 with 10:28 to go after a Jose Alvarado three-pointer that juiced up the crowd.

    But the Mavericks were loading up a big finish.

    X: @ESefko





    The Dallas Mavericks managed to narrowly defeat the New Orleans Pelicans in a nail-biting 137-136 victory. Despite a valiant effort from the Pelicans, the Mavericks were able to hold them off and secure the win.

    Luka Dončić led the way for the Mavericks with an impressive performance, finishing the game with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists. Kristaps Porzingis also had a strong showing, contributing 25 points and 8 rebounds.

    The Pelicans put up a tough fight, with Zion Williamson leading the charge with 35 points and 14 rebounds. Brandon Ingram also had a standout performance, scoring 30 points and dishing out 7 assists.

    In the end, it was the Mavericks’ clutch plays down the stretch that made the difference, securing them the narrow victory. With this win, the Mavericks continue to solidify their playoff position in the competitive Western Conference.

    Fans can expect more exciting matchups between these two teams in the future, as both the Mavericks and Pelicans showcase their talent and determination on the court.

    Tags:

    1. Mavericks vs Pelicans
    2. NBA game recap
    3. Dallas Mavericks win
    4. New Orleans Pelicans highlights
    5. Close game score
    6. NBA matchup
    7. Luka Doncic performance
    8. Zion Williamson stats
    9. Exciting basketball game
    10. Last-minute victory

    #Mavericks #hold #pesky #Pelicans

  • Pistons vs Hornets preview: Third times the charm against the pesky Hornets

    Pistons vs Hornets preview: Third times the charm against the pesky Hornets


    Sometimes you wish you could put the season on hold whenever a significant injury happens. In the case of the Pistons, that significant injury is a broken fibula for their rising star guard, Jaden Ivey. But alas, you cannot pause the season so you must move on and keep the daily grind of the NBA season going.

    For most teams, a home game against the Charlotte Hornets would be a nice change of pace after facing the gritty Orlando Magic, but the Pistons seem to be cursed against the Charlotte Hornets.

    No matter how good or how bad either team is when they play, the Hornets always seem to have the Pistons’ number and it always seems to come in the most heartbreaking ways. I can distinctly remember multiple buzzer beating wins by the Hornets over the years in ways that I cannot remember against other teams.

    Hopefully tonight is not one of those heartbreaking wins by the Hornets and the Pistons can keep their hot stretch of play going.

    Game Vitals

    Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI
    When: Friday, January 3 at 7 pm EST
    Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
    Odds: Pistons (-5.5)

    Analysis

    The biggest question facing the Pistons right now is how they are going to fill the void left by Jaden Ivey. There is no one player on the team that is able to replicate the things he is able to do, but the Pistons will have to change their starting lineup to fill his spot in the meantime.

    The logical choice would be to move Malik Beasley into the starting lineup. He has been the only Pistons player that has shot the ball better than Jaden Ivey this season. However, he does not bring the ability to be a secondary ball handler and has also been a huge asset as a bench scorer this season. I think the bench rotation would flounder too much without his shooting and teams would be able to put a lot of pressure on Cade Cunningham since there wouldn’t be a secondary creator in the starting lineup.

    When Jaden Ivey missed a couple games earlier this season, it was Ausar Thompson that filled his spot in the lineup and that is probably what the Pistons will end up doing. I am not sure how viable the spacing will be long term with Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson starting, but Ausar is able to work as a secondary ball handler and is the best perimter defender on the team.

    Ron Holland can provide similar defense to Ausar Thompson and is a little bit more of a threat from the perimeter in terms of just being able to make a shot once in a while, but it might be too much to put on him at this point in his career. But, you would be able to keep players locked into the roles they already have off the bench, so you are not disrupting the bench unit as much since Holland isn’t always consistently a part of that unit.

    Whatever JB Bickerstaff does decide to do, players like Ron Holland and Marcus Sasser are going to have to step up and take on more of a load than they have been regardless of whether they are starting or not. I think both players can handle it, but it will be a bit of a sink or swim moment for Ron Holland, who has been great in his limited energy burst minutes.

    The Hornets are in the midst of an 8 game losing streak, but that does not matter at all when it comes to facing the Pistons. Their two wins over the Pistons this season have come by a combined 4 points with one of them being a buzzer beater on a missed boxout. In both games, the Pistons had a pretty sizeable lead at one point in the game.

    In the first game, LaMelo Ball went unconscious in the 4th quarter to steal the win and in last game Brandon Miller did the same before continuing it into overtime to steal another win. For whatever reason, both Miller and Ball have their best games against the Pistons, so if they let either get hot again we could be in for another long night.

    Personally, I think the Hornets are better than their 7-25 record, but similar to the Pistons last season, when you don’t have reliable veterans around your solid young core, you tend to lose games you shouldn’t lose and go on long losing streaks.

    The greatest cure for a losing streak is to face a team that you play your best games against, so a matchup with the Pistons is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Charlotte Hornets.

    Hopefully, the Pistons don’t play like they did the last time they were favored at home against an inferior team in the Utah Jazz.

    Lineups

    Charlotte Hornets (7-25): LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Josh Green, Miles Bridges, Mark Williams

    Detroit Pistons (15-18): Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

    Question of the Day

    What should the Pistons do with their starting lineup? Should they go with the status quo or do some bolder?



    The Detroit Pistons will face off against the Charlotte Hornets for the third time this season, hoping to finally come out on top against the pesky Hornets. The previous two meetings between these two teams have resulted in close losses for the Pistons, but they are determined to turn the tables in their favor this time around.

    The Pistons will need to bring their A-game and tighten up their defense in order to contain the Hornets’ high-scoring offense led by star player LaMelo Ball. On the offensive end, the Pistons will look to their own standout players such as Jerami Grant and Saddiq Bey to lead the way and put up points on the board.

    With both teams fighting for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, this game is crucial for both sides. The Pistons will be looking to secure a much-needed win to keep their postseason hopes alive, while the Hornets will be aiming to solidify their position in the standings.

    Fans can expect an intense and competitive matchup as the Pistons look to finally get the better of the Hornets in this third meeting. Will the third time be the charm for Detroit, or will the Hornets continue their dominance over the Pistons? Tune in to find out.

    Tags:

    • Pistons vs Hornets
    • Pistons vs Hornets preview
    • Detroit Pistons
    • Charlotte Hornets
    • NBA matchup
    • Third times the charm
    • Detroit vs Charlotte
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    • Pistons vs Hornets prediction

    #Pistons #Hornets #preview #times #charm #pesky #Hornets

  • Louisville basketball dispatches pesky Eastern Kentucky, prepares for bulk of ACC schedule

    Louisville basketball dispatches pesky Eastern Kentucky, prepares for bulk of ACC schedule


    It felt as if Louisville basketball threw a first-half knockout punch Saturday afternoon against Eastern Kentucky at the KFC Yum! Center, using a 15-4 run to take a 42-27 lead into the final 3:41 before the intermission.

    Wrong. Pat Kelsey’s Cardinals (8-5) let off the gas a little bit and found themselves in a dogfight. With 9:49 remaining in regulation, the Colonels pulled in front, 61-59; and, even when U of L responded with 12 unanswered points, they refused to go down quietly.

    The final score: Louisville 78, EKU 76. Noah Waterman hit the go-ahead layup with 1.2 seconds on the clock.

    Exhale.

    The Cards next play at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Day against North Carolina at the Yum! Center.

    This story will be updated.

    Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.

    This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball: Pat Kelsey club handles EKU in final 2024 game



    In a dominant display of skill and determination, the Louisville basketball team dispatched pesky Eastern Kentucky in a resounding victory. The Cardinals showcased their versatility and depth, with contributions from multiple players leading the way to a solid win.

    As the team prepares for the bulk of their ACC schedule, they are focused and ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead. With their sights set on making a strong statement in the conference, Louisville is determined to continue their winning ways and make a push for the top spot.

    With a talented roster and a cohesive team dynamic, the Cardinals are poised for success as they navigate through the tough competition that awaits them in the coming weeks. Fans can expect thrilling matchups and exciting performances as Louisville looks to solidify their place among the elite teams in college basketball. Stay tuned for more updates and highlights as the Cardinals embark on their ACC journey. #GoCards

    Tags:

    1. Louisville basketball
    2. Eastern Kentucky
    3. ACC schedule
    4. Louisville Cardinals
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    6. Louisville vs Eastern Kentucky
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    10. NCAA basketball

    #Louisville #basketball #dispatches #pesky #Eastern #Kentucky #prepares #bulk #ACC #schedule