Pelicans grind out 96-92 win over Pacers

Grinding it out. Finding a way. Minding the store with the regular season winding down. Reminding us all that this team is binding it all together at the right time.

The New Orleans Pelicans have become a much better basketball team by playing up-tempo, fast-paced ball in the second half of the season. In the process, they have become one of the top scoring teams in the league. It has been fun to watch.

Playing for the third time in four nights and for the second consecutive night, the Pelicans faced a huge challenge against fatigue and a good opponent in Indiana. New Orleans managed to overcome both Wednesday in impressive fashion.

After struggling all night on the offensive end, the Pelicans displayed championship form when it mattered most in a 96-92 win over the Pacers at Smoothie King Center in the make-up game from the famous leaky roof game of Feb. 7.

New Orleans scored on its last nine possessions to walk away with a victory over another team fighting hard for playoff position.

Just when it looked like the Pelicans would spring a leak in their playoff quest, they plugged the hole with force.

With 3:57 to play, the Pacers led 80-79.

Nikola Mirotic, who had missed his first seven 3-point attempts, swished his eighth attempt to give New Orleans an 82-80 lead and he hit another the next time down the floor to give the Pelicans an 85-82 lead with 3:09 remaining.

Darren Collison tied the game 87-87 on a three-point play with 1:49 to play but E’Twaun Moore, who was superb with 23 points, answered with a big basket with 1:24 to play.

Anthony Davis then took over, scoring six straight points. That included a huge put-back after the second of two missed free throws by Jrue Holiday to make it 93-87 with 15 seconds left. After missing his third straight free throw, Holiday put the game on ice with a made free throw with 2.1 seconds left.

Despite tired legs, Davis was great again, scoring 28 points on just 14 shots from the field. He had 13 rebounds and five blocked shots as he continues to lead the league in that department. Moore was 3-for-4 from 3-point range and was 10-for-15 from the field.

Holiday toughed it out, obviously less than 100 percent with flu-like symptoms. He played 33 minutes and scored 10 points with five assists. Mirotic had 15 points and six rebounds and Cheick Diallo continued his fine play with nine points and 10 rebounds in 20 minutes.

New Orleans was sluggish much of the night, a step slow, failing to win 50-50 balls and committing 18 turnovers with sloppy play. The Pelicans shot just 43 percent from the field. They yielded 15 offensive rebounds to Indiana and had a season low 15 assists.

The defense won it, holding the Pacers to under 37 percent shooting. That is perhaps the biggest takeaway.

Both teams defended well. Nothing came easy. Indiana is a physical, good, well coached team. New Orleans held Victor Oladipo to 21 points on 16 shots.

The win keeps the Pelicans fifth in the Western Conference. Up next are the Lakers, who are well rested, having not played since Monday night. The Lakers have lost three straight but are an improving team. They are likely to still be without Brandon Ingram, who averages 16.2 points per game. Ingram has missed the last nine games with a groin strain and he did not practice today.

Solomon Hill, who sat out against Indiana, will return to provide some key minutes against Los Angeles.

The Pelicans are 2-0 against the Lakers this season.

To remain in strong contention for a playoff spot and possible home court advantage in the first round, they have to make it 3-0 before hitting a very challenging four-game stretch at Houston and Cleveland and at home against Portland and Oklahoma City. It will be a grind. The Pelicans made it through the grinder tonight. It will be time to hit the rewind button Thursday.