NEW ORLEANS (Dispatches) - The fourth quarter, and frankly much of the night in New Orleans, belonged to none other than Lonzo Ball on Tuesday night. In a game that the New Orleans Pelicans needed in the absolute worst way, the UCLA product took over to lead the way with a career-high 33 points and a number of monumental buckets down the stretch.
When the dust settled, New Orleans picked up a 108-103 win over Golden State in their second matchup against the Warriors in as many days. The Pelicans kept their play-in hopes alive for the moment, as they now sit two games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the final spot in the tournament.
Down four points entering the fourth, New Orleans finally played like a team fighting for their lives. Second chance points, scrappy defense, and some magic from Ball were all part of the winning formula. The Pelicans comeback also came without Brandon Ingram and Steven Adams on the floor, as Jaxson Hayes stepped up on the interior and Ball did the bulk of the scoring. While Stephen Curry finished with 37 points, it was in inefficient 37 for the best shooter in the world. He finished just 13-31 as the Pelicans did a much better job on the perimeter defensively.