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The New Orleans Pelicans trailed by as many as 21 points and fought back to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but mistakes ultimately cost the team as they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 107-100.
Minnesota led for nearly the entirety of the game but Jrue Holiday hit a free-throw line jumper to put New Orleans up, 96-94, with 4:40 to go.
But the Timberwolves answered with an 11-2 run to reclaim the lead as the Pelicans struggled to stop Minnesota. New Orleans gave up seven offensive rebounds in the final quarter and eight second-chance points.
There was one sequence where the Timberwolves picked up four offensive boards on one possession that ended with Taj Gibson going to the free-throw line to push the lead to 102-98.
E’Twaun Moore finished with game-high 31 points for the Pelicans while Anthony Davis had 29 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Jrue Holiday had 14 points and 10 assists but he alos had six turnovers.
Nikola Mirotic returned to the lineup after missing two games with a sprained ankle and finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, but he also looked like he turned his previously injured ankle late in the game while defending a Karl-Anthony Towns pass.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry opted to keep Elfrid Payton out for another game as he nurses his own sprained ankle.
Prior to the game, Gentry indicated that if it were up to Payton, the New Orleans native would be back on the floor. However, Gentry has opted to keep him on the sidelines until he’s 100 percent.
Bench comes up short: It was not the best game for the New Orleans Pelicans’ reserves. Even with Julius Randle back on the second unit, the bench – Randle, Darius Miller, Cheick Diallo, Ian Clark and Tim Frazier – combined for just five points (on 2-of-11 shooting), 10 rebounds, three assists, seven turnovers and six fouls in a total of 57 minutes.
Records: New Orleans 7-7; Minnesota 6-9
Up next: The Pelicans are home for the next three games. New Orleans hosts New York on Friday, Denver on Saturday and San Antonio on Monday.
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