Clippers run win streak to five by beating Pelicans

Paul George scored a game-high 24 points and the surging Los Angeles Clippers cooled off the host New Orleans Pelicans 111-95 on Friday night.

George made 6 of 10 3-pointers and the Clippers finished 15 of 36 from beyond the arc. Kawhi Leonard added 19 points, Ivica Zubac scored 15 and Normal Powell 13, and James Harden finished with 13 assists and eight points to lead Los Angeles to its fifth consecutive victory and its 14th in the last 16 games.

Jonas Valanciunas had 13 points and 11 rebounds, rookie Jordan Hawkins added 13 points and CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram scored 12 each to lead the Pelicans, who had won four straight and nine of 12 but shot just 35.9 percent (33 of 92) from the floor.

The score was tied after one quarter before the Clippers outscored the Pelicans 30-15 in the second quarter to take control.

Los Angeles began the third quarter with a 10-3 run to open a 22-point lead. The Clippers led by 22 twice more before a 9-0 run pulled New Orleans within 76-63.

But the Clippers scored the final nine points on 3-pointers by Russell Westbrook, George and Powell to increase the lead to 92-68 at the end of the third quarter.

The Pelicans led by as many as six points before Harden made three free throws to give the Clippers their first lead at 16-15.

Naji Marshall scored five points during a 9-0 run that gave New Orleans its largest lead of the first quarter, 24-16.

Los Angeles scored the next 10 points before Williamson made a layup that produced a 26-all tie at the end of the period.

Larry Nance Jr. and Trey Murphy III each made a 3-pointer as the Pelicans took a 34-32 lead before going cold.

Harden scored five points during a 15-2 run that gave the Clippers an 11-point lead.

The Clippers expanded the lead to as much as 18 points before McCollum made a 3-pointer, just New Orleans' second field goal during the final 9:29 of the quarter, leaving the Clippers with a 56-41 halftime lead.

—Field Level Media