CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jonas Valanciunas had a season-high 29 points and also added 13 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans held on to beat the short-handed Charlotte Hornets 112-107 on Friday night for their third straight win.
Zion Williamson had 21 points and 11 rebounds and C.J. McCollum had 13 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter for the Pelicans, who outrebounded the Hornets 49-39.
Terry Rozier had 30 points and Miles Bridges added 27 points and 10 rebounds for the struggling Hornets, who fell to 4-9 at home.
The 7-foot, 270-pound Valanciunas gave the Hornets all they could handle inside, getting both starting center Nick Richards and backup Nathan Mensah in foul trouble. Together, they had 11 fouls by the early in the fourth quarter.
The Hornets were without starting center Mark Williams due to a back injury, leaving them short on big men.
Charlotte trailed by 11 at halftime, but took the lead with a late spurt in the third quarter behind Rozier and Bridges, who scored on a 3-point play and drew a fourth foul on Williamson, sending him to the bench.
But McCollum, who was 0 for 5 in the first half from the field, began to heat up in the fourth knocking down two 3s to push the Pelicans lead to six. McCollum later added another 3 to increase the lead to 10 with 5 1/2 minutes left.
The Hornets still had something left, and Rozier’s leaning 3-pointer from the left wing cut their deficit to three with 26.5 seconds left.
Herbert Jones followed by making one of two free throws, but then got his own rebound after missing the second shot and was fouled again. This time he made both foul shots to all but seal the win.
UP NEXT
Pelicans: At San Antonio on Sunday.
Hornets: Host Philadelphia on Saturday night.
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