Suns-Pelicans Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSON

(AP) -- Anthony Davis continues to post MVP-worthy numbers for the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Phoenix Suns' recent surge has been led by their three-headed backcourt.

They'll meet Tuesday night in New Orleans in a battle of two teams that could find themselves jockeying for one of the West's final playoff spots come April.

Davis is averaging 24.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and a league-best 3.0 blocks, vying to become the first player to average at least 24, 10 and 3 since Shaquille O'Neal in 1999-2000 when he finished one first-place vote shy of winning unanimous MVP honors.

The third-year forward is also shooting 56.6 percent and averaging a team-high 1.7 steals for the Pelicans (15-15), who are two games behind eighth-place Phoenix (18-14).

"He can make plays, and he's real hungry, and that's probably the biggest thing," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "You can see, very intelligent, driven, and those types of guys, when you combine that with his overall talent, it's scary to think what he's going to become."

Davis had 29 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in Saturday's 107-100 loss in his hometown of Chicago. Big scoring nights haven't necessarily led to better results for his team, however. The Pelicans are only marginally better when he scores above his average, going 9-8, including 4-5 when he scores 30-plus.

"I could have had 50 (points) and we lose, it really doesn't matter, `cause it doesn't mean anything," Davis said.

He is shooting 61.7 percent and averaging 3.7 blocks in wins as opposed to 51.4 percent with 2.4 blocks per game in losses, however. He averages 12.6 points in the paint, helping New Orleans lead the league with 47.6 per game.

The Suns have followed a season-worst six-game skid with a season-best six-game winning streak. They haven't won seven in a row since they had 10 straight victories from March 14-April 2, 2010.

Leading scorer Goran Dragic (16.6 ppg) was sidelined for the last two games of the losing streak with a strained back, while Isaiah Thomas's eight-game absence due to a sore ankle included the first three games of the slide.

Those two combined with Eric Bledsoe for 61 points, 14 assists, 13 rebounds and eight steals with six turnovers in Sunday's 116-107 road win over the Lakers.

Phoenix is averaging 13.3 turnovers during its winning streak after committing 17.3 per game in the previous six contests.

The trio was a big reason for the Suns' 26 fast-break points versus Los Angeles - their third straight game with 25 or more. They're one of the NBA's best with 18.5 fast-break points per game, and Dragic and Bledsoe are among the league leaders at 5.5 and 4.4 points in transition per game, respectively.

"They've got one on the left, one on the right and one in the middle," Kobe Bryant said. "You can't cover them all."

New Orleans is allowing 13.7 fast-break points per game.

Phoenix swept last season's series while going 38 for 89 from 3-point range (42.7 percent). Dragic averaged 24.0 points and was 6 for 13 from deep while Bledsoe averaged 21.7 and was 4 of 7. Davis averaged 21.0 points. All three sat out one meeting each.

Thomas averaged 21.0 points and 7.0 assists for Sacramento in three matchups with the Pelicans last season.