Pelicans-Spurs Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD

(AP) -- After finding very little success against San Antonio prior to this season, the New Orleans Pelicans can make a statement by extending their longest win streak in the series.

Rising star Anthony Davis will look to keep putting up big numbers Wednesday night and help the Pelicans win their third straight over the injury-ravaged Spurs.

New Orleans had dropped 18 of 21 overall and 22 of 25 in San Antonio - including the postseason - before Davis scored the winner on a layup with 6.6 seconds left in a 100-99 win Nov. 8 that ended a seven-game road skid in the series.

The All-Star forward then finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in Friday's 97-90 home victory that gave the Pelicans (16-15) their first back-to-back wins over the defending champions in the regular season.

Davis is averaging 24.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and a league-best 3.0 blocks after he had 19 points and a season-high 18 boards in a 110-106 home win over Phoenix on Tuesday. He's scoring 29.8 per game over his last five on the road and averaging 22.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in his last four against San Antonio.

"He's an MVP candidate," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Friday. "He's blossomed."

The Pelicans appear to be catching San Antonio (19-14) at just the right time. The Spurs have dropped seven of nine after Tuesday's 95-87 loss at Memphis, though they can win two straight at home for the first time since a six-game run Nov. 17-Dec. 10.

Tony Parker (hamstring) is expected to miss his fourth straight game and 12th in the last 15, and Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard (bruised hand) will likely miss his ninth in a row.

Fill-in starters Cory Joseph and Marco Belinelli had 18 points apiece against Memphis, but Patty Mills was the only other player in double figures with 10. Belinelli, a former New Orleans guard, was 4 of 7 from 3-point range while his teammates went 1 for 15.

"We just got ourselves in the hole," said Tim Duncan, who had nine points and 10 rebounds after averaging 20.4 and 11.6 over his previous nine. "We were just fighting out of it the whole time."

Joseph, who has scored 16.5 per game on 73.7 percent shooting in his last four, finished with a career-high 20 points while making 8 of 9 shots Friday in New Orleans.

The Spurs are also scuffling on the defensive end, allowing 106.0 points per game and a 42.3 3-point percentage over their last five. They also have a minus-4.6 rebounding margin over that stretch, though they've outrebounded New Orleans by a combined 88-74.

Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans had a team-high 24 points against the Suns, including eight straight in the final two minutes. He's scored a combined 50 to go with 13 rebounds and nine assists in his last two games.

Jrue Holiday, who had 17 of his 21 points in the second half Tuesday, has totaled 30 points while dishing out 18 assists in the two meetings with the Spurs.

"We do not want to talk about playoffs, but when it comes down to playoffs, (beating Phoenix) is big," Holiday said.

Another Southwest-Division victory in San Antonio could be even bigger. The rivals won't play again until the regular-season finale April 15 in New Orleans.