Nets-Pelicans Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN

(AP) -- Deron Williams appears to have recaptured his All-Star form for the Brooklyn Nets, who could become a threat down the stretch if their recent efforts are any indication.

The Nets try to improve to 3-0 since the break as they visit the New Orleans Pelicans, who will again be without three of their top four scorers Wednesday night.

Brooklyn (23-31) is clinging to the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot after opening the season's second half with back-to-back wins. The Nets, in the midst of an eight-game road stretch, got by the Los Angeles Lakers 114-105 on Friday before blowing out Denver 110-82 on Monday.

Williams finished with 16 points and 12 assists after racking up 12 and a season-high 15 against the Lakers. Brook Lopez added 19 points and little-used rookie Markel Brown finished with 10 and 11 rebounds in his first start as Brooklyn posted back-to-back road wins for the first time since Jan. 16 and 21.

"The court's a lot more open when we play small like this," Williams said. "When you play 'Kel, when you play Cory (Jefferson), we're a lot more athletic. We can get out and run and that suits me."

The Nets pulled down a season-high 57 rebounds and limited the Nuggets to 33.0 percent shooting, their second-lowest mark allowed in 2014-15.

"We are trying to establish how we are going to play," coach Lionel Hollins said. "We had seven guys in double figures, and for as small as we are, we still dominated the glass."

The Pelicans (29-27) are also seeking a third consecutive win after putting together their largest comeback of the season in Monday's 100-97 victory over Toronto. Luke Babbitt scored a season-high 18 points off the bench to lead six players in double figures for New Orleans, which trailed by as many as 18 in the second quarter.

"A lot of character being displayed on the floor," coach Monty Williams said. "It was a total team effort. You don't get to say that a lot when you're coaching sports, but tonight was for sure."

New Orleans' performance was all the more impressive given the absences of All-Star Anthony Davis (sprained right shoulder), fellow forward Ryan Anderson (sprained right knee) and starting point guard Jrue Holiday (leg). Davis and Anderson were both injured Saturday while Holiday hasn't played since Jan. 12.

The trio is averaging 53.7 points.

"The way we've come through this thing, our journey has been like this, we have to keep fighting," said Williams, whose team is 2 1/2 games behind Oklahoma City for eighth place in the West.

The Pelicans had dropped three straight in the series before beating the Nets 109-104 in overtime March 24. Tyreke Evans, who had 33 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists that night, is averaging 22.7 points versus Brooklyn for his highest mark against any team.

Evans is averaging just 12.0 points on 32.0 percent shooting over a four-game stretch, but he's recorded double-digit assists in eight of the last 13. He's expected to start despite battling an illness.

Brooklyn's Jarrett Jack is set to play limited minutes off the bench after missing the previous two games with a sore left hamstring. Bojan Bogdanovic (sprained left ankle) will miss a second consecutive game.