Davis lifts Pelicans over Mavericks 109-106

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Anthony Davis capped a 28-point, 10-rebound outing with go-ahead free throws in the final seconds and a pivotal steal, and the New Orleans Pelicans won their third straight game, 109-106 over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night.

Tyreke Evans scored 24 points, including a running hook in the final half-minute, and Ryan Anderson added 18 points.

Monta Ellis scored 36 points, giving Dallas a 106-105 lead with a running scoop over Quincy Pondexter and Omer Asik with 12.3 seconds left, but Davis drew a foul from Tyson Chandler while receiving Evans' inbound pass and hit the go-ahead free throws.

Davis, who had five steals, then intercepted Rajon Rondo's inbound pass intended for Dirk Nowitzki and added two more free throws.

Ellis had one more chance to tie it, but his 27-foot shot missed in the final seconds.

Nowitzki scored 24 points for Dallas, which has lost two straight.

Pondexter scored 14 points for New Orleans, which now has its longest winning streak of an up-and-down season, while Asik added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Rondo's late turnover spoiled an otherwise productive game in which he had 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Dwight Powell had 10 points.

Putbacks by Davis and Asik - along with Davis' technical free throw after Dallas coach Rick Carlisle was whistled for arguing with officials - helped New Orleans match its largest lead at 81-71 in the third quarter.

Ellis came right back with consecutive 3s, and New Orleans led by only five, 89-84, heading into the fourth quarter.

Ellis later scored five straight on a 3 and a floater over his shoulder and off the glass with his back to the basket, giving Dallas a 99-97 lead. Nowitzki's 3 gave Dallas a 102-99 lead before Eric Gordon hit his third 3-pointer on four attempts from deep to tie it and set up a tense last three minutes.

Both teams shot better than 52 percent in the first half, during which Anderson (6 of 7 shooting) and Ellis (8 of 11) each scored 18 points.

The Pelicans grabbed an early 10-point lead when Evans fed Davis for an alley-oop dunk to make it 18-8.

The Mavericks wound up erasing that deficit and leading by as many as four points, but Anderson's production off the bench helped the Pelicans surge back to a 61-56 halftime lead.

TIP-INS

Mavericks: Dallas had won its previous nine meetings with New Orleans. ... The Mavericks fell to 16-8 on the road this season. ... Carlisle (599-413) remained just short of 600 career regular-season coaching victories.

Pelicans: After going 4-12 against the Southwest Division last season, New Orleans is 6-4 in divisional games this season. ... The Pelicans are 14-5 at home.

UP NEXT

Mavericks: Host Memphis on Tuesday

Pelicans: Host Philadelphia on Monday