Pelicans Match History With 3rd Win In 3 Nights

Third game in three nights. Fifth game in six nights. No excuses.

A rescheduled game forced the New Orleans Pelicans to play a back-to-back-to-back, something that doesn't happen in an 82 game NBA season.

Fighting fatigue and exhaustion, the Pelicans dug deep with a 7-0 run in the final minutes of play to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 128-125.

"I think this is the pinnacle (of exhaustion)," Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis said after the win. "I've never been this tired before. Coach told us before the game, and last night, 'no excuses'."

Davis led all scorers with 33 points, adding 9 rebounds and a game-ending steal to seal the win for the Pelicans (43-30), who currently sit at 4th place in the Western Conference.

It was the 29th game this season Davis scored 30 or more, the most by any player this season.

"It was definitely mentally draining, but it shows a lot of character on this team how mentally tough we are," added Davis.

New Orleans made history with the win, becoming the first team in 39 years to win 3 home games in 3 nights. The 1979 NBA Champion Seattle Supersonics were the last franchise to do it.

New Orleans guards Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo combined for 50 points, focusing on driving the ball to the paint.

"I thought Rondo set a great tone and Jrue did a good job of breaking them down," said head coach Alvin Gentry.

While the Pelicans had plenty of open looks from 3 point range, the shots weren't falling from beyond the arc (6-24). Rather than settle, they focused on penetrating the defense, ending the night with 80 points in the paint.

Things don't get easier for New Orleans, who travels to Houston tomorrow, and will battle the Rockets (58-14), owners of the best record in the NBA, on Saturday night.