NEW ORLEANS — Even with one foot out the door, Anthony Davis is showing he can still produce prolific statistics for the New Orleans Pelicans.
He only needed 25 minutes to score 32 points in his first game for New Orleans since requesting a trade nearly two weeks ago. Davis also had nine rebounds and three blocks in a 122-117 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
Whether his presence in the lineup is sustainable for a club that is trying to move on without him — and protect his trade value by keeping him healthy — remains to be seen. But for now, coach Alvin Gentry and other Pelicans veterans sound inclined to try to make it work.
“He’s obviously made it known that he won’t sign back, but he still loves the game of basketball. I know that he loves us as players, and he’s going to go out there and play as hard as he can,” Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday said. “If Anthony’s out there, that’s the best chance of us winning.”
The Pelicans entered their game at Memphis on Saturday night at 25-31, five games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot with 26 games left.
When Davis initially made his trade request public through his agent, Rich Paul, Davis’ image was largely removed from the Pelicans’ website and promotional material. Gentry also started providing more playing time to younger players the club wants to develop.
But after Thursday’s trade deadline passed without a deal to move Davis, the Pelicans had to decide if they were willing to defy NBA rules by shelving their healthy six-time All-Star.
For now, they’ve put him back in the starting lineup, albeit on reduced playing time as he works his way back from a sprained left index finger that had sidelined him since Jan. 18.
SALT LAKE CITY — Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 13 rebounds and Utah beat San Antonio.
Royce O’Neale tied his season high with 17 points and made all four of his 3-point attempts to help the Jazz claim their third win in their last four games.
Ricky Rubio, who took to social media to celebrate surviving the trade deadline to stay with Utah, tallied 16 points, six rebounds and six assists.
DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 for the Spurs, who have lost four in a row on their eight-game trip while their home arena hosts a 17-day stock show and rodeo.
Knotted at 32, the Jazz scored nine consecutive points, including two baskets at the rim by Gobert, to gain command. The Jazz got to the rim repeatedly and outscored the Spurs 22-2 in the paint during the second quarter and led 62-48 at the half.
This was the finale of the teams’ three-game series. The Jazz own the tiebreaker and moved a full game ahead of the Spurs in the jumbled Western Conference standings.
Aldridge, who was chosen for the All-Star Game while Gobert was snubbed — prompting Jazz coach Quin Snyder to call for a different way of selecting participants — went 5 of 16 from the field and had 10 rebounds.
Gobert has 45 double-doubles, tied for the league lead with Joel Embiid.
The Jazz shot 52.2 percent from the field — their third game making at least half their shots in the last four — and consistently found wide-open shooters against the Spurs’ slow rotations and mismatched switches on pick-and-rolls.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Rudy Gay missed the game with an ankle sprain. … Jakob Poeltl started but fourth-quarter minutes went to Pau Gasol until the game was decided. … The Spurs posted only four second-chance points as they were out-rebounded 52-36.
Jazz: Gobert got a technical foul in the first quarter after a series of non-calls. … Royce O’Neale, who averages 4.9 points per game, hit three 3s in the second quarter. … Favors had his eight double-double of the season. The Jazz are 7-1 in those games.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit Memphis on Tuesday.
Jazz: Visit Golden State on Tuesday.
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