(Field Level Media) Tobias Harris scored 27 points and Danilo Gallinari added 24 as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 129-126 last night.
Lou Williams came of the bench to add 20, Avery Bradley scored 15 and Montrezl Harrell had 14.
Julius Randle scored a career-high 37 to lead New Orleans before fouling out with 4:04 remaining. Jrue Holiday added 32 points and 14 assists, Anthony Davis had 23 points and 13 rebounds and Darius Miller scored 15.
Pelicans forward E’Twaun Moore returned to the starting lineup after a one-game absence due to a bruised tibia, but fellow forward Nikola Mirotic was sidelined by an illness, thrusting Randle into the starting lineup.
Both teams were completing games on back-to-back days. On Sunday, the Clippers lost at Dallas 114-100 and the Pelicans won at Charlotte 119-109.
The Clippers scored 77 first-half points and led by 18 early in the third quarter before the Pelicans came back.
Randle made two 3-pointers and scored 11 points as New Orleans closed within 96-93.
Los Angeles rebuilt the lead to eight points before settling for a 101-97 lead after three quarters.
Holiday brought the Pelicans back, scoring 14 fourth-quarter points as they took a 119-115 lead.
Gallinari and Harris pulled the Clippers even at 119. The score was tied twice more before Williams put Los Angeles back on top by making two free throws with 1:32 left.
Davis had a chance to tie the score but he made just one of two free throws with 31 seconds left.
Williams beat the shot-clock buzzer with a jumper that gave the Clippers a 127-124 lead with 6.4 seconds left.
Los Angeles fouled Miller before he could attempt a 3-pointer, and he made two free throws to make it a one-point game with 4.9 seconds left.
Harris made two free throws for a three-point lead with 4.5 seconds left and Moore missed a 3-pointer on the final possession.
Tobias and Davis both scored 12 points in the first quarter, but the Clippers held a 36-29 lead at the end of the period after shooting 64 percent (15 for 25) from the floor.
Randle scored 19 of his 26 first-half points in the second quarter, the final two coming on free throws that pulled the Pelicans within five.
But Los Angeles scored the last seven points of the second quarter, taking a 77-65 halftime lead as five players scored in double figures.
It was the most points allowed by New Orleans in a first half this season. The previous high was 70 on two occasions.
