Pelicans (1-2), Lakers (1-2)
LOS ANGELES – Whew.
New Orleans seemingly had Sunday’s Western Conference matchup in hand, up 21 late in the third quarter, before the Lakers improbably rallied to take the lead. Ultimately, however, an 11-0 run by New Orleans sealed its first victory of the regular season. Los Angeles grabbed a 110-106 advantage after it had fallen behind 93-72, but the Pelicans tallied the next 11 points, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Brand-new New Orleans signee Jameer Nelson, who traveled from Philadelphia to New York City to Los Angeles today to be in uniform, nailed a huge three-pointer with 1:26 left, making it 117-110.