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Davis returns to lead Pelicans past Hawks

Mar 22, 2014 - 3:10 AM Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Davis returned from a one-game absence to score 34 points with 11 rebounds and lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-105 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Davis missed Wednesday's loss at home to the Toronto Raptors with an upper respiratory infection but returned on Friday to help the Pelicans to their sixth win in the last eight against Atlanta.

Tyreke Evans tallied 21 points with four steals and four assists, Brian Roberts contributed 16 points and Luke Babbitt added 11 points in the win.

Jeff Teague scored 26 points to go along with eight assists for the Hawks, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Paul Millsap deposited 20 points, Shelvin Mack had 18 and Pero Antic added 14 in the setback.

Mack started in place of Kyle Korver, who missed the contest due to back spasms.

"I'm a professional athlete and you got to stay ready," said Mack on starting in place of Korver. "You never know when your name is going to be called. Just try to come out and play hard."

New Orleans led 60-56 with just under five minutes left in the third when Atlanta went on a 13-1 run to take a 69-61 lead. Teague scored seven points during the spurt and Mike Scott capped it with a pair at the line with 2:01 remaining.

Babbitt knocked down a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds to go in the third to cap an 8-2 run to end the quarter and help the Pelicans close within two, 71-69, heading to the fourth.

Babbitt opened the final period with a three that ignited a 14-2 run and gave the Pelicans an 83-73 lead with nine minutes to play in the contest.

DeMarre Carroll's three-point play cut the deficit to four, 107-103, with 23.4 seconds to go, but it was too late.

Roberts and Davis each knocked down a pair of free throws around a Teague layup to halt Atlanta's streak.

"I think early in the fourth we made a little run," said Babbitt. "We went with a different lineup. We were able to space out a little bit. I think guys had driving lanes. I think at the start of the fourth we were able to make a run and we were able to keep it."

Each offense had trouble getting started in the early going as Atlanta grabbed a 9-8 lead after a Millsap layup with 5 1/2 minutes left in the first.

Davis then followed with two straight buckets to jump-start an 11-2 run to help the Pelicans take a 19-11 advantage.

Dennis Schroder and Scott stopped the momentum with shots from in close to cut the deficit to four and Atlanta trailed 20-16 after the first.

The Pelicans led by as many as six in the second, but a Mack 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left tied the game at 44-44 at the break.

Game Notes

New Orleans owned a 40-34 edge on the boards ... The Pelicans shot 36-for-70 from the field ... Atlanta made 38-of-85 of its attempts from the floor ... There were 11 lead changes and nine ties.