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Pelicans close in on playoffs with win over T-wolves

Apr 14, 2015 - 4:30 AM Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Davis totaled 24 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks, and the New Orleans Pelicans trimmed their postseason magic number to one with a 100-88 win over the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.

The Pelicans can wrap up the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with either a home win against the Spurs or a Thunder loss in Minnesota on Wednesday.

"This is the next step as a team," Pelicans head coach Monty Williams said when asked about Wednesday's must-win game. "We can't run from it. We're going to play the champs. This is what we've worked for."

Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon both added 22 points in New Orleans' seventh win in the past 10 games.

The Timberwolves have dropped 11 straight and are in sole possession of the worst record in the NBA at 16-65. Zach LaVine and Chase Budinger led the way with 24 and 18 points, respectively.

A tight first quarter was highlighted by Andrew Wiggins' thunderous dunk over Omer Asik.

"In the last month, he's probably had more highlight dunks than we've had in the last five years combined," Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders said of his rookie phenom.

The Timberwolves stayed close for the first 18 minutes and were even at 26-26 before the Pelicans began imposing their will.

New Orleans scored the next seven points and ended the half on an 8-1 run en route to a 50-35 cushion at the break.

The margin grew to as high as 19 in the third quarter and never dipped below nine in the fourth.

Game Notes

The Pelicans finished with a 17-24 record on the road ... New Orleans rested Jrue Holiday on the second game of a back-to-back ... Wiggins shot 5-of-16 from the field for 15 points ... The Pelicans have won five straight meetings.