Hornets 88, Jazz 86
NEW ORLEANS -- With rookie sensation Anthony Davis in the locker room nursing a concussion, Greivis Vasquez turned the corner for a driving layup with 1.3 seconds left to lift the New Orleans Hornets to an 88-86 victory over the Utah Jazz Friday night.
Vasquez's layup came after Paul Millsap nailed a 3-pointer from the right baseline to tie the game, 86-86, with 7.1 seconds left.
Ryan Anderson, who came off the bench to score 19 points, made a 3-pointer with 32.7 seconds left to put New Orleans up 84-81 with 32.7 seconds left. Then after Randy Foye, who scored a game-high 20 points, misfired on a jumper, the Hornets widened the lead to 86-84 on two free throws by Roger Mason with 16.3 seconds left.
The injury to Davis with 4:51 left in the second quarter looked fairly innocuous at first. He shook his head, pointed to his eye and then walked over to the bench. After going to the locker room at halftime, he did not return and was undergoing cognitive and physical tests. He scored eight points and had six rebounds.
Foye scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers, to keep the Jazz within range. But Vasquez's 13 points and 10 assists were too much for the Jazz.
After the lead changed hands 13 times in the second quarter, the Hornets took advantage of six Jazz turnovers in the third quarter to take a 67-63 lead. The Hornets tightened up their offensive rebounding and scored 18 of their 27 points on second-chance opportunities.
But the Jazz opened the fourth with seven consecutive points -- including a tip-in and three-pointer by Foye -- to pull ahead 70-67 with 9:48 left. The other basket came after two offensive rebounds by Utah and a strong inside bucket by DeMarre Carroll.
The Hornets regained the lead with a 6-0 run, including a rebound-follow by center Robin Lopez, who had 15 second-half points. Al Jefferson hit a driving layup and a baseline jumper to tie the game 77-77 with 5:13 left, but Lopez responded with a baby hook and a rebound follow to put the Hornets back up, 81-77.
Mo Williams led the Jazz with 10 first-half points, including a three-pointer from the left wing to give Utah a 41-40 halftime lead. The teams did not shoot a free throw until 3:32 left in the half.
Ryan Anderson came off the bench to nail three 3-pointers and lead New Orleans with 11 first-half points. Davis asserted himself with eight points, four rebounds and two blocks, which came on consecutive possessions as Utah tried to pound the ball inside. Davis went to the bench late in the second quarter after being poked in the eye.
Notes: Hornets coach Monty Williams said he heard the report that shooting guard Eric Gordon told Yahoo! Sports he would be out four to six weeks with a right knee injury, but he has not confirmed that with doctors. Gordon, who signed a four-year, $58 million guaranteed deal in the offseason, was in Chicago Friday having his lingering knee injury checked out by doctors. "We're still processing information," Williams said. "We haven't talked to any doctors. We certainly haven't talked to our doctors on a day when we're getting ready for a game. ... I'd love for this to be over and for Eric to be healthy and playing, but that's not what we have right now."... Williams said there was no "pressing need" to bring in another scorer in Gordon's absence, but he added, "Obviously, you miss the 20 points that Eric brings to the table, but at the same time, guys got to step up." Gordon played in just nine games last season and had arthroscopic knee surgery in February. It is unclear whether Gordon needs additional surgery... Utah coach Ty Corbin said he is impressed with Davis' versatility. "He could step outside and hit shots, he could put the ball on the floor some. I think he moves on the floor pretty fluidly for a big guy. The way he can move as a big guy is pretty special."
