The New Orleans Pelicans came away with a 105-99 win over the LA Clippers on Thursday night at Smoothie King Center, using a steady offensive night and a composed fourth-quarter finish to separate the teams late. After three competitive quarters, New Orleans outscored Los Angeles 18-15 in the final period and made enough key plays down the stretch to secure the six-point result in front of an announced crowd of 15,395.

Quarter-by-quarter breakdown

First quarter: New Orleans set the tone early by edging the Clippers 28-26 in a closely contested opening period. The Pelicans found a little more efficiency from the field and carried a two-point lead into the second.

Second quarter: The game stayed tight as both teams continued to trade scores. New Orleans added another slim advantage in the quarter, 27-26, and took a 55-52 lead into halftime. That small edge reflected how balanced the first half was, with neither side able to create much separation.

Third quarter: The Clippers matched the Pelicans point for point in the highest-scoring period of the night. Both teams scored 32 in the third, keeping New Orleans in front by three entering the fourth at 87-84. Los Angeles stayed within striking distance, but the Pelicans continued to answer key possessions.

Fourth quarter: Defense and execution mattered most in the final 12 minutes. New Orleans limited the Clippers to just 15 points in the quarter while scoring 18 of its own. That closing stretch proved decisive, as the Pelicans held off every push and finished the game with a 105-99 victory.

Key performers

Trey Murphy III led New Orleans with 27 points and gave the Pelicans their top scoring option throughout the night. Saddiq Bey delivered an all-around performance with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists, helping stabilize the offense in multiple stretches. Yves Missi added 11 rebounds to lead the Pelicans on the glass.

As a team, New Orleans shot 47.4 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from 3-point range, connecting on 13 of 34 attempts from beyond the arc. The Pelicans also went 18-of-22 at the free throw line and finished with 21 assists.

For the Clippers, Derrick Jones Jr. led the scoring with 22 points. John Collins paced Los Angeles with eight rebounds, while Jordan Miller recorded a team-high five assists. The Clippers shot 46.1 percent overall, but their 31.3 percent mark from 3-point range and 19-of-32 performance at the foul line left valuable points on the board.

Game analysis

This game turned on small margins, and New Orleans was better in several of them. The Pelicans made three more 3-pointers than the Clippers and were far more efficient at the free throw line, finishing at 81.8 percent compared with Los Angeles at 59.4 percent. In a six-point game, that difference was significant.

New Orleans also did enough to maintain control without a major advantage in volume categories. The Pelicans held a narrow 40-39 rebounding edge and finished with one more assist than the Clippers, reflecting a game that remained competitive throughout. But when the pace slowed in the fourth quarter, New Orleans executed better, especially defensively, and that allowed the home team to pull away just enough in the closing minutes.

For Los Angeles, the issue was not generating opportunities so much as converting enough of them. The Clippers attempted 32 free throws but made only 19, and they went 10-of-32 from long range. Those numbers made it difficult to erase New Orleans’ steady lead, especially once the Pelicans tightened up in the final period.

Closing context

The win moved New Orleans to 25-46 overall and 16-21 at home, giving the Pelicans a positive result late in the season in front of their home crowd. The Clippers fell to 34-36 and 15-21 on the road, a setback that could matter in the Western Conference playoff race as teams continue to compete for position. On a night without much separation for most of the game, the Pelicans’ late execution made the difference.