NEW ORLEANS — The playoffs essentially began a month ago for both the New Orleans Pelicans (47-34) and the San Antonio Spurs (47-34).
While both teams have clinched Western Conference playoff spots
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Unless Memphis pulls off a monster upset and defeats the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road Wednesday, the Pelicans, currently the fifth seed, would finish anywhere from the fourth, fifth or sixth seed with a victory over the Spurs. The Pelicans would drop to the eighth seed with a loss, setting up a first-round matchup with the No. 1 Houston Rockets.
The Spurs also could fall anywhere from the fourth to the eighth seed, given a myriad of possibilities.
The only solace for Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is that the Spurs, playing most of the season without All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, have made the playoffs for the 21st consecutive season. That streak is 11 years longer than Popovich’s nearest competitor, Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat.
“Oh, it’s wonderful,” Popovich said, using his characteristic deadpan delivery Monday night after the Spurs clinched their playoff spot with a 98-85 victory over Sacramento.
“They deserve a lot of credit, done a great job,” Popovich said of his players. “I’m real proud of them.”
The Pelicans have won four consecutive games to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Coach Alvin Gentry said there are so many possible playoff matchups that he wants his team to focus on what it can control.
“We’re just going to do the best we can do (to beat the Spurs)
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The Pelicans’ four-game winning streak could not have been timelier, and forward Anthony Davis has been the catalyst during the streak. Davis, who has made the playoffs only once in his five NBA seasons, said he was proud the Pelicans did not collapse after the season-ending Achilles injury to center DeMarcus Cousins on Jan. 26.
“A lot of people counted us out when he went down, but we just kept fighting, changed the way we play a little bit,” Davis said. “We believed in ourselves — all the guys in this locker room. We just wanted to make sure no matter what happens with anybody else — that we were in. This whole road trip we came out aggressive.”
The Pelicans have won two of three against San Antonio this season, winning 107-90 at home on Nov. 22 and 121-116 in San Antonio on Feb. 28 and losing 98-93 in San Antonio on March 15. Davis had averaged 25.3 points on .509 shooting and 13.3 rebounds in the three games, while the Spurs have been led by Dejounte Murray with 16.7 points, including .667 from 3-point range and 8.0 rebounds.
The Spurs said Leonard would not be available to play against the Pelicans as he returns from a season-long quad injury.
Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo, who delivered an off-the-backboard assist to Davis for a thunderous, one-handed dunk against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, said he likes what he sees in New Orleans’ recent play.
“I think if we come in with the right focus
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Bobby Wilson helped Kyle Gibson turn around his pitching after a rough first inning. Then, for at least one afternoon, the veteran catcher fixed his own struggles at the plate.
Wilson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, Gibson recovered from a shaky first to throw seven innings, and the Twins beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Saturday.
Max Kepler homered in his second straight game to help send the Twins to their third win in a row.
”You take them any way you can get them,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. ”We haven’t had the luxury of any kind of run here as of late, so to start out the home stand with three, it feels pretty good.”
The Twins didn’t bring in Wilson for his offense – his two-hit day raised his batting average to .134 – so they’re not expecting him to deliver game-turning hits on a regular basis. But that’s exactly what he did with an RBI single in the fifth that made it 3-2, and a two-RBI double the next inning that proved the game-winner.
It was Wilson’s first multi-hit game since Sept. 21, 2016.
”I feel like I’ve been doing everything I can defensively but it’s time to start turning that corner and start contributing offensively as well,” Wilson said.
Earlier in the day, the team needed Wilson’s smarts behind the plate to recover from an early hole.
Gibson (3-6) allowed three runs in the first inning – including a two-run homer by Chris Davis – but only gave up two hits after that while striking out nine. It was Gibson’s highest strikeout total since fanning 10 batters on April 26 against the New York Yankees.
”After the first inning we sat down and I said `Gibby talk to me, what do we got to do? What’s going to turn this around?’ So we talked about a few things and we kind of stuck with that game plan for the rest of the game
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Kepler’s solo shot off Kevin Gausman sparked a three-run fifth that tied it. Wilson’s two-run double off Miguel Castro (2-5) in the sixth gave Minnesota the lead for good.
Trevor Hildenberger worked a scoreless eighth for the Twins. Jace Peterson’s RBI double off Fernando Rodney pulled the Orioles to 5-4, but Rodney got Tim Beckham on a grounder to short to convert his 19th save in 24 chances.
PUNCHLESS ORIOLES
The team with baseball’s worst record, meanwhile, lost its fifth in the row and fell 40 games below .500.
”It’s kind of hard to believe that’s where we’re at right now,” Davis said. ”I feel like anytime we start to build some momentum, we either give it right back to the other team or we do something to kind of take ourselves out of the game.”
That certainly seemed the case Saturday.
Coming off his best start of the season against the L.A. Angels, Gausman had a 3-0 lead before ever taking the mound and looked sharp early. Gausman faced the minimum number of batters through the first three innings, and allowed a single hit through the first four.
But things turned quickly in the fifth. With one out, Kepler homered to left-center, Robbie Grossman doubled, and Jake Cave and Wilson followed with singles. After Joe Mauer walked, Cave scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
”I don’t think I really got away from anything. They just did a good job of battling and put some long at-bats together, and fought some pitches off and really got my pitch count off.”
Gausman, who held the Angels to one run and two hits without a walk in eight innings last Sunday, didn’t return for the sixth.
TURNING POINT
The Orioles loaded the bases in the third with two outs
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”We scored three in the first and then just didn’t do anything,” manager Buck Showalter said. We had a chance to open it up there, but that’s the hit that’s been eluding us to really get to that five or six-run lead.”
TRAINERS ROOM
Orioles: OF Trey Mancini got a rare day off, but manager Buck Showalter said he was fine. The manager said it was more about getting Peterson a chance to play. Peterson went 1-for-3 on Saturday.
RIPKEN’S RECORD
Davis’ strikeout against Hildenberger in the eighth was the 1,306th of his career, moving him past Cal Ripken, Jr. for Baltimore’s franchise record.
”You play long enough, you’re going to swing and miss enough to apparently set some records. There’s not really much to say about that,” Davis said.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Alex Cobb (2-10) takes the mound for Baltimore in the finale. He hasn’t won since June 5 against the New York Mets.
Twins: Jake Odorizzi (3-6) makes his 19th start of the year as the Twins go for the sweep. His last outing against Baltimore was March 29, when he shut out the Orioles over six innings on two hits and two walks.
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