PHILADELPHIA — New Orleans Hornets point guard Greivis Vasquez, amid a breakout year, made the back-breaking shot Tuesday night, as the resurgent Hornets held off the Philadelphia 76ers, 111-99.
The third-year pro had 23 points and nine assists in all, and it was his 3-pointer with 2:44 left that halted a furious Sixers rally, as the Hornets (12-26) won for the fifth time in six games.
Eric Gordon added 19 points for the Hornets, who built a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter only to see the Sixers climb within eight, at 97-89, behind backup guard Nick Young, who packed all 14 of his points into the first 5:14 of the final period.
New Orleans’ lead was still only 11 when Vasquez nailed his 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 105-91. The Sixers were never closer than eight thereafter.
Vasquez brought a career-best 14.1 point-per-game scoring average into the game, and has seen his norm climb each year he has been in the league. He is also averaging 17.3 points, 10.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds over his last 17 games.
“Now I’m playing minutes, getting experience and not afraid,” he said. “I’m ready to compete against (Sixers guard) Jrue Holiday, (Boston’s Rajon) Rondo, whoever.”
Holiday had 29 points and 11 assists for the Sixers (16-23), who failed to win consecutive games for the first time since late November. They have dropped six of seven in all, and are 4-14 over their last 18 games.
“I was hoping to build on our efforts the other night against Houston,” coach Doug Collins said, referring to Saturday’s 107-100 victory. “That did not happen. We couldn’t get any stops. They outran us. They out-rebounded us. They beat us in the paint. They out-executed us. They beat us in every way they possibly could, so that’s very disappointing.”
New Orleans, limited to a franchise-record low point total in a 77-62 loss to the Sixers Nov. 7 (albeit without Gordon or rookie forward Anthony Davis because of injuries), began the night 28th in the league in scoring (one spot below the Sixers), at 91.9 points a game. But they shot 76.2 percent in the first quarter and 53 percent in all, and made 10 of 18 3-point attempts.
They also made enough shots down the stretch to keep the Sixers at bay.
“To me,” coach Monty Williams said, “the main thing is to keep your composure, and stay within yourself and stay within your system. And don’t try to invent something.”
Young, who did not play in Saturday’s victory over Houston as Collins sought to shore up the team’s defense, did not play in the first three quarters Tuesday, either. But Collins inserted him at the start of the final period, and after the Hornets bumped their lead to 88-68, he sparked a 21-9 run.
When the Sixers’ Dorell Wright drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing with 5:24 remaining, the New Orleans lead had shrunk to 97-89. Gordon made a free throw with 4:40 left. Ryan Anderson, who had seven of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, added two more foul shots 36 seconds later. He then answered Holiday’s two free throws with a tip-in.
Vasquez’s 3-pointer followed.
Evan Turner also had 14 points for the Sixers, and Thaddeus Young had 12.
Xavier Henry scored 11 points and Davis 10 for New Orleans, which led 35-28 after a quarter despite six 3-pointers by the Sixers. It was the most 3-pointers they have hit in any quarter this season, but also the most points they have allowed in a first period all year. Vasquez had 11 of those.
“They came out, started hitting and the basket got really big for them,” Holiday said.
New Orleans’ lead stood at 48-35 midway through the second quarter, but Young scored six points and Holiday four in a 12-5 Philadelphia flurry at the end of the half, cutting the deficit to 53-47.
Holiday finished the half with 12 points and nine assists, while Young scored eight points.
The Sixers extended the run by scoring the first four points of the second half, to close within two. But by period’s end the Hornets were up 18. Xavier Henry’s dunk 35 seconds into the final quarter gave them an 88-68 advantage.
NOTES: Young said before the game that it’s “definitely a great feeling” to know that center Andrew Bynum, who has yet to play this season because of bone bruises to both knees, hopes to return in February. “We feel he’s a difference-maker, that game-changer for us,” Young said. “Me personally, I can’t wait. I’m getting more excited, each and every day.” … Williams said the shoulder problems of reserve forward Jason Smith, an ex-Sixer, continue to be a concern. “He’s struggling a little bit,” Williams said. “He’s a guy we value, we need. Lord willing, he’ll be playing well.” Smith had six points and seven rebounds in just over 23 minutes. … Williams, who played 21 games for the Sixers in his final season (2002-03), also interviewed for the team’s vacant head-coaching job before Collins was hired in 2010. One of Williams’ assistants, Randy Ayers, went 21-31 as the Sixers’ coach in 2003-04. … New Orleans owned a 48-32 rebounding advantage. … The Sixers shot 11-for-21 from 3-point range.