Lakers face Pelicans, seek fifth straight win

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers are winding down another losing campaign by playing their best basketball of the season.

The Lakers posted their first four-game winning streak in four seasons when D'Angelo Russell hit a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-109 on Sunday at Staples Center.

Los Angeles (25-55) will close its regular-season homestand shooting for a fifth straight win on Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans (33-47).

Against the Timberwolves, Russell played despite the death of his grandmother earlier Sunday. Initially, he was planning to sit out, but family members encouraged him to play.

"I get goosebumps just talking about the way the game ended," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "How awesome for him on such a tough day where obviously basketball is nothing in the big picture of what he's dealing with. With the death of a family member that's, from talking to him, very close and a very big part of the family. Boy, to see him run and jump into the crowd and find his family. What a special moment."

Los Angeles also got a boost from forward Metta World Peace, who came off the bench in the fourth quarter and scored eight points. The 37-year-old veteran is probably nearing the end of his run with the Lakers, but he believes the club will be fine with its young players.

"Before we were injured, we were playing well," Peace said of the health issues that plagued the Lakers nearly all season. "I think they can carry that over to next year."

The Lakers sit 1 1/2 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns (24-57) in the battle to avoid the worst mark in the Western Conference. The sudden surge could drop Los Angeles out of the top three for lottery draft picks this summer. If the Lakers do fall to fourth or lower, their selection would go to the Philadelphia 76ers, another result of the Steve Nash trade.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans have lost four in a row. They are coming off a 123-101 setback to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. New Orleans played without Anthony Davis (sore left knee) and DeMarcus Cousins (right Achilles tendinitis).

It isn't known whether Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry will risk playing the two All-Stars against the Lakers or hold them out of the final two games.

Pelicans guard Quinn Cook scored 22 points against the Warriors, who used a 39-point third quarter to bolt past New Orleans.

"I thought we made those guys work. We were talking on defense, putting pressure on those guys when they scored," Cook told the team's website. "We weren't slow getting the ball up; we kept the tempo up. I thought we played a great first half and they got hot in the third quarter like they usually do and they got a big lead and we really couldn't come back, but I thought we fought and made those guys work in the first (half)."

Both clubs cap their season on the road Wednesday. The Pelicans play the Portland Trail Blazers, while the Lakers face the Golden State Warriors.