NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Davis exuded an unmistakable swagger as he strode slowly toward the charged-up crowd behind the basket where hed just rolled in an off-balance scoop while being fouled. Then, he exchanged a congratulatory five with Arcade Fire singer Win Butler, who was sitting along the baseline.The Pelicans star wasnt going to be denied -- and neither, for that matter, was the rest of his recently resurgent team.Davis finished with 45 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans won their fourth straight game, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-96 on Wednesday night.Were just playing great and when our crowd is into it like they were in it tonight, it gives us juice, said Davis, who hit 17 of 27 shots that included thunderous dunks, 3-pointers and just about everything in between. My teammates are doing a great job of just finding me and vice versa. Were all just locked in, playing well together, clicking.Terrence Jones scored 17 points for New Orleans, which trailed early in the second half before Davis scored eight points during a 13-2 run that gave the Pelicans the lead for good.Im amazed every time at the shots he makes. You know, hes able to do it with double-teams and triple teams -- MVP performance, guard Tim Frazier said. He just came out there and he led us.New Orleans led by as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter and cruised to its sixth victory in eight games. ETwaun Moore added 12 points, and Tim Frazier had 11.Zach LaVine scored 26 for Minnesota, but the Timberwolves lost their third straight.We have to play tougher, Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. We are not playing any defense, and if you are not doing that, you cant win.Andrew Wiggins and Gorgui Dieng each had 13 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 11 rebounds for Minnesota, which did not shoot well. Wiggins was 2 for 19 and the Wolves hit only 38 percent (33 of 86) of their shots. New Orleans shot 54 percent (45 of 83).We have to change something, said Minnesota guard Ricky Rubio, who did not score and had five assists. We have to change our mentality.TIP-INSTimberwolves: The Timberwolves opened a three-game road trip by dropping to 1-6 on the road this season. ... Minnesota shot 3 of 17 from 3-point range.Pelicans: The Pelicans are 4-0 since Jrue Holidays return. After scoring at least 15 in each of his first three games, he had seven points and eight assists against Minnesota. ... F Dante Cunningham left the game early in the second quarter. Team officials said he had a left knee bruise.STAR POWERThe game featured a pair of dominant former Kentucky big men in Davis and Towns, but it was the Pelicans who owned the paint, where New Orleans outscored Minnesota 66-44. The Pelicans also outrebounded the Wolves, 45-41.I just tried to get into him and be physical, Davis said of his approach against Towns. I know its tough for me when teams get physical with me. Its tough to get into a groove and get into what you like. So thats all I tried to do, knowing hes a big key to their offense, just try to take him out as much as possible and have other guys beat us.MOMENTUM SWINGSDavis had 12 points in the first seven minutes, including a 12-foot jumper that gave New Orleans a 21-9 lead.But the Timberwolves closed the gap late in the third quarter and surged in front in the second period with a 11-0 run capped by Diengs foul-line jumper as he was fouled by Omer Asik, putting Minnesota up 46-38.New Orleans, however, closed the half on a 10-0 run during which Jones hit two free throws and dunked twice -- once on a put-back of Davis miss -- to put the Pelicans back in front, 53-50.UP NEXTTimberwolves: Visit Phoenix on Friday night.Pelicans: Visit Portland on Friday night. Custom Tracy McGrady Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Bernard King Jersey Large . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. http://www.customknicksjersey.com/custom-carmelo-anthony-jersey-large-119w.html . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Custom Bernard King Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Custom Anthony Mason Jersey . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. Jack Sears, who passed away on 7 August, may appear to have had little connection with Formula One. But apart from being an outstanding driver and heavily involved with Silverstone and the British Racing Drivers Club, the tall, urbane Englishman left a lasting impression on anyone attending the 1964 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch.A former British Saloon Car Champion in cars ranging from a humble Austin Westminster to a monstrous 7-litre Ford Galaxie, Sears could turn his hand to anything. He will be remembered for testing an AC Cobra Coupé for the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hours by clocking 185 mph at an early hour on the M1 motorway. The maximum speed limit may not yet have been introduced but the story made headlines in the national newspapers.Sears was at the wheel of a 4.7-litre Cobra 289 for the Ilford Films Trophy for Grand Touring Cars, a support race on the morning of the Grand Prix. The similar Cobra of Bob Olthoff should have been on the front row but the South African was a non-starter.Having qualified on the second row and assuming the grid would shuffle forward to fill the vacant space, Sears took up position on the outside of the front row alongside Jackie Stewarts Jaguar E-Type and David Pipers Ferrari GTO. There was a heated discussion with a marshal but, when the race started, everyone - Sears included -- assumed the matter had been resolved.The officials had other ideas and held out the black flag. Sears, thinking there was something wrong with his car, dutifully stopped in the pits, only to discover that he had been called in for a dressing down by the Clerk of the Course. The officials felt Sears had, in effect, jumpped the start and the pit visit was seen as a form of penalty.dddddddddddd Besides, it was thought this might add interest to the race. It did.Absolutely incensed, the normally affable Norfolk farmer - affectionately known as Gentleman Jack -- floored the throttle of his mighty machine, shaking his fist as he went, the Cobra leaving a trail of rubber as he powered towards Paddock Hill Bend. In case officials were in any doubt about Sears opinion of their judgement, he shook his fist again at the end of the next lap.Now began an extraordinary demonstration of barely controlled fury. It is probably fair to say that neither before nor since has an AC Cobra been hurled round the Brands Grand Prix circuit with such spine-tingling vigour. Those who witnessed it still talk about the sight of that bellowing V8 as Sears, headlights blazing in symphony with the mood of the driver, began to storm through the field.The drama was not confined to the track. A fracas ensued in the pits as John Willment, the entrant of the Cobra and a man of muscular disposition, grabbed the Clerk of the Course by the collar and shoved him into a flowerbed.Sears, meanwhile, was proving to be an equally irresistible force as the red car with white stripes thundered its way around the track. Nothing would stop him on this day, not even Stewarts leading E-Type. The entire place was on its feet as Sears, cheered to the echo, won by 4.2 seconds.After such an epic performance, the Grand Prix for 1.5-litre cars was bound to seem rather tame. ' ' '