NEW ORLEANS -- Center Ian Mahinmi scored 17 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked a career-high four shots and the Indiana Pacers overcame a season-high 24 turnovers to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 91-86 on Friday at the Smoothie King Center.

The Pelicans (11-24) played most of the game without All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who injured his lower right back diving into the courtside seats for a loose ball three minutes into the game.

The Pacers (21-15) trailed 82-80 when Dante Cunningham hit a short jumper in the lane, but they scored seven consecutive points - four by Mahinmi - to take an 87-82 lead with 3:09 left.

The Pacers held the Pelicans scoreless on eight consecutive possessions during the surge. The Pelicans recorded a franchise-record 21 steal, but New Orleans turned the ball over 15 times and did not get closer than three points the rest of the way.

Guard Tyreke Evans scored a season-high 27 points and forward Ryan Anderson added 21 for the Pelicans

Evans scored 16 of the Pelicans' 27 points in the third quarter to held New Orleans maintain a 70-68 lead entering the final period. Guard Rodney Stuckey dribbled the length of the court with 5.7 seconds left for a layup to beat the buzzer and pull the Pacers within two at the end of the period.

The Pelicans held the Pacers to 16 points in the first quarter - the lowest point total for an opponent in the first quarter this season - to take a 30-16 lead. The Pacers normally defend the 3-point line well, but Anderson hit a pair of open 3-pointers and Eric Gordon added another to spark a 22-6 run.

The Pacers responded with an excellent defensive effort in the second quarter, holding New Orleans to a season-low 13 point and cutting their halftime deficit to 43-38. Indiana used a 14-4 run to pull within four points, and held New Orleans to 5 of 19 shooting in the quarter.

Davis injured his lower right back after diving into the courtside seats for a loose ball three minutes into the game. He hustled after a ball near the Pelicans' bench, diving into the second row and knocking over a half-dozen seats.

Davis stayed down for about 30 seconds, got up and returned to the game but grabbed his lower right back as the Pelicans advanced the ball up court. Coach Alvin Gentry called a 20-second timeout and Davis limped into the locker room.

The Pelicans said Davis sustained a bruised lower back and also hurt his elbow.

NOTES: Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry inserted SF Dante Cunningham into the starting lineup in place of Alonzo Gee, who scored 12 points in his previous five games. "This has nothing to do with Alonzo's play," Gentry said. "What we're trying to do is maybe create a little more space and then a little more offense." ... The Pelicans were coming off an ugly 100-91 home loss to Dallas in which the Mavericks rested four starters. "I guess the great thing about the NBA is, if nothing else, you have a short time and then all of a sudden you have another challenge in front of you," Gentry said. ... Pacers coach Frank Vogel said Pelicans PF Anthony Davis is "one of the toughest matchups in the game. He has great speed in the open court, shoots the mid-range really well and steps out to the 3-point line at times. He's great in the post and great in the pick-and-roll game."