Kristaps Porzingis scored a season-high 29 points and Vit Krejci added 21 points on seven 3-pointers off the bench as the visiting Atlanta Hawks handed the New Orleans Pelicans their ninth straight loss, 115-98, on Saturday.
Jalen Johnson had 18 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for Atlanta, which led by as many as 24 and snapped a two-game losing skid. Dyson Daniels had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 11.
New Orleans fell to 2-15 and played without injured starters Zion Williamson (left hamstring injury management) and Herb Jones (low back spasms).
Derik Queen led the Pelicans with 20 points and nine rebounds. Trey Murphy III scored 19 points, Saddiq Bey had 18, and Jeremiah Fears chipped in 11.
Porzingis was 11-of-17 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists for Atlanta, which has won 11 of its last 14 meetings against New Orleans, including three straight.
The teams struggled to find a rhythm in the opening quarter and shot a combined 33.3% (15 for 45) for the period. New Orleans ended the quarter with a 25-21 lead.
Queen’s dunk tied the game at 36 with 5:02 left in the second quarter before Atlanta closed on a 20-10 run to end the half with a 56-56 advantage.
Porzingis had 16 points in the first half for the Hawks, who held the Pelicans to 34.8% shooting from the field.
Atlanta maintained control and took a 79-60 lead when Alexander-Walker scored with 3:18 left in the third quarter to cap a 17-5 run.
Krejci scored 12 points on four 3-pointers in the third period to help the Hawks take an 88-70 lead at the end of the period.
Atlanta extended its lead to 100-78 on Porzingis’ basket with 5:47 left and improved to 8-3 on the road this season.
New Orleans shot 41.7% from the field and 29.6% (8 of 27) from 3-point range. The Pelicans are winless in five games under interim coach James Borrego, who took over after Willie Green was fired last Saturday.
–Field Level Media
