CJ McCollum scored 43 points, including a tie-breaking 3-pointer in overtime, and the host New Orleans Pelicans ended a 10-game losing streak by defeating the Sacramento Kings 140-133 on Thursday night.
Trey Murphy III added 18 points and 11 assists, Jose Alvarado scored 18, Jordan Hawkins and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored 16 each and rookie Karlo Matkovic had a season-high 13.
Zach LaVine had 32 points and 10 assists, Domantas Sabonis added 22 points and 28 rebounds, Malik Monk scored 24, DeMar DeRozan had 20 and Keegan Murray 13 for the Kings.
The score was tied at 133 in overtime when McCollum made a 3-pointer, Matkovic added a layup with 1:22 left and Sacramento didn’t score again.
The Kings led by seven early in the third quarter before McCollum scored five points to help the Pelicans take a 75-74 lead. The lead changed hands three more time and the score was tied seven times before Robinson-Earl made a 3-pointer to give New Orleans a 98-95 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Robinson-Earl made another 3-pointer and two free throws to help the Pelicans extend the lead to 107-99.
LaVine’s three-point play and two field goals by Sabonis helped give the Kings a five-point lead with 2:30 remaining. But Sacramento went more than two minutes without scoring and McCollum’s jumper gave New Orleans a 123-122 lead with 34.1 seconds left.
DeRozan drove to the basket, but Matkovic blocked his layup and Murphy made two free throws for a three-point lead. The Pelicans twice fouled the Kings before they could attempt a tying 3-pointer, but the Kings made the first three free throws and Monk rebounded Sabonis’ miss, was fouled and made both with 5.8 seconds left to force overtime.
The Kings led 29-28 at the end of the first quarter. Alvarado and Hawkins each made two 3-pointers and the Pelicans grabbed a 48-41 lead. Sabonis made three layups to key a 15-0 run that gave Sacramento an eight-point lead. The Kings led by eight points again before the Pelicans pulled within 65-60 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
