Zion Williamson compiled 24 points and nine rebounds off the bench, helping the streaking New Orleans Pelicans rally for a 119-113 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
Derik Queen added 19 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Pelicans, who won their fifth straight game — their longest winning-streak since March 2023.
Saddiq Bey scored 19 points while Jordan Poole had 14 and Jeremiah Fears chipped in 12 for New Orleans, which outscored Dallas 40-26 in the fourth quarter. Trey Murphy III totaled 11 points and four steals in the win.
Anthony Davis’ 35 points and 17 rebounds led Dallas, while Klay Thompson scored 20 points and Cooper Flagg tallied 16. Naji Marshall poured in 15 points for the Mavericks, who dropped their third game in four tries.
After holding a six-point halftime advantage, Dallas grew its lead to 10 on Davis’ dunk with 8:16 remaining in the third.
New Orleans pulled within four as Jose Alvarado’s back-to-back 3-pointers forced Dallas’ timeout with 1:58 left in the third quarter. The Mavericks scored the last four points of the third to take an 87-79 lead into the fourth.
After Brandon Williams’ layup gave Dallas a 98-92 lead, Bey’s three-point play and Poole’s 3-pointer tied the game at the 6:55 mark of the fourth. Following a Dallas timeout, Murphy’s triple gave the Pelicans their first lead since the second quarter.
Flagg split a pair of free throws to tie the score at 103 before Williamson scored six points during a 10-0 Pelicans run. Williamson subsequently hit two foul shots and a layup, pushing the margin to 11 with 1:37 remaining.
Herb Jones’ mid-range jumper and Queen’s reverse layup gave the Pelicans a 22-11 midway through the opening quarter.
Poole’s basket extended New Orleans’ edge to 34-23 before Thompson scored seven points in an 11-0 Dallas run. The Pelicans led 36-34 after the first quarter.
Dallas took its first two-possession lead with 4:48 left in the first half when Daniel Gafford’s dunk gave the Mavericks a 54-50 advantage.
Davis scored six straight Dallas points, including a 3-pointer with just under a minute left to give the Mavericks a 63-54 lead.
Williamson’s dunk with 4.7 seconds remaining trimmed the Pelicans’ halftime deficit to 63-57.
–Field Level Media
