NBA: Zion Williamson, Pelicans down Mavs to continue winning ways

Zion Williamson scored 27 points and Saddiq Bey added 23 as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the visiting Dallas Mavericks 129-111 on Monday, marking their third win in four games.

Trey Murphy III and Jeremiah Fears contributed 17 points each for New Orleans, while Karlo Matkovic came off the bench to record a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Yves Missi returned to the starting lineup, tying his career high with five blocks and grabbing 10 rebounds. He filled in for Dejounte Murray, who sat out due to illness after scoring 62 points in New Orleans’ previous two games.

For Dallas, Naji Marshall led all scorers with 32 points, adding eight rebounds and seven assists. Cooper Flagg chipped in 21 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, while P.J. Washington scored 18 points. The Mavericks suffered their 10th loss in 12 games.

The game started in Dallas’ favor, with the visitors jumping ahead 23-13 on a Flagg steal and dunk. New Orleans responded with a 13-0 run highlighted by Bey, which gave the Pelicans a 26-23 lead—the final lead change of the game. Bey finished the opening quarter with 10 points and Williamson added nine, helping New Orleans take a 32-26 lead and eventually win every quarter.

Dallas briefly closed the gap to 36-35 on a Max Christie three-pointer, but New Orleans controlled the paint to pull away 60-42 by halftime. Williamson added another nine points in the second quarter to total 18 by the break, giving the Pelicans a 67-54 lead.

The Pelicans stretched the margin to a game-high 19 points, 103-84, late in the third quarter. Marshall scored a turnaround basket in the final seconds of the period to make it 103-86. In the fourth, Flagg and Marshall tried to chip away at the lead, reducing it to 12 points, but Dallas could not make further inroads.

New Orleans maintained control to secure the 129-111 victory.

-Field Level Media/Reuters