Brandon Ingram and rookie Jordan Hawkins scored 25 points each to lead six New Orleans scorers in double figures and the host Pelicans ended a five-game losing streak by routing the Dallas Mavericks 131-110 in an in-season tournament game Tuesday night.
Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones scored 19 each, Naji Marshall had 16 and Dyson Daniels 10 as the Pelicans had a season-high point total and turned the tables on the Mavericks, who beat them 136-124 on Sunday night in New Orleans.
The Pelicans played without head coach Willie Green, who has a non-COVID illness. Associate head coach James Barrego filled in for Green.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kyrie Irving scored 17 each, Luka Doncic had 16 and Grant Williams 10 to lead the Mavericks.
New Orleans is 1-1 and Dallas is 1-2 in West Group B of the play-in tournament.
Ingram scored five straight points and New Orleans extended its 16-point halftime lead to 20 early in the third quarter.
Williamson made three consecutive baskets and the Pelicans increased the lead to 23. Daniels’ 3-pointer beat the buzzer and left New Orleans with a 114-85 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Doncic made a 3-pointer to start the scoring and the Mavericks opened a 7-2 lead before the Pelicans scored 10 straight points.
Dallas pulled within two points after Hardaway made two free throws, but Hawkins scored five straight to give New Orleans a 23-14 lead.
The Mavericks pulled within four points before Marshall banked in a 3-pointer from two-thirds court at the buzzer to give Pelicans a 33-26 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Doncic was 1-for-6 from the floor and had six turnovers in the period.
Dallas closed within three points, but New Orleans answered with consecutive 3-pointers by Matt Ryan and Hawkins.
The lead expanded to 19 points on consecutive 3-pointers by Daniels and Hawkins.
The Mavericks got as close as 10 points before Hawkins made three free throws to give the Pelicans a 70-54 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media