Pelicans
Mavericks' 34-point fourth falls short as Pelicans hang on, 101-97
The Pelicans beat the Mavericks 101-97 in a preseason game at American Airlines Center, building a 14-point cushion before Dallas' bench-heavy rally in the fourth made it close. Both teams are 0-0 since it's preseason, so nothing is on the line in the standings, but the result closes the exhibition slate on a positive note for New Orleans.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 4 d ago01The story of the nightHow it slipped away from DallasNew Orleans controlled the game almost from the start.
New Orleans controlled the game almost from the start. The Pelicans led 24-18 after one, pushed it to 56-45 at the half, and stretched the margin to 75-63 through three quarters, their biggest lead reaching 14 points. Dallas never led by more than 2 all night and had to play from behind for most of the game. The Mavericks finally found their shooting touch in the fourth, outscoring New Orleans 34-26 to cut the deficit to 4, but it wasn't enough. Nine lead changes on each side show how scrappy it was in stretches, but New Orleans never let it get away.
02Fears and the Pelicans bench lead the wayJeremiah Fears paced New Orleans with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, adding 5 assists and 3 steals in just over 20…
Jeremiah Fears paced New Orleans with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, adding 5 assists and 3 steals in just over 20 minutes. Karlo Matkovic scored 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three. Off the bench, Zion Williamson was efficient with 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting, and Jaron Pierre Jr. added 10 points of his own. For Dallas, the bench did the heavy lifting: Tobi Lawal and John Poulakidas each scored 16 points, Seth Lundy added 13, and Sergio de Larrea had 10 points and 6 assists.
03Won in the paint and in transitionNew Orleans out-scored Dallas in the paint 50-38 and dominated the fast break 23-8, the clearest sign of where this…
New Orleans out-scored Dallas in the paint 50-38 and dominated the fast break 23-8, the clearest sign of where this game was decided. The Pelicans also turned Dallas' 25 turnovers into 27 points, more than double the 16 points New Orleans allowed off its own 19 giveaways. Dallas shot just 35.7% from the field and 10-of-49 from three, numbers too poor to overcome despite out-rebounding New Orleans 62-52 and getting to the line for 27-of-32 shooting. The Pelicans shot a much cleaner 45.3% from the field.
04Bench minutes carry both sidesBoth benches did most of the scoring, with Dallas' reserves outscoring New Orleans' 70-58.
Both benches did most of the scoring, with Dallas' reserves outscoring New Orleans' 70-58. That's expected for a preseason game built around evaluating depth rather than closing lineups. For New Orleans, Zion Williamson's 5-of-5 shooting and plus-14 mark in 18 minutes off the bench stood out as a clean follow-up performance. For Dallas, Lawal and Poulakidas combining for 32 points off the bench gives the coaching staff real rotation options even in a losing effort.
05What it meansThis was a preseason game, so it has no bearing on the standings, with both teams still 0-0.
This was a preseason game, so it has no bearing on the standings, with both teams still 0-0. For New Orleans, the win offers evidence that its bench scoring and transition game can be a real weapon once the games count. For Dallas, the fourth-quarter rally led by reserves like Lawal and Poulakidas is an encouraging sign for depth, even if the night's shooting numbers, especially from three, need to improve before the regular season starts.
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