Dallas tied the game twice and trailed by as little as two points late, but New Orleans' first-quarter surge proved too much to erase. The Mavericks got more scoring from their first unit than their reserves, and a bench-heavy closing lineup could not finish the comeback.
The Run That Decided It
Dallas and New Orleans traded nine lead changes and tied the score twice in the first half before the Pelicans pulled away for good. New Orleans turned a 16-16 deadlock into a 24-18 lead with an 8-0 run spanning the final two minutes of the first quarter, and the margin grew to as much as nine points from there. The Mavericks clawed back to within two, their closest margin of the night, but could not find the stop or basket to flip it, falling 101-97 in their third preseason game.
Grades From The Finishing Five
Dallas closed the game with John Poulakidas, Max Christie, P.J. Washington, Sergio de Larrea and Tobi Lawal on the floor, a lineup built from depth pieces rather than regulars. Christie was the clear standout: 5 points, 4 boards and 3 assists in 11 minutes, with the ball doing the most work on his stat line. Poulakidas matched that efficiency, hitting 2 of 3 from deep for 6 points in only 5 minutes. Lawal scored 6 as well and added a steal and a block, but his minus-8 was the worst plus-minus on either roster despite just 8 minutes of floor time. Moussa Cisse, with 4 points, 6 boards, a steal and a block in 10 minutes, finished tied for the best mark on the team at minus-1. Washington's night was the odd one: no points on 0-of-3 shooting, yet the only Maverick who finished on the plus side, at plus-2. Across the roster, the first unit outscored the reserves 16 points to 6.
What It Changes
The loss leaves Dallas 1-2 in preseason play, sandwiched between a blowout loss and a blowout win against Houston in the two games before it. The regular-season record stays at 0-0 since none of these count, but the calendar keeps moving: the Mavericks had three days off ahead of this one and get only two before hosting Atlanta on October 16, with the regular-season opener at Houston following on October 21.
What was the final score of the Mavericks' preseason game against the Pelicans?
Dallas lost 101-97 to New Orleans on October 14, falling to 1-2 in preseason play. The result does not count toward the regular-season record, which stays at 0-0.
Who scored the most for Dallas against New Orleans?
Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 7 points, with Tobi Lawal and John Poulakidas each adding 6 off the bench.
More from The Big D Breakdown
all Mavericks news →
Player focus · Wed, Oct 14Dwight Powell Is Playing For A Roster Spot, Not A Role
Cap watch · Wed, Oct 14Cap Watch: Dallas Has Room Before The Tax, Then Kyrie's Option
Postgame · Sun, Oct 11Mavericks Avenge Rockets Loss, Win Rematch 132-115
Postgame · Fri, Oct 9Rockets Bury Mavericks Early, Reserves Answer Late in Preseason Opener