New Orleans Pelicans Beat Dallas Mavericks 129-111

The New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks faced off in the battle of the bottom feeders on Monday. The Pelicans beat the Mavericks 129-111 at the Smoothie King Center. New Orleans improved to 23-46. Dallas fell to 23-46.

New Orleans hosted St. Patrick’s Party Night. Fans enjoyed a happy hour at the Sports Bar at 5:30 p.m. Central. Fans also received a Pelicans fan chain.

In Case You Missed It

The New Orleans Pelicans fell to the Houston Rockets 107-105 at the Toyota Center on Friday. Dejounte Murray led the Pelicans with 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

As of Sunday, New Orleans scored 7,850 points to raise $15,700 for the Points for Disaster Relief monetary donation program.

The Dallas Mavericks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-120 at the Rocket Arena on Sunday. Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26 points, 1 rebound, and 11 assists.

Flagg recorded his 10th double-double of the season, joining Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Johnson, and Derik Queen as the only rookies in NBA history to record these numbers in a game.

PJ Washington scored 20 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 steals, joining Mark Aguirre and Roy Tarpley as the only players in Mavs history to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals, and 1 block in a game.

Naji Marshall tallied 25 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal, recording his seventh 25-point game of the season and 11th of his NBA career. All 11 of Marshall’s 25-point performances came in his past two seasons in Dallas.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks Starters

New Orleans’ starting lineup featured Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey, and Yves Missi. New Orleans ruled out Bryce McGowens (fractured right toe) and Murray (illness).

Dallas’ starting lineup featured Ryan Nembhard, Max Christie, Flagg, Marshall, and PJ Washington Jr. Dallas ruled out Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery), Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery), Klay Thompson (rest), Daniel Gafford (illness), and Caleb Martin (right plantar fascia soreness).

Pelicans vs. Mavericks Recap

The Pelicans and Mavericks battled in a Southwest Division showdown. New Orleans Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore was in attendance. The Pelicans’ goal was to score 100+ points in a 26th consecutive home game. Washington made a three-pointer. New Orleans went on a late 18-3 run. New Orleans took a 32-26 lead to end the first.

Dallas opened the second quarter on a high note. Marshall made a corner three-pointer on a pick-and-roll. Flagg spun into a mid-range jumper over Yves Missi. However, Dallas struggled to regain control with multiple empty possessions. New Orleans took a 67-54 lead into halftime.

Dallas fell behind in the third quarter, but its efforts soon showed. Brandon Williams left the game after suffering a hit to the side of his head. New Orleans took its largest lead of the night. Dallas cut the lead to 96-82 with 2:38 left. New Orleans took a 103-86 lead into the final quarter.

Dallas’ efforts showed in the fourth quarter, yet ended up as close but no cigar. Dallas faced its largest deficit of the night, as Marshall knocked down a bucket from distance. Missi recorded his fifth block of the night, tying his career-high of five vs. the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 30, 2024. New Orleans won 129-111 in regulation.

Next Steps

The New Orleans Pelicans continue their three-game homestand against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Central. New Orleans can beat Los Angeles by focusing on offense, aiming to make more three-pointers, and building a strong defense.

The Dallas Mavericks open a three-game homestand starting with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Central. Dallas can challenge Atlanta by controlling the rebounds, increasing smart shooting, especially from the three-point line, and focusing on defense.