Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots as New Orleans Pelicans forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (50) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Rookie Jordan Hawkins scored a season-high 34 points to lead seven New Orleans players in double figures as the Pelicans beat the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 on Saturday night in a game where most of both teams’ regular starters weren’t uniform.
Herb Jones scored 15 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Pelicans, who split a back-to-back after losing at Denver 125-113 on Friday night.
Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 33 points followed by Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. with 24 each.
The Pelicans, after hitting 4 of 14 3-pointers in the first half, hit 7 of 9 from deep in the third quarter to outscore the Mavericks 39-27 and pull ahead for good 88-81.
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Dallas’ Luka Doncic missed his second consecutive game for the first time this season because of an ankle sprain. Dante Exum (plantar fascia) missed his sixth consecutive game, and rookie Dereck Lively II (ankle) missed his fifth straight for Dallas.
The Pelicans played without Zion Williamson (rest), Brandon Ingram (Achilles) and CJ McCollum (ankle). It was the fourth time in six Pelicans' back-to-back finales so far this season that Williamson was held out.
With top reserve Trey Murphy III also out (knee), the Pelicans were missing two-thirds of their season scoring.
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The Pelicans led 29-20 after one period with Irving and Hardaway, who combined for 76 points in Dallas’ 128-124 win over New York on Thursday, shooting a combined 2 of 14 and missing all seven 3-pointers.
New Orleans led by a game-high 11 points one minute into the second quarter and was ahead 46-37 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half before the Mavericks went on a 12-point run. Dallas led 54-49 at halftime with Hardaway and Jones scoring 13 each and Irving 12. Hawkins was New Orleans’ lone double-figure scorer in the first half with 14.
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The teams will remain in Dallas and meet again on Monday.
