Brandon Ingram, rookie Jordan Hawkins each score 25 as Pelicans top Mavericks 131-110
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 14: Jaden Hardy #1 of the Dallas Mavericks looks to pass against Herbert Jones #5 and Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of the NBA In-Season Tournament at the Smoothie King Center
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Brandon Ingram and rookie Jordan Hawkins each scored 25 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped a five-game skid with a 131-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in an In-Season Tournament game on Tuesday night.
Zion Williamson highlighted his 19-point performance with two alley-oop dunks and double-clutch, reverse, two-hand dunk on a breakaway that he initiated with a steal from Luka Doncic. Herb Jones also had 19 points with five steals and two blocks — one on Doncic — as New Orleans improved to 1-1 in West Conference Group B pool play.
The oft-spectacular and prolific Doncic was not in his usual form. He scored 16 points, but missed 11 of 16 shots, turned the ball over eight times and was a minus-26 in 26 minutes on the court.
Kyrie Irving, who led all scorers with 35 points when the teams met two nights earlier, was limited to 17 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. also scored 17 before coach Jason Kidd pulled all the starters for most of the final period.
The Mavericks were sloppy in general, committing 20 turnovers that New Orleans turned into 31 points.
Pelicans coach Willie Green missed the game because he was ill. Lead assistant James Borrego filled in as acting head coach for the Pelicans, who looked eager to redeem themselves on their purple and fluorescent green tournament court after losing big to Dallas in a regular-season contest on Sunday night.
New Orleans shot 52.1% (49 of 94) overall and combined to hit 14 3s, matching the Mavs’ makes from deep. The Pelicans had 46 fast-break points to Dallas’ 12, and 60 points in the paint to the Mavs’ 40.
Reserve Naji Marshall, who scored 16 points, closed out the first quarter by banking in a shot from beyond half court at the horn, giving New Orleans a 33-26 lead.
Hawkins, drafted 14th overall out of UConn, came off the bench to score 19 of his points in the first half, hitting three of New Orleans’ nine 3s in the opening 24 minutes. Hawkins finished with 5 3s to give him 32 made shots from deep in his first 11 NBA games.
New Orleans led by as many as 19 points in the second quarter and took a 70-54 lead into halftime after Hawkins was fouled on a missed 3 and hit al three free throws.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Visit Washington on Wednesday.
Pelicans: Host Denver on Friday in a tournament game.