January 14 – The visiting New Orleans Pelicans upset the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 on Saturday night thanks to 34 points from rookie Jordan Hawkins and six more double-figure scoring efforts from teammates.
In addition to Herbert Jones’ 15 points, Jonas Valanciunas’ 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, as well as the 14 points each from Larry Nance Jr. and Jose Alvarado The Pelicans, who were without Zion Williamson (rest), CJ McCollum (ankle), and Brandon Ingram (achilles), received 13 points apiece from Naji Marshall and Dyson Daniels.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. each contributed 24 points, while Kyrie Irving scored 33 points to lead the Mavericks, who were missing Dante Exum (foot) and Luka Doncic (ankle).
In Dallas on Monday afternoon, these clubs will play again.
With 9:56 remaining in the third quarter, New Orleans tied the score at 59 after overcoming a five-point halftime deficit thanks to two 3-pointers from Hawkins and one from Marshall.
With 1:32 remaining in the third, Alvarado helped the Pelicans build an 85-77 lead with two 3-pointers and two assists. Before New Orleans took an 88-81 lead at the end of the third quarter, the Mavericks closed the gap to four points.
Three times in the fourth quarter, Dallas cut the advantage to four points, but with 5:37 left, the Pelicans seized a 104-95 lead.
With eight points from Hawkins, New Orleans took an early 15–8 lead.
With 4:25 remaining in the first quarter, the Mavericks narrowed the gap to two points, but New Orleans finished the quarter on a 10-3 surge to take a 29-20 advantage into the second.
With 8:17 remaining in the first half, Hardaway scored seven points to assist the Mavericks tie the game at 33 thanks to two free throws converted by Kira Lewis Jr. to start the second quarter’s scoring and extend the lead to eleven.
Marshall scored a basket to return the lead to New Orleans, who now led 46–37.
Dallas ended the half on a 17-3 run, led by two 3-pointers from Irving and four more from Hardaway, to grab a 54-49 lead at the intermission.