DALLAS (KNTU) All-star forward Anthony Davis recorded his 37th double-double of the season, Jrue Holiday led all scorers with 30 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Dallas Mavericks 126-109 on Sunday, March 4.
It is Dallas’ third straight loss and their eighth in the last 10 games.
Despite having a below-average shooting night, Davis still managed to score 23 points and grab 13 rebounds.
The Mavericks lost their only lead three minutes into the first quarter and trailed for the rest of the game.
Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 23 points for Dallas, going 8 for 13 shots to pass Elvin Hayes to move into eighth place on the NBA’s all-time field goal list.
Dennis Smith Jr. also had 23 points while chipping in eight assists and five rebounds.
The Mavericks only challenge to the Pelicans came at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Guard Kyle Collinsworth made a 3-point play to open the quarter, followed by 3-pointers from Nowitzki and J.J. Barea, bringing the score to 91-87 with 10:30 remaining.
New Orleans took a timeout, subbed in Davis, Holiday, and E’Twaun Moore, and quickly regained control of the game, which had gotten out-of-hand by the time the Pelicans took a 16-point lead with five minutes remaining.
The Mavericks were outshot 53.8% to 44.4%, mostly due to New Orleans’s superiority in the paint. The Pelicans outscored the Mavericks 56-40 down low.
The Pelicans also outshot the Mavericks from beyond the arc, shooting 46.2% compared to Dallas’ 43.5%. Nickola Mirotic had 6 of New Orleans’ 12 3-pointers, while Holiday and ex-Maverick Rajon Rondo both went 2 for 3.
Rondo was greeted with a cacophony of boos from the crowd with every touch of the ball. Rondo was traded to the Mavericks during the 2014-15 season, but feuds with teammates and coaches led to Rondo’s benching before the season ended. Rondo signed with the Sacramento Kings during the ensuing offseason.
The boos were loud at the start of the game but wore off as the game progressed. By the end of the fourth quarter, they devolved into weak heckling.
With the loss, the Mavericks now hold the league’s third-worst record. They trail only the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies in the race for the best odds of receiving the number one pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.
COMING UP:
- Mavericks: Ex-Maverick Devin Harris returns to Dallas for the first time since being traded to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, March 6.
- Pelicans: New Orleans will be in Los Angeles to take on the Clippers on Tuesday, March 6.
