Rookie Jordan Hawkins drops 34 as Pelicans top Mavericks in battle of undermanned teams
Rookie guard Jordan Hawkins goes toe-to-toe with veteran Kyrie Irving as the star-less New Orleans Pelicans beat the Dallas Mavericks without Luka Doncic
Rookie Jordan Hawkins scored 34 points and six teammates scored in double figures as the visiting New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 on Saturday night (Sunday, January 14, Manila time).
Herbert Jones scored 15 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Larry Nance Jr. and Jose Alvarado scored 14 points apiece.
Naji Marshall had 13 points and Dyson Daniels chipped in with 10 for the Pelicans, who played without Brandon Ingram (Achilles), CJ McCollum (ankle) and Zion Williamson (rest).
Kyrie Irving scored 33 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. each added 24 to lead the Mavericks, who played without Luka Doncic (ankle) and Dante Exum (foot).
These teams will meet again Monday afternoon in Dallas.
Hawkins made two 3-pointers and Marshall made one as New Orleans overcame a five-point halftime deficit to pull even at 59 with 9:56 left in the third quarter.
Alvarado made two 3-pointers and had two assists to help the Pelicans take an 85-77 lead with 1:32 left in the third. The Mavericks got within four points before New Orleans took an 88-81 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Dallas trimmed the lead to four points three times in the fourth quarter before the Pelicans took a 104-95 lead with 5:37 remaining.
Hawkins scored eight points as New Orleans opened a 15-8 lead.
The Mavericks trimmed the deficit to two points with 4:25 left in the first quarter, but New Orleans ended the quarter on a 10-3 run to take a 29-20 lead into the second quarter.
Kira Lewis Jr. made two free throws to start the second-quarter scoring and push the lead to 11 before Hardaway scored seven points to help the Mavericks pull even at 33 with 8:17 left in the first half.
Marshall made a layup to give the lead back to New Orleans, which built a 46-37 lead.
Irving made two 3-pointers and Hardaway added four points as Dallas finished with a 17-3 run to take a 54-49 halftime lead. – Rappler.com