Trey Murphy III had 22 points to lead eight New Orleans scorers in double figures as the short-handed Pelicans held off the visiting Dallas Mavericks 113-111 on Tuesday night.
Naji Marshall added 15 points, CJ McCollum had 14 points and 11 assists, Devonte’ Graham scored 14 points, Jose Alvarado and Jonas Valanciunas had 13 each and rookie Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. added 11 apiece.
The Pelicans played without starters Brandon Ingram (concussion), Zion Williamson (bruised hip) and Herbert Jones (knee).
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 37 points and 11 rebounds but missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 24 points and Christian Wood added 23.
The Mavericks, who hadn’t led since the score was 2-1, scored the first six points of the third quarter to grab a 70-66 lead.
Murphy’s 3-pointer pulled the Pelicans even at 73 and the score was tied again at 76 before New Orleans scored six straight points.
The Pelicans led by six points twice more before Dallas scored the last eight points to take an 89-87 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Mavericks scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, but New Orleans scored the next four.
Wood answered with a 3-pointer before the Pelicans regained the lead, 98-97, as McCollum scored five straight.
Graham made two 3-pointers and Murphy made one as New Orleans took a 109-102 lead.
Dallas’ Maxi Kleber scored the next five points before Nance’s dunk and Graham’s free throw gave the Pelicans a five-point lead with 1:35 left.
Doncic scored on back-to-back layups to pull Dallas within 112-111 with four seconds remaining.
Graham made one of two free throws, leaving the Mavericks with 2.9 seconds to try to tie or win.
Alvarado and Valanciunas scored nine points each as the Pelicans took a 40-31 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Pelicans scored the first seven points of the second quarter to take their biggest lead of the half before Doncic helped Dallas get within 66-64 at halftime.
–Field Level Media