DALLAS – As a member of the Southwest Division, New Orleans plays twice a season in Dallas’ home arena, but the rims at American Airlines Center seemed particularly unfamiliar and unwelcoming to the Pelicans in a Saturday matinee. New Orleans shot 2/27 from three-point range in the first three quarters, en route to its worst game of the season in that category by a wide margin (3 of 32). Dallas took full advantage, rolling to a second win over a five-day span against New Orleans, after prevailing Tuesday in a TNT game by 21. Saturday’s loss was the largest margin of defeat in New Orleans regular season history.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Dallas took a 12-point halftime lead and went up by 34 late in the third quarter, sinking a series of three-point shots and capitalizing on an extended offensive drought by New Orleans. The Mavericks improved to 3-0 head-to-head this season against their Southwest Division counterparts.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
It was difficult to pinpoint many positives for New Orleans, but Jaxson Hayes was an occasional bright spot, playing aggressively at both ends of the floor. The rookie center finished with 11 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes of action.
BY THE NUMBERS
66-32: Dallas second-half scoring advantage. It was 40-14 in the third quarter.
55-34: Dallas rebounding edge, led by 16 from reserve center Boban Marjanovic.
#SATURDAYSCORER
For all 14 Saturday games throughout New Orleans’ regular season, we’ll be selecting a Pelicans player we think will most exceed his season scoring average for that day’s game. Daniel Sallerson picked Lonzo Ball, while Jim Eichenhofer took Jaxson Hayes. In a fan poll among four other candidates, Brandon Ingram (35 percent) was chosen. The sixth Saturday contest was won by Eichenhofer – Hayes was the only player among those three still on the floor in the fourth quarter of a rout, which helped – making the season standings: Daniel 3, Jim 2, Fans 1. Sallerson and Eichenhofer cannot repeat a player among any of the first seven Saturday games.
Previous winners:
Oct. 26 at Houston, Fans – Lonzo Ball (Daniel pick: Nickeil Alexander-Walker; Jim: JJ Redick)
Nov. 2 at Oklahoma City, Daniel – JJ Redick (Jim: Jrue Holiday; Fans: Lonzo Ball)
Nov. 9 at Charlotte, Daniel – Kenrich Williams (Jim: Brandon Ingram; Fans: Jrue Holiday)
Nov. 16 at Miami, Jim – E’Twaun Moore (Daniel: Frank Jackson; Fans: Jrue Holiday)
Nov. 23 at Utah, Daniel – Jrue Holiday (Jim: Frank Jackson; Fans: JJ Redick)
