CHICAGO — In an exciting matchup on Tuesday night, the New Orleans Pelicans triumphed over the Chicago Bulls with a final score of 119-113. Trey Murphy III was on fire, contributing 32 points to the Pelicans’ tally, while Zion Williamson supported with 21 points during the game.
After returning from a left hamstring strain and serving a one-game suspension, Williamson showcased his versatility by leading his team in both rebounds and assists, pulling down seven boards and dishing out nine assists. Murphy had a mixed shooting performance, going 9 for 20 from the floor overall, and though he struggled from beyond the arc, shooting only 2 for 13 on three-pointers, he made a significant impact at the free-throw line, converting all 12 attempts.
Despite sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, this victory marked a slight upturn for the Pelicans, who have won four of their last seven games, moving their record to 9-32.
For the Bulls, it was Zach LaVine who led the scoring with 25 points, albeit a quiet night in the first half where he only managed two points. Nikola Vucevic made a solid contribution with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Coby White also scored 22 points to aid his team’s effort.
Takeaways from the game showed that the Pelicans had a rocky start, hitting only 36.5% of their shots and a dismal 4 for 24 from the three-point line in the initial two quarters. However, they rebounded well in the second half, sinking 10 out of 25 three-point attempts and shooting a solid 52.3% overall.
In terms of performance trends, LaVine’s streak of six consecutive games scoring 30 points came to an end, as he finished the first half with only two points, having gone 1-of-7 from the field before halftime.
A pivotal moment came when the score was tied at 88. The Pelicans surged ahead with a 10-2 run, including two pivotal three-pointers from Jose Alvarado, extending their lead to 98-90 and prompting Bulls head coach Billy Donovan to call a timeout.
In the final quarter, New Orleans excelled, shooting 12 for 22 while Chicago could only manage 12 of 32. After entering the last period tied at 86, the Pelicans outscored their opponents 33-27 to secure the win.
Looking ahead, the Pelicans are set to clash with the Dallas Mavericks in their next game on Wednesday, while the Chicago Bulls will return to the court to face the Atlanta Hawks, also on Wednesday.
