NEW ORLEANS — CJ McCollum showcased an impressive performance by scoring 37 of his 43 points in the second half, including 11 crucial points during overtime, leading the New Orleans Pelicans to a 140-133 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. This victory ended the Pelicans’ frustrating 10-game losing streak.
Joining McCollum in contribution, Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy III scored 18 points each for New Orleans, who managed to defeat the Kings for the first time in their four meetings this season. The team also saw strong support from its bench, with Jordan Hawkins and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl each netting 16 points, while Karlo Matkovic achieved a career-high of 13 points alongside three blocks.
The Pelicans played without their star player Zion Williamson, who scored 33 points in the previous game. He was given a break as he continues to recover from a left hamstring injury.
For Sacramento, Zach LaVine delivered a solid performance with 32 points and 10 assists. Domantas Sabonis added 22 points and matched his personal best with 28 rebounds. Malik Monk and DeMar DeRozan contributed 24 and 20 points, respectively.
As the game neared its conclusion, the Pelicans, holding onto a three-point lead, opted to intentionally foul Sabonis with just 8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Sabonis faltered on his second free throw attempt, but Monk quickly grabbed the rebound, was subsequently fouled by Bruce Brown, and successfully converted two free throws, sending the game into overtime.
Observation Highlights: The Kings’ Sabonis has recorded 20 or more rebounds in seven games this season. In addition, Markelle Fultz, the former top overall draft pick, was brought in on Thursday to bolster the guard position following the trade of De’Aaron Fox, though he did not see any action in this game.
For the Pelicans, McCollum’s prowess this season is notable, as he has surpassed the 40-point mark three times, becoming the first Pelican to do so since Anthony Davis achieved the feat during the 2018-19 season.
A pivotal moment in the match was when McCollum made three three-pointers within just over two minutes during the overtime period.
A key statistic from the game shows that, without Williamson’s presence in the paint, the Pelicans managed to hit 21 of their 50 attempts from beyond the arc, shooting at a rate of 42%. McCollum led this effort with seven successful three-pointers, while teammates Alvarado and Robinson-Earl each added four.
Looking ahead, the Kings will host the Golden State Warriors on February 21, while the Pelicans are set to continue their campaign against the Dallas Mavericks.
