WASHINGTON — In a fierce matchup on Sunday night, the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Washington Wizards 110-98, clinching their second consecutive win. CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with an impressive 25 points, while Dejounte Murray achieved a triple-double, contributing 14 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds—marking the 20th triple-double of his career. Trey Murphy III also played a significant role, adding another 22 points to the scoreboard for New Orleans.
With this victory, the Pelicans improved their record to 7-29, overtaking the struggling Wizards, who fell to 6-27. This game marked a critical turnaround for New Orleans, who had suffered through an 11-game losing streak before securing these two wins against Washington.
In the earlier game on Friday, McCollum had dominated with a staggering 50 points against the Wizards. On Sunday, he maintained efficiency, hitting 9 out of 18 attempts from the field, including 6 of 11 from beyond the arc. Washington’s Kyle Kuzma was a bright spot for his team, scoring 28 points in the contest.
However, the Wizards were missing key players Jordan Poole, who is sidelined with a left hip injury, and Bilal Coulibaly, who was out due to illness. For the Pelicans, they have also felt the absence of star players Zion Williamson, who hasn’t played since November 6, and Brandon Ingram, who last appeared in a game on December 7.
In terms of team performance, the Pelicans demonstrated their ability to triumph over the Wizards in contrasting styles. The prior game was characterized by a high-scoring thriller, finishing at 132-120, while this latest encounter showcased New Orleans’ stronger defensive efforts, limiting Washington to under 100 points.
Noteworthy performances also came from Alex Sarr, who notched 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards, successfully competing against fellow rookie Yves Missi, who tallied 16 points and seven rebounds. In the race for rookie stars in the league, Missi leads with eight double-doubles, while Sarr is tied for second with four.
A pivotal moment in the game was the Pelicans’ 17-point scoring run that stretched from the end of the first quarter into the second. This surge propelled New Orleans to a lead of 36-22, a gap that Washington struggled to close for the remainder of the game.
As for the statistics, the Pelicans celebrated their first back-to-back wins since the start of the season, when they won their opening two games. Looking ahead, both teams will be back in action on Tuesday night; the Wizards will host the Houston Rockets, and the Pelicans will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at their home court.
