Dejounte Murray's 30 points help Pelicans get by Mavericks

Field Level Media|published: Wed 15th January, 23:07 2025

Jan 15, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) dunks against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Dejounte Murray scored 30 points, Trey Murphy III added 24 and a game-saving blocked shot and the host New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Dallas Mavericks 119-116 on Wednesday night.

Javonte Green scored 13, Yves Missi and Jordan Hawkins added 12 points each, CJ McCollum scored 11 and Murphy added 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks for the Pelicans.

Daniel Gafford had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Jaden Hardy scored 21, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20, P.J. Washington added 14 points and 14 rebounds, Quentin Grimes scored 14 and Klay Thompson had 12 for the Mavericks.

Gafford's field goal started the second-half scoring and tied the score before the Pelicans went on a 14-4 run to take a 77-67 lead.

Dinwiddie scored eight straight to start a Dallas surge. The Mavericks took a three-point lead on consecutive baskets by Grimes and Washington's 3-pointer pushed the lead to 91-87 at the end of the third quarter.

Murphy scored five straight points to help the Pelicans pull even before Dallas took a five-point lead.

Murray made a 3-pointer and another jumper to give New Orleans a 109-107 lead, but Thompson scored five to give the Mavericks a 112-109 lead.

The Pelicans regained the lead 116-114 on Green's 3-pointer with 45.1 seconds left. After Murray made one of two free throws, Washington made two with 15.8 seconds left.

New Orleans turned the ball over and Dinwiddie drove to the basket, but Murphy blocked his shot and made two free throws with 1.5 seconds left.

Missi scored six points and Murphy, Murray, Javonte Green and McCollum each made a 3-pointer as New Orleans took a 22-12 lead. Dallas got within two before Brandon Boston Jr. and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl made consecutive field goals to give the Pelicans a 33-27 lead at the end of the first quarter.

New Orleans took its largest lead of the half at 45-34 before the Mavericks pulled even at 53.

Dalla tied the score again on a 3-pointer by Hardy before McCollum beat the buzzer with a layup that gave New Orleans a 63-61 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media

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