Zion Williamson scores 24 to lead Pelicans over Mavericks for 5th straight win

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson scored 24 points, including 10 straight in a decisive two-minute span of the fourth quarter, to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 119-113 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, extending the Pelicans’ season-long winning streak to five games.

The Pelicans, who started the season 3-22, have posted their longest winning streak since 2022.

New Orleans erased an 87-79 deficit after three quarters with a 38-19 run in the first 10:24 of the final quarter.

With New Orleans leading 105-103, Williamson scored on five of the Pelican’s next six possessions, four of them on strong drives to the basket from the right side, to put the Pelicans up 117-106 with 1:37 left.

The Mavericks were led by Anthony Davis’ season-high 35 points. They scored seven straight points to cut the New Orleans lead to 117-113 with 18.1 seconds left, but Trey Murphy III iced the game for the Pelicans with two free throws with 10.4 seconds remaining.

Derik Queen had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, and Saddiq Bey added 19 points and seven rebounds.

Davis and Klay Thompson were unstoppable in the first half as the Mavericks overcame an early 11-point deficit to take a 63-57 halftime lead.

Davis scored 22 points in the first half — his highest one-half output of the season — and Thompson came off the bench to score 20.

Davis went 10 for 16 in the first half, as he easily got the ball near the rim against the smaller Pelicans’ interior defense. He added an unguarded 3-pointer for the Mavericks’ final bucket of the second quarter. He had a double-double by halftime with 10 rebounds.

Thompson, a career 41% shooter from long range, entered the game shooting just 36% from 3, but he nailed five of his first nine 3-pointers.