Zion Williamson ties season high with 29 points as Pelicans beat Pacers 128-109 for 4th straight win

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson came off the bench for the third consecutive game and matched his season high with 29 points as the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Indiana Pacers 128-109 on Saturday night for their season-high fourth straight win.

Williamson, who did not play during the fourth quarter and overtime of the Pelicans’ 133-128 victory over Houston on Thursday, scored 18 points in the first half as the Pelicans raced to a 64-49 lead. Williamson made 9 of 14 shots from the floor and 11 of 13 free throws and grabbed seven rebounds.

Saddiq Bey scored 18 points, Trey Murphy III and Derik Queen each had 17 and Jordan Poole 16 for New Orleans. Queen also had 10 rebounds. The New Orleans reserves accounted for a season-high 66 points.

Pascal Siakam scored 22 points to lead the Pacers. Johnny Furphy had 18 and T.J. McConnell 16 as Indiana lost its fourth in row.

The Pelicans scored 44 points in the first quarter for their best opening period of the season. They did it on the strength of 61% shooting (17 for 28) and 11 assists. Williamson, who has been coming off the bench since returning from a hip adductor injury, led the surge with 10 points in the first as New Orleans took a 44-27 lead.

Helped by six New Orleans turnovers, the Pacers scored 14 of the first 16 points of the second quarter to cut the deficit to 46-41, but the Pelicans outscored Indiana 18-8 to take the 15-point halftime lead.

The loss delayed Rick Carlisle’s run to his 1,000th NBA head coaching victory. The Pacers have lost four straight since beating the Sacramento Kings 116-105 on Dec. 8, and Carlisle stands at 999 victories over 24 seasons.