Pelicans rout Hawks again
New Orleans scored 34 points off turnovers and used a balanced attack to secure a 121-99 victory over Atlanta.
By Noor Rossi ·
The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Atlanta Hawks 121-99 at the Smoothie King Center on Saturday, securing their second straight win of the season. The team capitalized on defensive pressure to generate 34 points from turnovers, while five different players reached double-digit scoring. The victory improved the Pelicans' record to 2-4.
The win followed a similar pattern set by the team's opening win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. In that matchup, New Orleans posted a franchise-record 40 points off turnovers while beating Sacramento 132-120. The consistency in defensive disruption has defined the early portion of the campaign for the Pelicans.
Saddiq Bey led the Pelicans with 25 points. Jeremiah Fears contributed 20 points, while Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III each scored 15. Herb Jones added 11 points. Eleven of the twelve players who appeared in the game registered points on the scoreboard. Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole, and Yves Missi did not play due to personal reasons and injuries.
Coach Jamahl Mosley praised the team's ball movement, noting the group recorded 27 assists on 43 made field goals. This followed a previous game where the team posted 32 assists on 50 made shots. The Pelicans shot 57 percent from the field overall, though they attempted only 17 three-pointers, making seven of them.
The Hawks struggled from deep, making just eight of 46 three-point attempts for a 17 percent success rate. Former Pelicans guard CJ McCollum scored 14 points in his first game against his former team. Jalen Johnson and Asa Newell added 13 points each for Atlanta, which fell to a 3-4 record.
New Orleans built a 63-48 lead after the first half. McCollum opened the third quarter by scoring five consecutive points to narrow the gap, but Karlo Matkovic answered with a three-pointer. Matkovic finished with a game-high 10 rebounds. The Pelicans extended their advantage to 20 points twice in the third quarter before leading 92-74 at the final break.
The margin grew to 28 points in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans' defensive unit recorded 15 steals in the game, compared to 18 in the previous outing against Sacramento. Atlanta shot 30 percent from the floor, while New Orleans maintained a 56 percent shooting percentage in the first quarter alone.
