Part of a two-game miniseries, the Mavs defeated the Pelicans handily because to big games from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic.

brand-new orleans The Dallas Mavericks easily defeated the New Orleans Pelicans in the first of their two meetings, winning 136-124 in the end. Consequently, the Pelicans slumped to 4-6 while Dallas rose to 8-2 after 10 games. 

The Pelicans’ early strategy was to limit the floor by limiting Derrick Jones Jr.’s movement, which would make it difficult for the Mavs’ playmakers to penetrate the paint. Though he was unsuccessful in his early tries, the superstars of the squad had no trouble getting things going in spite of New Orleans’ strategy.  

Brandon Ingram’s short-range pull-up jumpers late in the first quarter gave the Pelicans their biggest advantage, which they would eventually extend to three points on many occasions. In a swift response, the Mavs relied on Kyrie Irving to guide their bench. With 1:08 remaining in the quarter, Irving’s bank shot put Dallas ahead 28–27, and the club never tied or fell behind again. 

With their fast-paced style of play and fluidity in the half-court, the Mavs were too much for the Pelicans to handle. Doncic scored eight points in the first quarter, not far behind Irving, who had already scored in double figures. Throughout the game, both players maintained their momentum, scoring a combined 37 points at the half—22 from Irving and 15 from Doncic. 

The Mavs gave up turnovers just four times in the first half, while the Pelicans gave up eleven times. This difference in turnover rates was substantial. Dallas built a nine-point lead after scoring 12 points off of turnovers. Zion Williamson was slumping off, and New Orleans found it difficult to pull Dallas’ defenders out of rotation. 

After the half, the Pelicans’ defensive strategy changed, with a focus on frequently trying to blitz Irving and Doncic when they were working out of ball screens in an effort to force the pass to the short-roll. It didn’t last long because the Mavs broke their strategy. The Pelicans never found a plan that consistently worked with Dallas’ explosive shotmaking. 

With Doncic’s fourth made 3-pointer of the quarter late in the third quarter, the Mavs extended their lead to 25 points after maintaining their edge. After scoring 67 points in total during the first half, Dallas scored 42 points in the third quarter alone. 

After falling behind by such a large margin in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans were unable to rally. In the last quarter, the Mavs had a 29-point lead without even requiring Doncic to touch the court. Instead, halfway through, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Irving were replaced on the court by Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Seth Curry. 

Because they were able to clean the bench late, the Mavs were able to limit the playing time of every player to less than thirty minutes. With a season-high seven made 3-pointers, Irving finished with 35 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Doncic contributed four rebounds, nine assists, and thirty points. 

Other notable Mavs performances included Josh Green’s (13 points) and Tim Hardway Jr.’s (15 points) double-figure scoring efforts. 

Following up on their impressive scoring display in their previous game, which saw the Mavs defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 144-126, were Doncic and Irving. With Doncic scoring 44 points and Irving contributing 27, the two combined for 71 points. 

The NBA In-Season Tournament will feature the Mavs and Pelicans’ next game when they play again on Tuesday.