New Orleans Pelicans Secure Back-To-Back Winning Seasons In Over A Decade With A Road Victory Over the Brooklyn Nets
New Orleans continued their dominance on the road with a 104-91 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The Pelicans have 22 wins on the road this season, which is the third-most in the NBA. New Orleans is on track for a 50-win season, only their second in franchise history. Their 42 wins this season give them their first back-to-back winning seasons since 2007-2008.
CJ McCollum started the game where he left off on Saturday night when he scored 30 points against his former team. On Tuesday, he opened by hitting three 3-point shots in the opening quarter to lead the Pelicans with nine points. Zion Williamson collected two early fouls in the first four minutes and sat the remainder of the period. New Orleans relied on its ball movement to keep the offensive flow going, collecting ten assists to start the game. The Pelicans led 27-21 after one.
Mar 19, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looks to drive past Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. (4) in the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
The lead ballooned to double-digits with a quick 11-2 Pels run, and the New Orleans defense stifled Brooklyn. The Nets committed ten turnovers, with the Pelicans converting those into 15 points. New Orleans' defense held the Nets to 36.6% shooting in the half and held its opponents under 25 points for four straight quarters. Offensively, the Pels shot over 57% from the field, holding a 64-45 halftime advantage.
Brooklyn would not go quietly into the night, opening the half with a 12-4 run to cut the lead down to 11 points. New Orleans responded with a run of their own to push the lead back to 19 points. Despite the Pels' five turnovers in the quarter, New Orleans again held the Nets under 25 points. Williamson scored eight points in the period to keep the Pels steady offensively.
Brooklyn never challenged the Pels seriously in the fourth quarter and New Orleans won again on the road. Williamson finished with a game-high 28 points after going scoreless in the first quarter. The Pelicans dominated the paint 52-32 and held the Nets to just 36.9% shooting. Former LSU standout Cam Thomas led Brooklyn with 25 points on 8/19 shooting from the field.
New Orleans continues its road trip with back-to-back games in Florida against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, starting on Thursday. The road trip ends on Sunday with a game in Detroit against the Pistons.
