Jalen Johnson matched his career high by scoring 29 points, Trae Young had a double-double and the visiting Atlanta Hawks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 126-111 on Sunday night.
Young finished with 23 points and 12 assists, former Pelicans Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. scored 16 points and 14 points, respectively, and No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and Garrison Mathews added 11 apiece.
Brandon Ingram scored 32 points, Jordan Hawkins chipped in 19 and Brandon Boston Jr. and Jamal Cain each finished with 14 to lead the Pelicans, who played without star forward Zion Williamson (hamstring).
Atlanta scored the first seven points of the third quarter to take a six-point lead before Ingram’s layup gave New Orleans its first points of the period.
Young had 11 points and six assists in the quarter as the Hawks increased their lead to 88-77 with 3:53 to go in the third. Jose Alvarado, Boston, Hawkins and Ingram then scored two points apiece as the Pelicans trimmed their deficit to 93-85 by the end of the quarter.
Atlanta increased its lead to 11 points before the Pelicans twice closed within five, but Johnson scored seven points during a 14-0 run that put the Hawks well ahead, 116-97 with 5:20 left in the game.
Atlanta outscored New Orleans 68-52 in the second half.
The Hawks scored the first seven points of the game and opened a 15-6 lead, which included seven points from Risacher. Atlanta settled for a 33-30 edge after 12 minutes of action after Alvarado’s fadeaway at the buzzer.
New Orleans stretched its lead to as many as seven in the second quarter, when Ingram sank 1 of 2 free throws to put the hosts up 52-45 with 4:23 remaining.
Alvarado pulled up for a jumper with 4.5 seconds left in the first half to send the Pelicans into intermission with a 59-58 lead.
–Field Level Media
