CJ McCollum scored 30 points and the visiting New Orleans Pelicans dominated from start to finish in a 133-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
Jonas Valanciunas added 15 points and 12 rebounds. Brandon Ingram scored 15, Dyson Daniels had 14, Jordan Hawkins had 12, and Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall scored 11 each as the Pelicans overcame the absence of Zion Williamson (quad contusion) in the opener of a five-game road trip.
The Pelicans shot 61 percent from the floor, including 54.3 percent on 3-pointers, and they converted on 14 of 16 free throws.
New Orleans led by 12 points after the first quarter, 25 at halftime and 42 after three quarters. The Pelicans’ lead hit 50 in the fourth quarter.
Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings, falling four assists short of a third straight triple-double. Kevin Huerter scored 17, Keon Ellis had 13, Sasha Vezenkov had 11, and Harrison Barnes and Kessler Edwards had 10 each for the Kings, who had won four of their last five games before falling to 0-4 against New Orleans this season.
The Pelicans have averaged 126.5 points against the Kings and have an average margin of victory of 21 points.
Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox made just 1 of 10 field-goal attempts and finished with three points.
Valanciunas had three field goals as New Orleans built a 20-9 lead. The margin grew to 14 points on a 3-pointer by McCollum.
The Kings crept within nine points before the Pelicans scored the final three points to take a 33-21 lead at the end of the first quarter.
New Orleans scored the first six points of the second quarter and McCollum added a pair of 3-pointers to increase the lead to 45-23.
Huerter’s 3-pointer pulled Sacramento within 16 points, but the Pelicans led by as many as 29 points on their way to a 72-47 halftime edge.
–Field Level Media
