CJ McCollum scored 43 points, including a Tie-Breaking 3-pointer in overtime, and the values New Orleans Pelicans ended a 10-game losing line by defeating Sacramento Kings 140-133 on Thursday evening.
Trey Murphy III added 18 points and 11 assists, Jose Alvarado got 18, Jordan Hawkins and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl got 16 each and the beginner Karo Matkovic had a season high 13.
Zach Lavine had 32 points and 10 assists, referee Sabonis added 22 points and 28 returns, Malik Monk made 24, Demar Derozan had 20 and Keegan Murray 13 for the kings.
The point was tied to 133 in overtime when McCollum made a 3-pointer, Matkovic added a layout with 1:22 left and Sacramento did not score again.
The kings led from seven early in the third quarter before McCollum scored five points to help Pelicans take a lead of 75-74. The lead changed hand three more and the score was tied seven times before Robinson-Earl made a 3-point to give New Orleans a lead of 98-95 at the end of the third quarter.
Robinson-Earl made another 3-pointer and two free throw to help Pelicans expand the lead to 107-99.
Lavine’s three -point game and two field goals by Sabonis helped give Kings a five -point lead with 2:30 left. But Sacramento went more than two minutes without scoring and McCollum’s bracket gave New Orleans a lead of 123-122 with 34.1 seconds left.
Derozan drove to the basket, but Matkovic blocked his layout and Murphy made two free throw for a three -point lead. The Pelicans fouled twice the kings before they could try to bind 3-pointers, but the kings made the first three free throw and Monk recovered Saboni’s miss, was fouled and did both with 5.8 seconds left to force overtime.
The kings led 29-28 at the end of the first quarter. Alvarado and Hawkins each made two 3 points and the Pelicans took a lead of 48-41. Sabonis made three arrangements to cover a 15-0 run that gave Sacramento an eight-point lead. The kings led from eight points again before Pelicans pulled within 65-60 at half time.
-Field level media
