NBA: Pelicans roll to wire-to-wire win over Nets
New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) pulls down a rebound against Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
NEW ORLEANS — CJ McCollum scored 16 points, Herb Jones added 14 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans routed the Brooklyn Nets 112-85 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory and eighth in 11 NBA games.
Jose Alvarado scored 13 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 11 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, which opened the game on a 9-0 run, never trailed and led by as many as 32 points.
It was the fewest points the Nets have scored this season and fewest the Pelicans have allowed.
The Nets shot a season-worst 35.7% (35 for 98) while losing their fourth straight. Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas, who entered the game averaging a team-leading 22.4 points per game, missed all 11 of his shots and did not score. Thomas, Spencer Dinwiddie (0 for 6) and Royce O’Neale combined to go 0 for 23. Brooklyn attempted 43 3-pointers, missing 32.
CJ is a professional shot maker pic.twitter.com/PIJcwc64Be
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 3, 2024
Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 17 points while Mikal Bridges added 13 points and Day’Ron Sharpe 12.
Brandon Ingram had 12 points and Zion Williamson 10 for the Pelicans, who did not have any player on the court for more than 25 minutes. The Pelicans got 13 players into the game and 12 of them scored.
New Orleans, which shot 50% from 3-point rage in a 20-point victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night, hit 10 of 20 3s in Tuesday’s first half while racing to a 27-point lead.
B.I.'s handle >>>
then the dish to JV >> pic.twitter.com/1QKYOWVKOw
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 3, 2024
Poor shooting made it tough for the Nets to keep pace. They shot 28.3% (13 of 46) in the opening 24 minutes, including 6 of 22 from 3-point range.
New Orleans closed out the first half on a 10-2 run during which Jones scored six straight points on a foul shot, a long jumper and a 3 to make it 59-34.
UP NEXT
Nets: At Houston on Wednesday night.
Pelicans: At Minnesota on Wednesday night.
