The Pelicans gave their fans reasons to believe Wednesday night. They also gave away a game they had positioned themselves to win.
Indiana defeated New Orleans 123–120 in the teams’ regular-season opener at Smoothie King Center, leaving the Pelicans with a frustrating finish to an otherwise competitive opening night.
After trailing 38–31 through one quarter, New Orleans changed the game with a 35–18 second period. Zion Williamson connected on two late three-pointers, helping send the Pelicans into halftime ahead 66–56.
The surge showed what a productive stretch can do for this team. New Orleans had reversed the early momentum and given itself room to dictate the second half. The challenge was maintaining that standard once Indiana responded.
Indiana takes control late
The Pelicans still led 92–86 entering the fourth quarter. Later, a 15–3 Indiana run turned a New Orleans advantage into a 108–104 Pacers lead.
Pascal Siakam finished with 30 points, while Tyrese Haliburton supplied 23 points and 12 assists. Their production helped Indiana finish the job after spending much of the second half chasing the Pelicans.
New Orleans had more opportunities at the end, but Jeremiah Fears and Williamson missed late three-point attempts as the Pacers held on.
Murray and Missi provide positives
Dejounte Murray led New Orleans with 23 points and added seven assists. Williamson scored 22, while Yves Missi contributed 13 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
Those performances give the Pelicans something useful to carry forward. Murray supplied scoring and playmaking, Williamson helped power the first-half turnaround, and Missi contributed around the basket.
The lesson from this result is about turning individual production into reliable team execution. Holding a lead requires clear decisions, connected defense and useful possessions when an opponent starts to gather momentum.
The response matters now
One game offers an early test rather than a season-long verdict on Jamahl Mosley’s team. The Pelicans showed enough to compete, but opening night also exposed how quickly a promising position can disappear.
New Orleans next visits Utah on Friday, October 23. The immediate goal should be carrying its strongest stretches into the closing possessions.
