The New Orleans Pelicans suffered another crushing loss Saturday night, falling to the Sacramento Kings 123-118 despite a commanding early lead. Zion Williamson put on a show, scoring a season-high 40 points, while CJ McCollum added 31 and Trey Murphy III contributed 20.
New Orleans stormed out to a 29-9 advantage in the opening quarter but couldn’t maintain their momentum as Sacramento rallied behind Domantas Sabonis, who notched his NBA-leading 46th double-double with 27 points and 16 rebounds. The Pelicans’ eighth consecutive defeat highlighted familiar struggles as the team faltered late, relinquishing control in the fourth quarter despite a valiant push that brought them within three points with 15.2 seconds remaining.
The Kings seized control with a critical 22-9 run late in the third quarter, sparked by the aggressive play of Zach LaVine, who tallied 22 points in his best game since joining Sacramento. Keegan Murray added 19 points and eight rebounds, further bolstering the Kings’ attack.
Despite the Pelicans’ efforts, including 14 made three-pointers — their highest in the last nine games — turnovers and defensive lapses proved costly. Sabonis’ steady presence and Jonas Valančiūnas’ clutch free throws sealed the Kings’ comeback win. For New Orleans, the loss underscores the need for consistency and composure as they face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night in search of a much-needed turnaround.
