The Dallas Mavericks (8-7) secured a commanding 132-91 win over the New Orleans Pelicans (4-11) in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night, led by Luka Docic’s game-high 26 points.
This marks the Mavericks’ third straight victory and their most dominant performance of the season.
Doncic, returning from a knee injury that sidelined him in Dallas’ previous game, shot 10-for-16 from the field, including 3-for-8 from beyond the arc.
The All-Star guard delivered a pair of signature step-back threes in the fourth quarter, extending Dallas’ lead to 111-75.
Klay Thompson contributed 19 points with five three-pointers, while Kyrie Irving added 18 points and seven assists.
The Mavericks also showcased depth, with contributions from Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes off the bench, who combined for 27 points.
New Orleans struggled throughout the game, missing five key rotation players, including Zion Williamson, who is out indefinitely.
Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with a season-high 19 points in just his fourth game back from a hamstring injury. Brandon Ingram added 17 points, but turnovers and a lack of defensive stops hindered their efforts.
The Mavericks outscored the Pelicans 66-34 in the paint, their largest margin in that category this season.
Rookie Yves Missi led New Orleans with nine rebounds but could not offset Dallas’ dominance on the boards, where the Mavericks held a 48-37 advantage.
New Orleans briefly narrowed the deficit to 81-65 in the third quarter, but back-to-back long-range shots from Irving halted the rally.
The Pelicans committed 21 turnovers, leading to 25 points for Dallas.
The Mavericks’ efficient 52.1% shooting from the field and 45.2% from three-point range contrasted sharply with the Pelicans’ 39.7% and 34.4%, respectively.
For the Pelicans, it was their 11th loss in the last 13 games, extending a challenging start to their campaign.
