Pelicans 116, Thunder 110: New Orleans erases a 24-point deficit in preseason opener
The Pelicans outscored Oklahoma City 64-43 in the second half to win their first preseason game under new coach Jamahl Mosley.
The New Orleans Pelicans erased a 24-point deficit to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-110 in their preseason opener on Tuesday night. It was the first game for new Pelicans head coach Jamahl Mosley, who played 16 of the 20 players on the roster, according to Crescent City Sports.
The comeback
Oklahoma City led by as many as 24 points and held a 67-52 advantage at halftime, Crescent City Sports reported. New Orleans then outscored the Thunder 64-43 over the second half and held them to 17 points in the fourth quarter.
Fox 8 Live pointed to an 18-0 rally in the third quarter by reserve players as the stretch that turned the game. Crescent City Sports did not name a single turning point, but credited the second-half surge and the turnover margin: the Pelicans committed 12 turnovers to Oklahoma City's 23, and those miscues led to 26 New Orleans points. New Orleans also won the rebounding battle 51-46.
Who scored
Crescent City Sports listed Benedict Mathurin with 13 points in 17 minutes off the bench, including 5-of-5 at the free-throw line and five assists. Jeremiah Fears scored 12 points, Trey Murphy III had 11 points, and Zion Williamson had 11 points and four rebounds in 16 minutes. Derik Queen added 10 points and nine rebounds, and Trendon Watford had seven points and six rebounds.
Fox 8 Live noted that rookie Jaron Pierre Jr., a St. Augustine alum and second-round pick, made his debut with three points, four rebounds and three assists.
What it means
Preseason results carry little weight, and the two outlets' reports suggest the context matters here. Crescent City Sports described Oklahoma City as "a shadow of what they will be in the regular season," a reminder that preseason rotations rarely resemble opening-night ones. Torch is not drawing conclusions about either team's standing from this game.
What the box score does show is a Pelicans group that was deep and aggressive late, forcing mistakes and finishing the night 1-0 under a new coach. Mosley's wide use of the roster is the more interesting detail: a coach getting 16 players on the floor is gathering information on who earns minutes.
The Pelicans visit the Miami Heat on Thursday, with a 6:30 p.m. tip on the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, according to both outlets.