Pelicans Beat Kings 132-120 in Season Opener
Jeremiah Fears set career highs in assists and points as New Orleans snapped a five-game losing streak against Sacramento.
By Carmen Wojcik ·
New Orleans snapped its losing streak against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 132-120 in their first victory of the season under head coach Jamahl Mosley.
Jeremiah Fears led the offensive attack with 22 points. He also recorded a career-high 13 assists and eight rebounds. Zion Williamson contributed 22 points, shooting 10 of 12 from the field. Every one of his made shots came in the paint.
The Pelicans bench outscored the Sacramento reserves 41-8. Trey Murphy III added 18 points for New Orleans. The team never trailed after Murphy converted free throws to make it 55-54 with 1:45 remaining in the first half.
Sacramento struggled with ball security throughout the contest. The Kings committed 25 turnovers. Domantas Sabonis grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out seven assists. He also lost the ball seven times. Darius Acuff Jr. scored 34 points and provided 12 assists for the Kings.
New Orleans took a 63-61 lead at halftime. The margin expanded during a 16-2 run in the third quarter. Williamson scored six points during that stretch, while Murphy added five. The Pelicans will host Atlanta on Saturday night.
The Kings fell to 0-5 on the season. They travel to Memphis on Saturday night for their next game.
