Luka Doncic Mavs get jump on Pelicans win going away

Luka Doncic scored 18 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter as the visiting Dallas Mavericks racked up a season high in points and dominated the New Orleans Pelicans 139-107 on Wednesday night.

They shot 68.7 percent from the floor, including 18 of 34 on 3-pointers. Dallas used all 15 players, 13 of whom scored, and the bench totaled 72 points.

Brandon Ingram scored 29 points, Devonte’ Graham added 13, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 12 and Kira Lewis Jr. had 11 to lead the Pelicans, who entered the game having won three of their last four games in their best stretch of the season.

The teams meet again Friday night in Dallas.

Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith and Porzingis each made a 3-pointer as the Mavericks extended their lead to 80-53 approaching the midpoint of the third quarter.

The Pelicans could not trim the deficit to fewer than 22 points during the quarter and Brunson’s 3-pointer completed the scoring and gave Dallas a 102-75 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Porzingis scored the first five points of the game before Ingram’s 3-pointer gave the Pelicans their only lead of the first quarter at 8-7.

Dwight Powell scored five points as the Mavericks responded with a 10-0 run.

New Orleans got within seven points before Doncic took over. He scored 12 straight Dallas points during a burst that saw the lead grow to 37-18.

Lewis scored the Pelicans’ final five points, but Doncic made the last basket on a finger roll to give him 18 points as the Mavericks closed the quarter with a 41-23 lead.

Dallas scored the first five points of the second quarter, but Graham had five points during a 15-2 run that pulled New Orleans within 48-38.

Boban Marjanovic made three straight baskets to start a 15-3 run that gave the Mavericks a 63-41 lead.

Ingram scored the Pelicans’ final five points, but Dallas still held a 67-46 lead at halftime.

–Field Level Media