WhyTheyWon
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FINALOct 14American Airlines Center
New Orleans Pelicans logo
NONew Orleans Pelicans
101Winner
Dallas Mavericks logo
DALDallas Mavericks
97
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
NO24321926101
DAL1827183497

The Breakdown

Why Pelicans Won

Key factorPace

New Orleans' Shooting and Transition Edge Hold Off Dallas

New Orleans won by shooting 45% from the field to Dallas' 36%, while also holding a 23-8 advantage in fast-break points and a 50-38 edge in paint scoring. The Pelicans created their first durable separation with an 8-0 first-quarter run that broke a 16-16 tie, and Dallas never regained the lead, although it cut a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to four late. Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with 16 points, 5 assists and 3 steals. New Orleans overcame a 47-40 rebounding deficit, including 19-8 on the offensive glass, and shot just 66% from the free-throw line compared with Dallas' 84%.

Game flow

When the lead changed

NODAL

NO led by as many as 14 · DAL led by as many as 2 · 9 lead changes

-150+15Q1 11:34 · NO 0–DAL 1Q1 11:34 · NO 0–DAL 2Q1 11:11 · NO 3–DAL 2Q1 10:01 · NO 3–DAL 4Q1 9:30 · NO 5–DAL 4Q1 8:44 · NO 7–DAL 4Q1 8:35 · NO 7–DAL 5Q1 8:35 · NO 7–DAL 6Q1 8:12 · NO 7–DAL 9Q1 7:49 · NO 10–DAL 9Q1 7:31 · NO 10–DAL 11Q1 7:13 · NO 12–DAL 11Q1 7:01 · NO 12–DAL 14Q1 5:40 · NO 14–DAL 14Q1 4:24 · NO 16–DAL 14Q1 3:40 · NO 16–DAL 16Q1 2:51 · NO 17–DAL 16Q1 2:51 · NO 18–DAL 16Q1 2:08 · NO 20–DAL 16Q1 1:49 · NO 22–DAL 16Q1 1:18 · NO 24–DAL 16Q2 12:00 · NO 24–DAL 18Q2 11:49 · NO 26–DAL 18Q2 11:23 · NO 26–DAL 21Q2 10:36 · NO 29–DAL 21Q2 10:21 · NO 29–DAL 23Q2 8:43 · NO 32–DAL 23Q2 8:23 · NO 32–DAL 25Q2 8:11 · NO 33–DAL 25Q2 8:11 · NO 34–DAL 25Q2 7:57 · NO 34–DAL 26Q2 7:57 · NO 34–DAL 27Q2 7:33 · NO 36–DAL 27Q2 7:04 · NO 39–DAL 27Q2 6:42 · NO 39–DAL 30Q2 6:29 · NO 42–DAL 30Q2 6:16 · NO 42–DAL 33Q2 5:25 · NO 44–DAL 33Q2 5:19 · NO 44–DAL 36Q2 5:05 · NO 47–DAL 36Q2 4:18 · NO 47–DAL 38Q2 4:06 · NO 47–DAL 40Q2 3:43 · NO 47–DAL 42Q2 2:42 · NO 47–DAL 44Q2 2:08 · NO 49–DAL 44Q2 1:47 · NO 51–DAL 44Q2 1:47 · NO 51–DAL 45Q3 12:00 · NO 56–DAL 45Q3 11:37 · NO 58–DAL 45Q3 11:15 · NO 58–DAL 46Q3 11:15 · NO 58–DAL 47Q3 10:16 · NO 58–DAL 49Q3 9:18 · NO 59–DAL 49Q3 9:18 · NO 60–DAL 49Q3 9:03 · NO 62–DAL 49Q3 8:02 · NO 62–DAL 51Q3 7:18 · NO 63–DAL 51Q3 7:18 · NO 64–DAL 51Q3 7:03 · NO 64–DAL 52Q3 5:46 · NO 64–DAL 54Q3 5:14 · NO 65–DAL 54Q3 5:05 · NO 65–DAL 56Q3 4:09 · NO 67–DAL 56Q3 3:21 · NO 69–DAL 56Q3 3:08 · NO 69–DAL 57Q3 3:08 · NO 69–DAL 58Q3 2:13 · NO 71–DAL 58Q3 1:50 · NO 71–DAL 59Q4 12:00 · NO 75–DAL 63Q4 11:36 · NO 76–DAL 63Q4 11:36 · NO 77–DAL 63Q4 11:26 · NO 77–DAL 66Q4 11:01 · NO 78–DAL 66Q4 10:50 · NO 78–DAL 68Q4 10:14 · NO 79–DAL 68Q4 10:14 · NO 80–DAL 68Q4 9:43 · NO 80–DAL 70Q4 9:20 · NO 82–DAL 70Q4 8:43 · NO 82–DAL 71Q4 8:25 · NO 85–DAL 71Q4 8:09 · NO 85–DAL 72Q4 8:09 · NO 85–DAL 73Q4 7:40 · NO 85–DAL 76Q4 7:06 · NO 85–DAL 78Q4 5:36 · NO 87–DAL 78Q4 5:31 · NO 87–DAL 79Q4 5:31 · NO 87–DAL 80Q4 5:12 · NO 88–DAL 80Q4 4:43 · NO 90–DAL 80Q4 4:15 · NO 90–DAL 82Q4 3:28 · NO 90–DAL 83Q4 3:28 · NO 90–DAL 84Q4 3:12 · NO 92–DAL 84Q4 3:06 · NO 92–DAL 85Q4 3:06 · NO 92–DAL 86Q4 2:51 · NO 93–DAL 86Q4 2:37 · NO 95–DAL 86Q4 2:17 · NO 95–DAL 89Q4 1:50 · NO 95–DAL 90Q4 1:50 · NO 95–DAL 91Q4 1:15 · NO 96–DAL 91Q4 1:15 · NO 97–DAL 91Q4 0:00 · NO 101–DAL 97Q1Q2Q3Q4

Quarter-by-quarter momentum

Quarter winners and scoring margin
  1. Q1
    New Orleans Pelicans logoNO24
    Dallas Mavericks logoDAL18
    NO won by 6
  2. Q2
    New Orleans Pelicans logoNO32
    Dallas Mavericks logoDAL27
    NO won by 5
  3. Q3
    New Orleans Pelicans logoNO19
    Dallas Mavericks logoDAL18
    NO won by 1
  4. Q4Biggest margin
    New Orleans Pelicans logoNO26
    Dallas Mavericks logoDAL34
    DAL won by 8

Game turning points

Moments identified from the scoring timeline
  1. Final lead changeQ1 · 2:51

    New Orleans Pelicans went ahead and did not trail again.

    New Orleans Pelicans logoNO 17DAL 16Dallas Mavericks logo
  2. Late-game pressureQ4 · 1:15

    The game was within five points late, with New Orleans Pelicans ahead.

    New Orleans Pelicans logoNO 96DAL 91Dallas Mavericks logo

Momentum swings

Key runs

4 runs · 7+ unanswered points
  1. Q1 · 2:51–1:18Largest run
    New Orleans Pelicans logoNew Orleans Pelicans8–0run

    NO 16 – DAL 16NO 24 – DAL 16

  2. Q2 · 4:18–2:42
    Dallas Mavericks logoDallas Mavericks8–0run

    NO 47 – DAL 36NO 47 – DAL 44

  3. Q3 · 12:00–11:37
    New Orleans Pelicans logoNew Orleans Pelicans7–0run

    NO 51 – DAL 45NO 58 – DAL 45

  4. Q4 · 8:09–7:06
    Dallas Mavericks logoDallas Mavericks7–0run

    NO 85 – DAL 71NO 85 – DAL 78

Players who shaped the game

Player impact

From the box score
New Orleans Pelicans logo

New Orleans Pelicans

NO
  1. Leading scorerJeremiah Fears
    16PTS3REB5AST3STL0BLK
  2. Impact contributorYves Missi
    6PTS9REB0AST1STL4BLK
  3. Impact contributorDerik Queen
    6PTS11REB2AST2STL0BLK
Dallas Mavericks logo

Dallas Mavericks

DAL
  1. Leading scorerTobi Lawal
    16PTS4REB0AST1STL1BLK
  2. Impact contributorSergio de Larrea
    10PTS4REB6AST1STL2BLK
  3. Impact contributorMoussa Cisse
    8PTS6REB1AST1STL3BLK

Team performance

Biggest advantages and setbacks

What the winner did best—and what it overcame

Advantages

  1. StealsWinner edge

    New Orleans Pelicans had a 6 edge in steals.

    NO 14DAL 8
  2. Fast-break pointsWinner edge

    New Orleans Pelicans had a 15 edge in fast-break points.

    NO 23DAL 8
  3. Field-goal shootingWinner edge

    New Orleans Pelicans had a 9 percentage points edge in field-goal shooting.

    NO 45%DAL 36%

Setbacks

  1. Free-throw shootingOpponent edge

    New Orleans Pelicans trailed in free-throw shooting by 18 percentage points.

    NO 66%DAL 84%
  2. Points off turnoversOpponent edge

    New Orleans Pelicans trailed in points off turnovers by 11.

    NO 16DAL 27
  3. BlocksOpponent edge

    New Orleans Pelicans trailed in blocks by 3.

    NO 7DAL 10

The numbers behind the win

Evidence

6 signals

Fast-break scoring

New Orleans outscored Dallas by 15 points in fast-break situations, one of its largest scoring advantages in the team comparison.

New Orleans Pelicans logoNO23
Dallas Mavericks logoDAL8

Field-goal shooting

New Orleans shot 9 percentage points better from the field, giving the Pelicans a substantial overall efficiency advantage.

New Orleans Pelicans logoNO45%
Dallas Mavericks logoDAL36%

Paint scoring

New Orleans outscored Dallas by 12 points in the paint despite being outrebounded overall and on the offensive glass.

New Orleans Pelicans logoNO50
Dallas Mavericks logoDAL38

Three-point shooting

New Orleans also held a 10-percentage-point advantage from three, complementing its stronger overall shooting.

New Orleans Pelicans logoNO30%
Dallas Mavericks logoDAL20%

Turnovers

New Orleans committed 6 fewer turnovers and recorded 14 steals to Dallas' 8, although Dallas still held a 27-16 advantage in points off turnovers.

New Orleans Pelicans logoNO21
Dallas Mavericks logoDAL27
Editorial turning point

16-16 → NO 24-16 DAL

With the game tied 16-16 late in the first quarter, New Orleans scored eight unanswered points from 2:51 to 1:18 to create the game's first durable separation. Dallas never regained the lead, although it later cut the deficit to three in the second quarter and to four late in the fourth.

This game’s Winning DNA

How New Orleans Pelicans got it done.

The winning formula behind this game.

New Orleans Pelicans logo

New Orleans Pelicans

Pace
35%
Paint Dominance
25%
3PT Shooting
20%
Turnovers
20%

Editorial weights for this game — not fan-vote percentages or official NBA statistics.

Team Comparison

New Orleans Pelicans logoNew Orleans Pelicans101 PTSVSAmerican Airlines CenterDallas Mavericks logoDallas Mavericks97 PTS
34-75FG30-84
8-273PT10-49
25-38FT27-32
40REB47
19AST21
14STL8
7BLK10
21TO27

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