Mavs Lose To Pelicans

NEW ORLEANS – What should have been a time to celebrate turned into more of a subdued moment for New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry.

Moments after the Pelicans snapped a season-opening six-game losing streak with a 120-105 victory at Smoothie King Arena, Gentry was more concerned about the health of his best player than his first victory on the New Orleans sideline.

Pelicans star forward Anthony Davis suffered a right hip contusion at the conclusion of the first half and did not return. He was not on the bench during the second half nor in the locker room after the game. X-rays were negative.

“He got hit with a knee,” said Gentry, who said he was not sure if Davis would make the trip to Atlanta for Wednesday night’s game against the Hawks.

“Such is life,” he added with a wry smile.

Ryan Anderson recorded his first double-double of the season, scoring 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds off the bench to lead New Orleans. Anderson was 10 of 18 from the field, including 2 of 4 in 3-point attempts.

Davis, Eric Gordon, Ish Smith and Toney Douglas scored 17 points apiece for the Pelicans. Jrue Holiday added 10 points in a little more than 15 minutes.

“Obviously, when (Davis) goes out, guys have to step up,” Anderson said. “We did that. I mean you go down the line, guys really just played their hearts out.”

Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 points to lead the Mavericks, who have lost three of their

past four games. Charlie Villaneuva added 15 points, Zaza Pachulia 12, Justin Anderson 11 and Dwight Powell and J.J. Barea 10 apiece for Dallas, which trailed 58-40 at the half and by as many as 28 in the second half.

Nowitzki played a little more than five minutes in the second half, all coming early in the third quarter when he scored nine points but Dallas was still unable to pose a threat.

“Overall, just not good enough tonight,” Nowitzki said. “We had some great looks. We finished the (first) half brutal. We had to put some stops together, and we did not do that.”

The Mavericks, who missed numerous uncontested shots throughout the game, were 5 of 20 in three-point attempts and shot 44 percent from the field. Testimony to their hustle and sense of urgency, the Pelicans outscored Dallas 23-9 in fast break points.

“We have to do a (heck) of a lot better,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “We missed some open shots. Their level of force was higher without question.”

Dallas got off to perhaps it worst start of the season and never recovered,

The Pelicans set season lows for points allowed in the first quarter and half.

The Mavericks set a season low for scoring in the first half for the second consecutive game, both coming against the Pelicans. This past Saturday, Dallas scored 42 first-half points in a 107-98 home victory against New Orleans.

Even with Davis sidelined, the Pelicans outscored Dallas 36-35 in the third quarter to enter the final period with a 94-75 lead.

After squandering most of what had been a 14-point lead, the Pelicans closed the first half on a 21-14 run, including scoring 18 consecutive points that built the lead to 55-36.

“These guys were hungry for a win and they got it,” said Mavericks starting forward Chandler Parsons, who played less than 17 minutes and scored three points as he continues his recovery from knee surgery that sidelined for the first two games.

Dallas turned it over on its first three possessions of the first quarter and fell behind 10-0 before taking their first shot. The Mavericks followed by missing their first three field-goal attempts and by the time Pachulia broke a nearly three-minute drought on a layup the Mavericks were already down by 12.

“That is very important in every game, to get that fast start and create that tempo,” Gordon said. “We wanted to play fast.”

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