The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 143-130 on Monday thanks to a team-high 29 points from Zion Williamson. The Pelicans ended a nine-game losing streak with 20 points and 13 rebounds from Saddiq Bey and 20 points from Trey Murphy III. Jeremiah Fears scored 15 points, while Jose Alvarado finished with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Bryce McGowens scored 11 points, while Yves Missi finished with a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Micah Peavy scored ten points for New Orleans, which won for the first time since interim James Borrego took over as head coach on November 15 after Willie Green was dismissed.
With 28 points, Ayo Dosunmu led Chicago, followed by Josh Giddey with 21 and Coby White with 24. The Bulls, who lost their seventh game in ten attempts, had 13 points from Jalen Smith, 11 from Jevon Carter, and 10 points and 11 assists from Tre Jones. In the defeat, Matas Buzelis scored ten points.
Dosunmu’s layup at 7:52 in the third quarter cut Chicago’s deficit in half after they were behind by 16 at the half. After Fears’ layup and 3-pointer capped a 9-0 run to give the Pelicans a 96-78 advantage, New Orleans subsequently extended the lead to 18.
With 9:25 remaining, Julian Phillips’ running 3-pointer brought the Bulls within 11 points, but Williamson’s back-to-back baskets put New Orleans ahead 121-106. With 4:40 left, Alvarado’s layup gave the Pelicans an 18-point lead.
Bey’s layup gave New Orleans a 10-point lead with 1:14 remaining to seal the victory as Chicago went on another run. Alvarado made two triples to help New Orleans take a 37-30 lead into the second quarter after Carter’s 3-pointer with 1:57 left in the first quarter reduced the Bulls’ deficit to one.
Following a 15-2 run to start the second quarter, the Pelicans’ lead grew to 20. At 7:10, McGowens’ basket put New Orleans ahead 52-32.
With 2:57 remaining in the first half, Chicago cut the deficit to eight after falling behind by as many as 22 thanks to a 3-pointer by Smith. Williamson scored nine points in the final 2:25 of the half as New Orleans responded to the Bulls’ surge with an 11-3 run to end the half. At halftime, the Pelicans had a 74-58 lead.