NBA News Wire
Nets 93, Pelicans 81
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
NEW YORK — Rookie Mason Plumlee scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to help spark the Brooklyn Nets to a 93-81 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night at the Barclays Center
The 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Duke, whose previous high was 19 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 16, ignited the sellout crowd with several highlight-reel dunks in the first half. Plumlee picked up where he left off in the fourth quarter, and he wound up recording his second career double-double in just 28 minutes of action.
Guard Alan Anderson had 13 points, forward Mirza Teletovic had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and guards Paul Pierce and Deron Williams each added nine points for the Nets, who picked up their third win in four games.
Pelicans forward Anthony Davis had a game-high 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting, and he grabbed nine rebounds. Guard Brian Roberts had 12 points and guard Austin Rivers added 10 points and five assists for New Orleans (22-28), which shot 36.1 percent from the field.
The Nets (23-26) scored the first 11 points of the game, capped by a jumper from veteran forward Kevin Garnett at the top of the key, forcing New Orleans coach Monty Williams to call a timeout with 7:44 left in the first quarter. The Pelicans missed their first seven shots from the field and were held scoreless for the first 4:51 until a Davis dunk in transition while getting fouled.
Led by Plumlee, who scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbed seven boards in the first half, the Nets extended their lead to 48-21 with 3:48 left in the second quarter.
Davis scored back-to-back baskets as part of a 13-1 run to cut the Pelicans’ deficit to 57-47 with 5:23 left in the third. New Orleans, which outscored Brooklyn 32-20 in the third quarter, got as close as seven on a free throw by Roberts with 2:07 left in the third.
Williams beat the buzzer with a floater to send Brooklyn into the fourth quarter with a 71-60 lead.
NOTES: Pelicans coach Monty Williams was impressed with the play of F Luke Babbitt, who had five points, six rebounds and two blocks in his debut in a 98-91 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The 6-foot-9 third-year pro was signed as a free agent on Feb. 4. “He’s not afraid and he can shoot the ball,” Williams said before Sunday’s game. “He made some good plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet.” Babbitt scored nine points Sunday. … The Pelicans entered the season with the fewest average games of NBA experience among all NBA rosters. Nets coach Jason Kidd was asked before the game about his concerns facing younger teams this season. “I think pretty much all the teams are younger than us,” he said. … In the second quarter, Nets G Jason Terry became the 10th active player to record 5,000 career assists. … The Pelicans continue a three-game road trip at Toronto on Monday night. … The Nets play host to the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.
