CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson both scored 31 points as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated Sacramento 135-123 on Thursday night, completing a five-game sweep of the Kings this season.
Williamson left the court in the second quarter with a possible left wrist injury but returned in the second half to score 23 points.
“I proved myself right,” Williamson said about his performance. “It’s that simple. And with my teammates and coaches trusting me, that means a lot.”
McCollum hit nine 3-pointers in 12 attempts, tying his season high, and added seven assists, helping the Pelicans in their quest to avoid the play-in tournament. They currently hold the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings, securing the final guaranteed playoff berth.
“Our focus is on winning consistently, giving ourselves a chance to achieve our goals, which is making the playoffs and then performing well in them,” McCollum said.
Trey Murphy III contributed 27 points, and Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Pelicans set a franchise record with 27 road wins and are tied with the Celtics for the best road record in the NBA, with a 48-32 record, leading the Phoenix Suns by one game for the sixth seed with two games remaining.
“It’s incredibly tough to win in the NBA, especially on the road,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “I don’t have all the answers on how we’re doing it, but we are. We’ll take these positives and continue to build on them.”
Despite De’Aaron Fox’s 33 points and eight assists, Sacramento lost for the fourth time in five games and missed the opportunity to avoid the play-in tournament. They are now tied with the Lakers and Warriors for the eighth spot.
“I wanted to finish in sixth place,” said Sacramento coach Mike Brown. “But this is where we’re at, so let’s go out there, play hard, and see what happens in the postseason.”
Harrison Barnes added 22 points, and Domantas Sabonis recorded his 75th double-double of the season, the most since Moses Malone in 1978-79.
The Pelicans started strong with an 18-0 run, but Sacramento responded with 15 unanswered points to close the gap. New Orleans maintained control throughout the game, shooting 57% from the field and making 22 of 40 3-point attempts.
