The Pelicans finally got the win they’d been waiting for, and Sacramento handed them the opening to do it. New Orleans rolled past the Kings 132-120 on Thursday, with Jeremiah Fears steering the offense, Herb Jones impacting both ends, and strong nights from Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III helping carry the load. The bench did its part too, blowing past Sacramento’s reserves and giving the Pelicans the separation they needed.
Even with the victory in hand, this wasn’t some clean fix for what New Orleans has looked like through its first four games. The Pelicans were outscored in the first and fourth quarters again, turned it over 21 times, and left plenty on the table. Nobody was walking away with top marks here.
Still, there were real bright spots all over the floor.
Fears came one rebound short of a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, a career-high 13 assists and eight rebounds. He added four blocks and two steals in 29 minutes, and the most important part of his night was how smoothly he handled the balance between scoring and setting everyone else up. With Dejounte Murray unavailable, Fears had more of the offense in his hands, and he managed that responsibility without losing his own edge.
He also hit three 3-pointers, which changes the calculus for defenders. If opponents have to respect that jumper, his ability to get downhill becomes even tougher to stop.
The defensive side is still a work in progress. Four blocks look good on the stat sheet, but they don’t erase the times an opponent gets by him. That remains a key part of his growth.
Jones was back in the starting lineup and looked exactly like the kind of two-way force New Orleans needs. He played a big role in the second-quarter surge that helped the Pelicans shake off another rough start, and the numbers backed it up: New Orleans was plus-27 with him on the floor in his 32 minutes, the best mark on either team and 22 better than the next starter.
He scored 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, and all seven makes came inside the arc. That gave the offense a steady source of production even though he went 0-for-3 from deep.
It wasn’t perfect. Jones committed three turnovers, missed a couple of easy finishes, and had to manage foul trouble.
But his impact was obvious. For a team still searching for combinations it can trust on defense, he made the case that his minutes need to be part of the answer.
Williamson had Sacramento scrambling almost every time he touched it. He poured in 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting, and that efficiency let the Pelicans get scoring without needing him to monopolize the ball. Fears created, Murphy stayed active, and Williamson punished the looks he was given.
He also chipped in five steals, one shy of tying his career high, on a night when New Orleans totaled 18 as a team. He was part of the disruption instead of leaving that work to everyone else.
There were still loose ends: three turnovers and a 2-for-4 night at the foul line. But this was the kind of productive, efficient outing New Orleans needs from him more often.
Murphy added 19 points, five rebounds and three assists without a turnover. In a game where possessions kept disappearing on the Pelicans, that mattered. He scored efficiently enough to matter, even if the shot wasn’t fully falling - he went 6-of-12 from the field, 2-of-7 from 3-point range, and missed three free throws.
There was room for more, but he still gave New Orleans quality minutes without forcing the issue. Keeping him involved should stay a priority.
Karlo Matkovic kept making his case too, finishing with 12 points, three steals and a block. He was efficient inside the arc, making all three of his two-point attempts, and his activity on defense stood out.
The concerns were familiar: two turnovers and only four rebounds in 28 minutes. For a starting center, New Orleans needs more on the glass, especially from a team that doesn’t control the boards. He does enough things well to matter, but building trust as a full-time option means putting together a more complete line.
The biggest cushion came from the bench, which outscored Sacramento’s reserves 41-8. That swing went a long way toward deciding the game.
Bennedict Mathurin and Saddiq Bey each scored 10 points, while Derik Queen finished with nine. Queen’s four turnovers and Bey’s defensive issues kept the unit from grading out even higher, but the production was enough to matter.
Trendon Watford made the most of his minutes with eight points, three steals and two assists in 17 minutes. Bryce McGowens added four points and two assists in six minutes. If the Pelicans do shift this roster, both could be in line for more chances, and Thursday gave them a chance to make their case.
New Orleans got contributions from all over the roster, and that’s the part they can build on. But they also know this can’t just be about surviving another messy finish.
The first win is in the books. The next step is making these performances stick.
In Other News...
Pelicans Keep Sending A Frustrating Herb Jones Message
Herb Jones has been too good a defensive piece for New Orleans to be treated like an afterthought, which is why the early-season minute distribution has stood out. Through the first four games, he has been stuck at a career-low 17.5 minutes per game, a number that doesnt square with how much he can change a game on the defensive end when hes on the floor.
Jamahl Mosley has already acknowledged the need to get Jones on the court more, but the adjustment still appears to be a work in progress. Even in the recent game, Jones was used sparingly as the staff continued sorting through his role, leaving the Pelicans with a familiar tension: they clearly value his impact, yet the minutes have not caught up to that reality. [Read more 🡒]
Herb Jones' Pelicans Role Suddenly Feels Far Less Secure
Herb Jones entered the season with a clear case to matter more on the floor, and Jamjam Mosleys early comments reflected that. After Jones was held to limited minutes in the first three games, the Pelicans coach pointed to a desire to get him back into a larger role, and Jones responded with a season-high 18:32 in the fourth game. Even so, he is still coming off the bench, a notable shift for a player whose defense and versatility have long made him one of the more important pieces on the roster.
The part that makes this situation feel unsettled is how the rotation has been taking shape around him. New Orleans has started Jeremiah Fears and Dejounte Murray in the early going, which leaves Jones fighting for a different kind of lane than he had before, while the front office is also juggling other roster questions involving players such as Jordan Poole and Yves Missi. For a player whose value has usually been easy to define, the questions now are less about what Jones can do than where, exactly, the Pelicans see him fitting as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Fears Just Gave The Pelicans A Backcourt Dilemma
Jeremiah Fears gave the Pelicans a real glimpse of what their backcourt could look like when he has more responsibility. In the win over the Kings, the rookie handled a bigger offensive load with Dejounte Murray unavailable for the birth of his child, and he responded by blending scoring with steady creation in a way New Orleans can build around. His presence on the floor did more than just fill minutes. It changed the way the Pelicans could organize their offense.
What makes the performance especially interesting is the way Fears influenced the game on both ends without looking overwhelmed by the moment. He was active as a playmaker, efficient enough to keep the offense moving and disruptive enough defensively to matter in key stretches. The larger question now is whether this was a one-night adjustment or the start of a more permanent conversation about how the Pelicans want to use him alongside their other guards. [Read more 🡒]