The New Orleans Pelicans pulled away in the second half Sunday night, defeating the Washington Wizards 138–118 and handing Washington its eighth straight loss.
Trey Murphy III led New Orleans with 24 points, while Saddiq Bey added 23 points against his former team. Zion Williamson scored 20 points and Dejounte Murray contributed 19 as the Pelicans dominated inside, outscoring the Wizards 72–44 in the paint.
Washington kept things close early. The Wizards knocked down 10 three-pointers in the first half and trailed just 67–65 at the break.
New Orleans didn’t create separation until the fourth quarter. After Jaden Hardy cut the deficit to 95–91 with a driving floater, the Pelicans responded with a 12–4 run capped by a three-pointer from rookie Jeremiah Fears to regain control.
Fears, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, finished with 18 points and seven assists in 24 minutes off the bench, while fellow rookie Derik Queen added 13 points.
Trae Young, playing his second game with Washington since being traded from the Atlanta Hawks, scored 17 points with eight assists in 18 minutes. It marked just his 12th appearance of the season.
Rookie Tre Johnson paced the Wizards with 20 points, his fourth 20-point game, while Will Riley added 19. Julian Reese, brother of former LSU star Angel Reese, grabbed nine rebounds.
The victory was the sixth in nine games for New Orleans, which has surged since a slow start. After opening the season 10–36, the Pelicans have now won 11 of their last 20 and matched last season’s total of 21 wins.
Up next: Washington continues its road trip Tuesday night against the Miami Heat, while the Pelicans return home Wednesday to face the Toronto Raptors.
