Zion Williamson scored a season-high 32 points in his return to the starting lineup, but the New Orleans Pelicans still lost their fourth consecutive game.
Three of Williamson’s teammates added more than 20 points each, but Jalen Brunson and his teammates executed better in the final moments and the New York Knicks defeated the Pelicans 130-125 on Monday night in the Smoothie King Center.
Saddiq Bey and Jordan Poole scored 26 points each and Trey Murphy III added 21 for New Orleans (8-26), which saw its offense turn stagnant for much of the final quarter and a half.
Brunson had 28 points and 10 assists, OG Anunoby had 23 points and 11 rebounds,
Mohamed Diawara scored 18, Miles McBride had 12 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and Karl-Anthony Towns had 12 points and 12 rebounds the Knicks (23-9).
“They made some shots,” Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego said. “We got some good looks, but we didn’t knock them down. We have to close better.”
Williamson, who had come off the bench in the last seven games, made 11-of-16 field-goal attempts and 10-of-12 free throws. He added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.
“We knew it was just a matter of time before I’d get back in (the starting lineup),” said Williamson, whose move to bench coincided with his return from a six-game absence due to a strained hamstring. “It was just a matter of when my minutes would go up so we can get the most out of them.”
Murphy broke a 117-all tie by making a layup, but McBride answered with a 3-pointer that produced the first of three lead changes. Brunson made a jumper from the lane for a 124-121 New York lead with 1:06 left.
Williamson made two free throws and Brunson answered with a driving basket with 35 seconds left. Williamson scored on a drive, but McBride answered with two free throws with 16 seconds left.
Poole missed a wild potential tying 3-pointer with 6.7 seconds left and McBride made two free throws.
Pelicans reserve guard Jose Alvarado served the first game of a two-game suspension for his involvement in a fight with Phoenix center Mark Williams during s 123-114 home loss Saturday.
He’ll complete the suspension when New Orleans finishes the 2025 portion of the schedule at Chicago at 6 p.m. Wednesday before returning to meet Portland at 7 p.m. Friday in the Smoothie King Center.
Williamson scored eight points, Murphy made two 3-pointers and the Pelicans extended their three-point halftime lead to their biggest of the game, 93-83 midway through the third quarter. But they went scoreless for more than four minutes and the Knicks crept within 103-96 at the end of the period.
Tyler Kolek, Miles McBride and Towns each made a 3-pointer as New York started the fourth quarter with a 13-3 run to take a 109-106 lead midway through the period.
New Orleans scored seven straight for a two-point lead and the lead changed hands twice more before the score was tied twice. The Pelicans scored just 14 minutes in the first 12 minutes after taking their biggest lead.
Borrego said before the game that improved rebounding was the team’s top priority after struggling on the board all season and being beaten decisively there in consecutive narrow losses to Phoenix on Friday and Saturday.
He turned to veteran 6-foot-9 center Kevon Looney, who hadn’t played in the last 11 games. Looney finished with nine rebounds in a season-high 24 minutes off the bench, rookie Derik Queen matched his nine and New Orleans finished with a 50-42 rebounding edge.
“He was fantastic,” Borrego said of Looney. “He played with great physicality. He’s another veteran presence that calms us down and his communication is great. We cleaned up the boards. That was significant. We found something there that we can build on.”
Bey had 23 points in the first quarter, the most he has scored in any quarter in his career. The Pelicans made seven 3-pointers, the most they have made in a first quarter this season and led 41-37 at the end of the period even though only four players scored.
Williamson scored eight points to help New Orleans open a nine-point lead, but Anunoby scored eight points and Brunson added seven to help the Knicks pull even at 65. Poole made a 3-pointer to break the tie and the Pelicans had their highest-scoring half of the season in taking a 75-72 halftime lead.
“Sharing the basketball was our catalyst in the first half,” Borrego said. “We’ve just got to keep knocking on the door, keep knocking and eventually we’ll bust through.”