The New Orleans Pelicans moved to 25-47 after a 111-106 result against the the Cleveland Cavaliers, who carried a 44-27 mark into tipoff at Smoothie King Center.
First quarter
The Pelicans opened with 28 points while the Cavs answered with 34 points, and the game’s early edge reflected Cleveland’s 48 field goal percent for the night.
The Pels created extra chances with 10 offensive rebounds in the game, and that work helped keep pace after a 3-1 early deficit in lead changes.
The Land set a paint-first tone with 60 points in the paint, while New Orleans countered with 54 points in the paint.
Second quarter
The Pelicans matched their first-quarter output with 28 points in the second, and Zion Williamson supplied 25 points on 71 field goal percent in the previous game.
New Orleans finished with 30 assists, and
Dejounte Murray’s 10 assists in the previous game fit the same ball-moving profile.
The Wine and Gold went into the break after scoring 19 in the quarter, and their 26 assists for the game steadied a half with 3 times tied overall.
Third quarter
The Pelicans produced their top quarter at 32 points in the third, and Saddiq Bey’s 19 points in the previous game backed up that kind of scoring lift.
New Orleans posted 21 points off turnovers while forcing 14 Cleveland turnovers, and that swing helped the home side build its biggest lead of 15.
The Cavs stayed attached on the glass with 63 total rebounds, while New Orleans finished with 45 total rebounds in a game played on 97.8 possessions for the Pelicans.
Fourth quarter
The Pelicans scored 18 points in the fourth, and Cleveland’s 35-point quarter flipped a game in which New Orleans led for 21:35 PM EDT.
Cleveland closed possessions with 41 defensive rebounds and also got 24 bench points, while the Pels received 28 bench points in response.
The Cavs finished with 12 made 3-point shots on 31 three-point percent, and the Pelicans also hit 12 3-point shots on 30 three-point percent.
New Orleans Pelicans post-match stats showed 80 free throw percent on 20 attempts, while Cleveland posted 68 free throw percent on 22 attempts.
The New Orleans Pelicans vs Cleveland Cavaliers tactical recap centered on New Orleans’ 3.33 assist-to-turnover ratio against 9 total turnovers, while Cleveland’s 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio came with 14 total turnovers.
The New Orleans Pelicans coach post-game reaction came after New Orleans recorded 7 blocks and 10 steals, while Cleveland finished with 4 blocks and 6 steals.
The New Orleans Pelicans post-game interviews followed a night when
Trey Murphy III logged 2 blocks in the previous game, and the Pelicans’ defensive activity in this matchup included 10 steals.
The Pelicans will be back on air at 7:30 PM EDT on 03/24/2026 against the the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA, with viewing on Gulf Coast Sports, Pelicans+, and MSG.
Run it back with the Pels’ next broadcast, and share this article with other New Orleans fans.
