Saddiq Bey came off the bench to score a season-high 25 points and spark the New Orleans Pelicans to their second straight win, a 121-99 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
The win allowed the Pelicans to end a four-game losing streak against the Hawks. Atlanta had won the last three meetings in New Orleans. Atlanta has lost four of its last five games after opening the season with two wins.
Bey, who spent parts of two seasons with the Hawks from 2023-24, went 9-for-13 from the field with six rebounds and a season-high four steals.
Jeremiah Fears added 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting with seven assists. Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy each scored 15 points. The Pelicans shot 56.6% (43 of 76) from the field, with 66 points coming in the paint.
The Hawks got 14 points from CJ McCollum and 13 points from Jalen Johnson, who left the game with a sprained ankle in the fourth quarter. The Hawks, who had seven players score in double figures, set a season high with 19 turnovers, which led to 34 points.
A brief skirmish broke out with 3:04 remaining, resulting in double technicals for Atlanta’s Kingston Flemings, who was ejected, and New Orleans’ Julian Reese.
The Pelicans set the pace early by shooting 56% (14 of 25) from the field to take a 35-18 lead after one quarter. Bey sparked the fast start by scoring eight points.
New Orleans led by double-digits for the first time at 25-15 and built the advantage to 19 points when a Williamson layup made it 50-31 with 5:45 left in the first half. The Pelicans led 63-48 at halftime.
The Hawks scored the first five points of the second half to trim their deficit to 10, only to have the Pelicans respond with a 15-5 run and extend the margin to 20 points for the first time. New Orleans took a 92-74 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Hawks lost reserve center Jock Landale in the first quarter with a hip pointer; he played only 1:22. Landale was replaced in the rotation by Asa Newell, who scored 13.
