Trey Murphy III scored 34 points and Saddiq Bey delivered a decisive late sequence as the New Orleans Pelicans edged the Brooklyn Nets 116–113 on Wednesday night.
Bey tied the game with a contested 3-pointer as the shot clock expired, then followed with a putback dunk off an offensive rebound and sealed the win by sinking two free throws with five seconds remaining. He finished with 12 points.
Zion Williamson added 25 points for New Orleans, which snapped a skid by winning for just the second time in its last 13 games. Rookie Yves Missi provided a strong presence inside with 12 points and 12 rebounds, including nine on the offensive glass, helping the Pelicans pile up 33 second-chance points.
Brooklyn’s Egor Demin scored 17 points and connected on five 3-pointers, the last giving the Nets a 110–107 lead with 1:28 remaining. Bey answered moments later with his tying 3, setting the stage for the frantic finish.
Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 20 points and nearly forced overtime, gaining control of a loose ball near midcourt in the final seconds before launching a desperation heave that missed at the buzzer. Drake Powell scored 16 points and Day’Ron Sharpe added 15 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn, which has lost eight of its last nine games.
The Nets jumped out to an early 12-point lead as Demin knocked down four of his first five shots from deep. New Orleans steadily closed the gap and trailed just 55–54 at halftime after Williamson’s layup. The game remained tight throughout, tied at 87 entering the fourth quarter.
Brooklyn opened the final period with a 7–0 run, prompting a timeout from Pelicans coach James Borrego. New Orleans responded with a 15–4 surge fueled by Murphy, who scored nine points during the run and assisted on a Karlo Matkovic dunk.
Up next:
The Nets will host the Chicago Bulls on Friday, while the Pelicans travel to face the Indiana Pacers.
