The New Orleans Pelicans went on the road Wednesday night and captured a gritty 101-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in a tightly contested NBA preseason matchup. In a game defined by thin margins and physical defensive possessions, New Orleans made the necessary plays down the stretch to secure a four-point win. Both squads used the October contest to sharpen their rotations ahead of the upcoming 2026-27 NBA Regular Season, which tips off on October 20.

The decisive moment

With the contest hanging in the balance in the final minutes, New Orleans relied on disciplined half-court execution to create separation in a one-possession game. The Pelicans strung together timely defensive stops and converted critical late-clock opportunities to push their tally past the century mark while holding Dallas under 100 points. Despite a concerted push from the home side in the closing seconds, the visitors maintained their composure at both ends of the floor to seal the four-point decision.

By the numbers

• Final Score: New Orleans Pelicans 101, Dallas Mavericks 97
• Winning Margin: 4 points
• Dallas Injury Report: Dereck Lively II (day-to-day, foot), Santi Aldama (day-to-day, knee), Marcus Sasser (day-to-day, adductor)
• Pre-game Market Outlook: Dallas entered the matchup favored at 55 percent across prediction platforms

The four-point differential reflected the competitive nature of the evening, as neither roster yielded easy looks in transition or in the paint. Dallas competed closely until the final buzzer while managing multiple day-to-day injury designations across its frontcourt and backcourt depth.

What it means

For the Pelicans, pulling out a close road win provides valuable late-game reps and builds cohesion before the standings officially begin to count toward the 2026-27 NBA Regular Season. Delivering under pressure in a hostile environment reinforces the defensive habits the coaching staff wants to carry into opening night. For the Mavericks, the narrow defeat still offered constructive evaluation minutes for their active rotation while key contributors Dereck Lively II, Santi Aldama, and Marcus Sasser remain listed as day-to-day.

What to watch next

Both franchises now turn their attention to final roster tune-ups and health evaluations over the coming days as the preseason schedule winds down. Dallas will monitor the day-to-day statuses of Lively II, Aldama, and Sasser closely, while New Orleans looks to carry its crisp late-game execution directly into the start of the 2026-27 NBA Regular Season on October 20.