Pelicans (36-26), Mavericks (19-45)
DALLAS – Not long ago New Orleans’ objective focused much more on merely getting into the Western Conference postseason field. An eight-game winning streak has changed that.
The Pelicans took control in the opening quarter Sunday, built a double-digit lead, then put the Mavericks away in the fourth period, posting a victory that moved them into fourth place in the Western Conference standings. New Orleans has not finished better than a No. 7 seed since 2008, when it won the Southwest Division and netted the second seed.
Jrue Holiday and Nikola Mirotic both enjoyed one of their best games of the season, combining for 54 points.