New Orleans lost one game apiece to Sacramento in October and November, but given how much different the Pelicans look now compared to then, those defeats may as well have been a few years ago. Behind a starting lineup Wednesday featuring four players who were not in the first string during a Nov. 3 matchup against the Kings, the Pelicans pulled away in the second half. It was New Orleans’ third straight victory since the All-Star break, following up double-digit road wins at Phoenix and the Lakers.
Tenth-place New Orleans increased its advantage to four games in the standings over 13th-place Sacramento, while also cutting its deficit behind the ninth-place Lakers (27-34) to just 1.