Hunter Dickinson scored 21 points, including a late 3-pointer that helped seal the victory, as the New Orleans Pelicans rallied from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 95-91 in NBA summer league action Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The Pelicans erased a large first-half deficit behind Dickinson, who shot 9-for-18 from the field. Kobe Bufkin provided a strong all-around performance with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Jalon Moore contributed down the stretch, finishing with 13 points and three steals, while second-round pick Jaron Pierre Jr. added 12 points off the bench.
For the Hornets, Liam McNeeley led the scoring with 17 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Charlotte had three players finish with 12 points: Tidjane Salaun, Michael Ajayi and first-round draft pick Christian Anderson. Salaun and Ajayi narrowly missed double-doubles, grabbing nine rebounds apiece. Hannes Steinbach, the No. 14 overall pick, contributed seven points and six rebounds in the loss.
Charlotte, the defending summer league champion, was in control for most of the game, building its largest lead of 18 points in the first half and taking a 56-45 advantage into halftime. The Pelicans steadily chipped away, and the comeback culminated in the final minutes. With 50 seconds left in regulation, they went ahead 92-91 on a 3-pointer by Dickinson.
Up next: The Pelicans face the Phoenix Suns at the Pavilion in Las Vegas on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. The Hornets play the Boston Celtics on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET at the same venue.
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