Pelicans Beat Kings 132-120 Behind Jeremiah Fears’ Double-Double

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Sacramento Kings 132-120 on Thursday, October 29, 2026, led by Jeremiah Fears’ 22 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and four blocks. New Orleans earned its first win of the season at Smoothie King Center, overcoming Darius Acuff Jr.’s 34-point, 14-assist performance.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter: Kings Establish an Early Advantage

Sacramento outscored New Orleans 30-24 in the opening quarter, building a six-point advantage. It was the Kings’ largest scoring edge in any quarter, but the Pelicans reversed that margin over the next two periods.

Second Quarter: Pelicans Move Ahead

New Orleans responded with a 39-point second quarter, outscoring Sacramento 39-31 to take a 63-61 halftime lead. The eight-point advantage in the period erased the early deficit and put the home team ahead entering the break.

Third Quarter: Another 39 Points Creates Separation

The Pelicans repeated their second-quarter scoring total and limited the Kings to 27 points in the third. That 39-27 period extended New Orleans’ lead to 102-88. Across the middle two quarters, the Pelicans outscored Sacramento 78-58, turning a six-point deficit into a 14-point advantage.

Fourth Quarter: New Orleans Holds Its Lead

Sacramento won the final quarter 32-30, but that two-point edge was not enough to overcome New Orleans’ cushion. The Pelicans finished with a 132-120 regulation victory in front of 15,442 fans.

Key Performers

• Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans: Fears led New Orleans in points, rebounds and assists, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists. His four blocks added another significant contribution to an impressive all-around performance.
• Darius Acuff Jr., Kings: Acuff led all scorers with 34 points and added 14 assists and six rebounds. He recorded one more assist than Fears while accounting for the game’s highest individual scoring total.
• Domantas Sabonis, Kings: Sabonis collected a game-high 15 rebounds, helping Sacramento finish with a narrow 39-38 advantage on the boards.

NerdSports Stat: Subtracting their 3-point makes and attempts from their overall shooting totals, the Pelicans made 40 of 55 two-point attempts—an exceptional 72.7% conversion rate.

Game Analysis: Efficient Scoring Makes the Difference

New Orleans’ overall shooting efficiency separated the teams. The Pelicans made 50 of 84 field-goal attempts, shooting 59.5%, compared with Sacramento’s 46-for-88 performance and 52.3% mark. The Kings shot well themselves, but New Orleans converted more baskets on fewer attempts.

Sacramento made more 3-pointers, finishing 12-for-37 compared with New Orleans’ 10-for-29. The Pelicans offset that six-point difference from beyond the arc with six additional two-point baskets and six more made free throws.

The foul line provided both an advantage and an area for improvement for New Orleans. The Pelicans earned 32 free-throw attempts to Sacramento’s 20, making 22 compared with the Kings’ 16. However, New Orleans converted only 68.8% of its attempts, while Sacramento shot 80.0%.

Both teams shared the ball effectively, with the Pelicans recording 32 assists and the Kings finishing with 31. With rebounding also nearly even, New Orleans’ superior shooting and decisive middle quarters explain the result more clearly than either passing totals or work on the boards.

Closing Context: Pelicans Earn Their First Win

New Orleans improved to 1-4 overall and 1-2 at home, while Sacramento fell to 0-5 overall and 0-3 on the road. The Pelicans next host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, November 2, at 5:00 PM PST. The Kings return home to face the Dallas Mavericks that same day at 5:00 PM PST, still seeking their first victory.

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