Even graded on a curve, the Dallas Mavericks’ 101-99 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday at American Airlines Center was a particularly ugly one. Dallas (2-6) shot just 6-of-22 (27.3%) from the floor in the first quarter. They shot 2-for-12 in the paint through the first quarter and a half of the game. They turned the ball over seven times in the fourth quarter, as the lead see-sawed back and forth four times down the stretch. It was the live-ball turnovers that sunk the Mavericks against one of the worst teams in the NBA on Wednesday.

New Orleans forward Saddiq Bey led the Pelicans (2-6) with 22 points and nine rebounds in the win, which came on the second night of a back-to-back set and without the services of Zion Williamson. And this game was basically decided in the first e

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