Pelicans Shine in Historic NBAxNBL Melbourne Series Debut with Victory Over Melbourne United

The inaugural game of the NBAxNBL: Melbourne Series drew an impressive sell-out crowd of approximately 15,000 fans, including NBA legend Kevin Garnett sitting courtside, as the New Orleans Pelicans secured a 107-97 win against the determined Melbourne United at Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

Despite building a comfortable 16-point lead at one point, the NBA team had to fight hard to maintain their advantage in Melbourne. Zion Williamson showcased his skills with 15 points and five assists, while Trey Murphy III led the scoring for his team with 18 points. Croatian player Karlo Matkovic contributed with six points, four rebounds, one block, one steal, and one assist. For the NBL squad, Milton Doyle stood out with a game-high of 25 points.

In another preseason matchup kicking off the 2025 NBA schedule at the Etihad Arena, the New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 99-84. French player Pacome Dadiet made his start for Mike Brown’s team, finishing with four points and two rebounds. His fellow French teammates, Guerschon Yabusele and Mohamed Diawara, came off the bench without scoring, while German player Ariel Hukporti and Ukrainian Alex Len contributed six and five points, respectively. On the losing side, Turkish player Adem Bona managed four points.

The preseason continues in the upcoming days, with more teams from North America joining the action, including a face-off between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert on Friday. Concurrently, the Pelicans will remain in Melbourne to take on the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Saturday, while the Knicks and Sixers will have a rematch in Abu Dhabi.

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