Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Elfrid Payton Records Fifth Consecutive Triple-Double as Pelicans Beat Mavs


Elfrid Payton recorded his fifth consecutive triple-double as the visiting New Orleans Pelicans beat the Dallas Mavericks in overtime on Monday night.
The Pelicans managed to snap a six-game losing streak on a night where Dirk Nowitzki passed Wilt Chamberlain for sixth place on the NBA's career scoring list and Mavs rookie Luka Doncic turned in a triple-double of his own with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 10 dimes.

Pelicans forward Julius Randle scored a game-high 30 points in the victory.

Payton logged 19 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the 129-125 win. He is the fifth player in NBA history to post five straight triple-doubles. Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook have also accomplished this feat.

Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry praised Payton for his recent stretch of dominance.

"To be a point guard and be able to come up with double-digit rebounds night after night after night, that is really tough to do," Gentry said. "Any time they mention you in the same breath as Westbrook, you have to feel really good about it. If they mention you in the same breath as Oscar Robertson, that is another whole area."

Payton will look to register his sixth consecutive triple-double on Wednesday night in a road tilt against the Orlando Magic. The 25-year-old Payton spent the first 3.5 seasons of his career with the Magic before it traded him to the Phoenix Suns at the 2018 NBA trade deadline. He played just 19 games for the Suns, before signing with the Pelicans in free agency this summer.

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