Brandon Ingram led the New Orleans Pelicans to a 101-94 victory over the Denver Nuggets, who were missing their star player, Nikola Jokic. Ingram scored 29 points despite twisting his left ankle in the second half. This win helped the injury-plagued Pelicans break a six-game losing streak and halt the Nuggets’ five-game winning streak.
In addition to Ingram’s impressive performance, Brandon Boston Jr. contributed 19 points, and Trey Murphy III added 17 points for the Pelicans. On the other side, Michael Porter Jr. led the Nuggets with 24 points, followed by Peyton Watson with 18 points, and Jamal Murray with 16 points, although he struggled from long range.
The Nuggets, known for their strong 3-point shooting, only made 10 of 37 attempts in this game. With Jokic absent, the Pelicans were able to slow down Denver’s offense by double-teaming Murray. Assistant coach David Adelman stepped in as the head coach for the Nuggets, as Michael Malone was away watching his daughter compete in volleyball playoffs in Colorado.
On the Pelicans’ side, they showed much better offensive performance compared to their previous games, where they struggled to score. The trio of Ingram, Murphy, and Boston combined to shoot 26 of 54 from the field. Despite the Nuggets closing the gap at one point in the game, the Pelicans responded with a run of eight unanswered points, including key 3-pointers from Javonte Green and Boston.
Looking ahead, the Nuggets will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, while the Pelicans will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. This victory was crucial for the Pelicans as they continue to navigate through injuries and aim to climb up the standings in the competitive Western Conference.
Ingram’s resilience and scoring prowess were instrumental in securing this much-needed win for the Pelicans, showcasing his leadership on the court. As the season progresses, both teams will look to regroup and make necessary adjustments to stay competitive in a tough NBA landscape.
