Field Level Media
Dec 26, 2019
Brandon Ingram had 31 points, sinking 7 of 9 shots from 3-point range, and the visiting New Orleans Pelicans beat the Denver Nuggets 112-100 on Wednesday night.
Jrue Holiday had 20 points, eight assists and six steals, Josh Hart scored 16 points, JJ Redick finished with 15, and Derrick Favors had eight points, eight assists and 13 rebounds for the Pelicans.
New Orleans has won three of its past four games immediately after a 13-game losing streak.
Nikola Jokic finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Jerami Grant scored 17 off the bench, and Gary Harris had 15 for Denver, which had its seven-game winning streak snapped.
New Orleans led the entire second half, with Denver getting as close as 73-72 with five minutes left in the third, but the Pelicans had an answer for each run. Holiday hit a 3-pointer and Ingram a driving layup to build the lead again, and the visitors went into the fourth up 84-80.
Monte Morris sank a 3-pointer early in the final period to get the Nuggets within a point, but they missed two 3-point attempts later that would have given them the lead. New Orleans responded with a dunk by Jaxson Hayes and a 3-pointer from Hart that made it 99-92 with 5:21 left.
Ingram hit a long 3-pointer, his sixth of the night, to put New Orleans ahead 107-97. Denver stayed cold from the field, missing 11 of 13 from the field in one stretch, and after Jamal Murray missed a wide-open 3-point try, Holiday hit a pull-up jumper to make it a 12-point game with 2:04 left.
The Pelicans committed 13 turnovers in the first half but used hot shooting to take the lead at the break. New Orleans was up by as much as eight in the first quarter, but Denver rallied in the second to take a 49-43 lead.
The Pelicans came back to tie it, and they trailed 55-52 with 34 seconds left in the second period. Reddick, who scored 13 of his points in the second quarter, then hit two 3-pointers, the second a shot near half-court at the horn to give New Orleans a 58-55 lead at the half.
--Field Level Media