Jerami Grant scored 28 points, Deandre Ayton had a double-double and the host Portland Trail Blazers routed the New Orleans Pelicans 125-103 on Sunday.
Ayton finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, Anfernee Simons scored 27 points, Toumani Camara had 12 and Deni Avdija added 11 as all five Blazers starters scored in double figures and outscored their Pelicans counterparts 95-69.
Portland bounced back from squandering a nine-point lead after three quarters in a last-second 105-103 loss to the visiting Pelicans on Friday. The Blazers led by as many as 24 points to get their first victory of the season.
CJ McCollum scored 27 points, Jordan Hawkins scored 17 off the bench, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson had 14 apiece and Herbert Jones added 12 to lead New Orleans.
Portland was more productive from beyond the arc, making 14 3-pointers compared to eight for the Pelicans, and the Blazers enjoyed a 51-39 rebounding advantage.
Grant scored four of the Blazers’ first eight points of the third quarter as they opened a 67-49 lead. Jones scored the next five points, but Avdija made two free throws, a dunk and a 3-pointer as Portland expanded the lead to 83-59.
McCollum, Hawkins and Javonte Green each made a 3-pointer, Yves Missi added a three-point play and New Orleans crept within 93-77 at the end of the third quarter.
The Blazers took command by scoring the first eight points of the fourth quarter, five by Grant.
New Orleans scored the first eight points of the game, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Simons and Grant soon pulled Portland even at 10.
Ayton scored five straight points to help the Blazers build a seven-point lead before Hawkins had six points to help the Pelicans close within 26-25 at the end of the first quarter.
The lead changed hands four times with one tie before Portland scored nine straight points to take a 40-31 lead. The Blazers led by as many as 14 points twice, but McCollum’s basket trimmed the lead to 59-47 at halftime.
–Field Level Media