Brandon Ingram scored 29 points and the host New Orleans Pelicans ended a six-game losing streak by ending the Denver Nuggets’ five-game winning streak, 101-94 in a matchup of short-handed teams Friday night.
Brandon Boston Jr. added 19 points and Trey Murphy III scored 17 for the Pelicans, who played without six of their top eight players.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 24 points, Peyton Watson had 18, Jamal Murray had 16 and Christian Braun 15 for the Nuggets, who played without Nikola Jokic, who has four consecutive triple-doubles but missed the game for personal reasons.
It was the Emirates NBA Cup opener for both teams.
New Orleans scored the first five points of the third quarter to increase its lead to 64-54. Dario Saric’s 3-pointer provided the Nuggets’ first points of the quarter and they closed within one on two free throws by Murray.
The Pelicans rebuilt the lead to eight on a field goal by Ingram before Watson’s layup left them with a 78-72 lead at the end of the quarter.
New Orleans led by nine points twice before Murray and Westbrook each made a 3-pointer during an 8-0 run that pulled the Nuggets within 87-86.
Ingram answered with a field goal and Javonte Green and Boston both added a 3-pointer for a 95-86 lead.
The Nuggets scored the first five points of the game and opened an 18-11 lead as five players scored.
Ingram scored 10 during a 12-0 run that gave the Pelicans a five-point lead. Russell Westbrook’s layup ended the run and Braun followed with a field goal.
New Orleans scored the final nine points to take a 32-22 lead at the end of the quarter. The Nuggets scored just four points during the final 5:19.
Porter made a 3-pointer to start the second-quarter scoring and he scored five more points as Denver pulled even at 40. Ingram scored the first four points of a 7-0 run and the Pelicans’ lead grew to 10 on a 3-pointer by Murphy before Porter’s 3-pointer helped the Nuggets close within 59-54 at halftime.
–Field Level Media