On a night where the New Orleans Pelicans painted a masterpiece of basketball prowess on the hardwood canvas, Brandon Ingram emerged as the virtuoso of victory. His 41 points, a personal high-water mark, sparkled with the radiant sheen of eight 3-pointers, of which a remarkable six were woven into the tapestry of a dynamic third quarter.
As the game unfolded, Ingram transformed into a marksman of mythic proportions, sinking an astonishing 16 of 21 shots. He was the maestro conducting the Pelicans’ offense, bestowing nine assists upon his teammates in a generous 30 minutes performance. The crescendo of his symphony of shots climaxed with a sequence of five consecutive 3s, a feat that saw him retire to the bench under the warm glow of a standing ovation that seemed to last as long as his hot streak.
By the time of Ingram’s curtain call, the Pelicans had soared to the celestial heights of a 105-71 lead. The remaining periods were mere formality, as the starters were afforded a well-deserved respite for the remainder of the evening.
CJ McCollum complemented Ingram’s scoring exhibition with a robust 20 points, contributing a sextet of treys to the Pelicans’ staggering 19 total from beyond the arc.
Zion Williamson powered through for 16 points, while Jonas Valanciunas fortified the interior, collecting 10 points and dominating the glass for 12 rebounds. It was a triumphant third win in succession for the Pelicans, while simultaneously marking a disheartening eighth loss in nine outings for the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors did unearth a glimmer of hope in rookie Gradey Dick, the 13th pick from Kansas, who sank a season-high 22 points, four of which were precision strikes from the 3-point line. Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes added 17 points to the tally, and Jakob Poeltl secured 14 points along with nine rebounds.
Ingram, whose first-half artistry accounted for 21 points, stunned onlookers with his arresting range of nine jump shots. His deft handling of the ball and precision shooting, which included a couple of 3-pointers, were a signifier of the dominance to follow.
Williamson bolstered the early Pelicans assault with 14 additional points, contributing to a lead that swelled to 21 points at one juncture. Rising star Dick’s impressive 15 first-half points, on a clinical 6-of-8 shooting, momentarily narrowed the gap for the Raptors, though the Pelicans would assert a 67-50 advantage by intermission.
In the waning quarter, it was Jose Alvarado, a sentinel of the Pelicans’ reserves, who seized the opportunity for glory, netting 11 points and pilfering three steals.
As the echoes of the game faded, both teams looked toward the immediate horizon. The Raptors were slated to visit the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, concluding their six-game excursion. The Pelicans, meanwhile, set their sights westward, preparing to visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, embarking on a grueling four-game voyage.
