Valanciunas double-double, dominant Ingram push Pelicans past Pistons / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AP - Scanpix Credit AP - Scanpix

Brandon Ingram returned from a five-game absence to score a game-high 26 points as the visiting New Orleans Pelicans (19-32) ended a four-game losing streak with a 111-101 (31-33, 26-32, 27-22, 27-14) win over the Detroit Pistons (12-38) on Tuesday night.

Player of the Game EFF 23 Brandon Ingram Points 26 Accuracy 8-18 Rebounds 3 Assists 4

Ingram, who had been sidelined because of a sprained ankle, was also ejected after receiving his second technical foul with 1:43 remaining.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 14 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 13 points and 13 rebounds, Trey Murphy III scored 12 points, Willy Hernangomez had 11 and Jose Alvarado had 10.

Cory Joseph scored 18 points, Jerami Grant added 17, Frank Jackson had 14 and Hamidou Diallo chipped in 12 for the Pistons. Overall No. 1 draft choice Cade Cunningham had six points before leaving the game in the second half because of a hip pointer.

The Pistons scored the first seven points of the third quarter to open a 72-57 lead. However, they scored just two points in nearly five minutes while Ingram had four points and two assists to pull the Pelicans within 78-74.

Jackson made a 3-pointer and Detroit pushed the lead to nine points before New Orleans trimmed the deficit to 87-84 at the end of the quarter.

Alexander-Walker's three-point play tied the score at 89, but the Pistons scored the next four points.

Ingram scored four points during an 8-0 run that gave the Pelicans a 97-93 lead.

Joseph's jumper ended a nearly five-minute scoring drought for Detroit, but Valanciunas answered with two baskets to give New Orleans a 101-95 lead.

The margin never shrank to fewer than five points after that.

The lead changed hands 12 times during the first quarter. Kelly Olynyk's deep 3-pointer gave the Pistons a 33-31 lead at the end of the period.

Diallo made three baskets to help Detroit extend its advantage to 43-33 early in the second quarter.

A 3-pointer by Alexander-Walker started a New Orleans comeback, and Ingram hit a jumper to tie the score at 49.

Saddiq Bey broke the tie with a 3-pointer and Grant made three 3-pointers to give the Pistons a 65-57 halftime advantage.

Pistons: Cory Joseph 18 (6/9 2PT, 1/5 3PT), Jerami Grant 17 (3/7 2PT, 3/6 3PT), Frank Jackson 14 (5/7 2PT, 1/7 3PT), Hamidou Diallo 12 (6/8 2PT).Pelicans: Brandon Ingram 26 (7/17 2PT, 9/10 FT, 4 AST), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 14 (2/6 3PT, 4 TO), Jonas Valančiūnas 13 (4/8 2PT, 5/6 FT, 13 REB, 4 TO), Trey Murphy 12 (2/5 3PT, 6/6 FT, 5 REB), Guillermo Hernangomez 11 (5/7 2PT), Jose Alvarado 10 (2/4 3PT, 6 AST).

Full game highlights:

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