Valanciunas posts double-double, Pelicans drop Blazers for third straight win / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP Credit Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP

Brandon Ingram hit for 28 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 22 of his 27 in the second half as the host New Orleans Pelicans (11-21) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (13-19) 111-97 (24-21, 27-28, 30-29, 30-19) on Tuesday night for their first three-game winning streak of the season.

Player of the Game EFF 27 Brandon Ingram Points 28 Accuracy 12-22 Rebounds 8 Assists 8

Josh Hart added 20 points, Willy Hernangomez had 13 off the bench, Jonas Valanciunas had 10 points and 16 rebounds and Devonte' Graham scored 10 for the Pelicans.

Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 39 points. Jusuf Nurkic added 17, Norman Powell had 16 and Larry Nance Jr. scored 10.

Powell made a 3-pointer to start the third quarter to give the Blazers a 52-51 lead. But Hart scored seven points during a 14-0 run that gave the Pelicans a 65-52 lead with 8:31 left in the quarter.

New Orleans led by 13 on two more occasions before Powell scored nine, Lillard seven and Nance six as Portland climbed within one. Alexander-Walker made a basket to extend the Pelicans' lead to 81-78 at the end of the third quarter.

Robert Covington's basket started the fourth-quarter scoring and got the Blazers within one point before Alexander-Walker scored 11 straight New Orleans points to give the Pelicans a 92-83 lead with 8:46 left.

Lillard had five points as Portland scored eight straight, but Ingram's basket started a 7-0 New Orleans run that produced a 99-91 lead with 4:31 left, and the Blazers didn't threaten after that.

The score was tied four times and the lead changed hands three times before the Pelicans took a 24-21 lead at the end of the first quarter.

New Orleans pushed the lead to six early in the second quarter before Lillard's 3-pointer completed a 7-0 run that gave Portland a 31-30 lead.

Ingram's jumper gave the Pelicans the lead briefly before Lillard's 3-pointer and Nance's layup gave the Blazers a 36-32 lead.

The Blazers increased the lead to six points twice, but Ingram scored 10 points in the last 2:38 of the quarter as New Orleans took a 51-49 halftime lead.

New Orleans Pelicans: Brandon Ingram 28 (12/22 FG, 2/5 FT, 8 REB, 8 AST), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 27 (10/16 FG, 1/1 FT, 3 REB, 4 AST), Josh Hart 20 (7/10 FG, 5/5 FT, 5 REB, 5 AST, 3 ST), Guillermo Hernangomez 13 (5/6 FG, 3/3 FT, 6 REB), Jonas Valanciunas 10 (4/10 FG, 2/2 FT, 16 REB).

Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard 39 (13/24 FG, 7/8 FT, 7 AST), Jusuf Nurkic 17 (6/10 FG, 5/8 FT, 5 REB, 4 AST), Norman Powell 16 (6/14 FG, 2/3 FT, 4 REB), Larry Nance 10 (6 REB, 2 AST, 4 ST).

Like what we are doing? Support us by becoming BN+ member.