NEW ORLEANS, Dec 29 — Brandon Ingram scored 24 points, and six teammates also scored in double figures as the host New Orleans Pelicans routed the Indiana Pacers 120-98 last night.
Jrue Holiday added 20 points, JJ Redick scored 15, Lonzo Ball had 13, E’Twaun Moore and Josh Hart came off the bench to score 11 each, and Derrick Favors had 10 points and 16 rebounds. Ingram and Holiday each added seven assists.
The Pelicans stayed hot by winning their first game after going 3-1 on a road trip. It was New Orleans’ first home victory since Nov. 19, as it matched its best five-game stretch of the season.
Aaron Holiday scored 25 points, TJ Warren added 20 and Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Pacers, who went winless on a set of back-to-back games after winning six of seven games before that. They lost at Miami, 113-112, on Friday.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Jrue, Justin, and Aaron Holiday became the first trio of brothers to play in an NBA game when Justin checked in with 5:13 left in the first quarter. Jrue started for New Orleans, Aaron started for Indiana and Justin came off the Pacers’ bench.
The Pacers cut a three-point halftime deficit to one point on three occasions before the Pelicans extended the lead midway through the third quarter.
Jrue Holiday scored 12 points as New Orleans opened an 77-63 lead. He then made a 3-pointer, and Ingram made two 3-pointers as the lead grew to 20, before the Pelicans took an 86-68 edge at the end of the third quarter.
Ingram’s jumper gave New Orleans a 22-point lead early in the fourth quarter, and the lead grew to as much as 26.
Sabonis scored nine points as the Pacers raced to a 32-19 lead over the cold-shooting Pelicans at the end of the first quarter.
Indiana went cold in the second quarter, making 4 of 24 field-attempts and missing all nine 3-pointers in addition to committing six turnovers, as New Orleans took a 48-45 halftime lead. — Reuters
