Ingram, Valanciunas help Pelicans hold off Timberwolves
Jonas Valanciunas #17 of the New Orleans Pelicans passes against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on October 22, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Pelicans 128-112. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by JONATHAN DANIEL / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Brandon Ingram scored 27 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 22 points and 23 rebounds as the New Orleans Pelicans got their first victory of the season by defeating the host Minnesota Timberwolves 107-98 on Monday night.
Devonte Graham added 21 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 17 as the Pelicans bounced back from a 96-89 loss at Minnesota on Saturday. They turned the ball over 20 times, but that was a significant improvement over the franchise record-tying 30 they committed on Saturday.
Valanciunas’ rebounds helped New Orleans build a 60-41 rebounding advantage and end a three-game losing streak to start first-year coach Willie Green’s tenure.
22 points and 23 BOARDS for @JValanciunas in the @PelicansNBA win! 💪💪💪 pic.twitter.com/dN2JJScZn9
— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2021
Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points and 14 rebounds, Anthony Edwards scored 28 and Patrick Beverley added 13 for the Wolves.
Ingram scored eight points as New Orleans started the third quarter with a 10-0 run that produced a 64-43 lead.
Edwards made a 3-pointer for Minnesota’s first points of the quarter and started a 7-0 run.
He scored eight straight points as the Wolves got within 68-61.
The Pelicans increased the lead to 11, but Minnesota cut it to 80-73 as Edwards finished the quarter with 21 points.
Beverley made two 3-pointers to get the Wolves within six before New Orleans scored five straight.
Ingram made three consecutive baskets as the Pelicans took command with a 104-88 lead with 2:15 remaining.
The lead changed hands eight times and the score was tied three times before the Pelicans scored the final seven points to take a 25-19 lead at the end of the first quarter.
New Orleans began the second quarter with another 7-0 run before Patrick Beverley made a 3-pointer to end a four-minute scoring drought by the Wolves.
The Pelicans increased their lead to 15 points before Minnesota scored nine straight to get within 37-31.
New Orleans scored the next eight points, but the Wolves got as close as eight points.
Graham made consecutive Pelicans baskets to give them a 54-43 lead at halftime.
