NBA: Jonas Valanciunas, Pelicans hold off Hawks
Jonas Valanciunas #17 of the New Orleans Pelicans high fives his bench after a foul call is made during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on February 06, 2022 in Houston, Texas. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP
Jonas Valanciunas had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead three New Orleans players with double-doubles as the visiting Pelicans edged the Atlanta Hawks 117-112 Sunday night.
Willy Hernangomez had 17 points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench, while Jaxson Hayes added 12 points and 12 rebounds. CJ McCollum scored 25 points, Jose Alvarado had 15 and Herbert Jones 11.
The Pelicans outscored the Hawks, who were playing without power forward John Collins, 62-42 in the paint.
YESSSSIR JV! pic.twitter.com/QepOKGCTcC
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 21, 2022
Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points to lead Atlanta. Trae Young had 21 points and 10 assists, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 21, Clint Capela had 14 points and 11 rebounds and De’Andre Hunter scored 11.
The Hawks pulled even at 108 on Young’s 3-pointer and the score was tied again before Valanciunas made a fadeaway jumper.
Young missed a shot and Alvarado scored on a drive to give New Orleans a 114-110 lead with 48.5 seconds left.
RIGHT TO IT JOSE!!
📺: @BallySportsNO
📻: @ESPNRadioNOLA pic.twitter.com/NfkO2GBqIB— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 21, 2022
Bogdanovic’s basket started the fourth-quarter scoring and the Hawks closed within 93-84 on two free throws by Onyeka Okongwu. Bogdanovic and Young kept brining the Hawks back, but the Pelicans always had an answer.
In the first quarter, Hernangomez scored six points as the Pelicans extended a three-point lead to 27-12 while the Hawks went 4 1/2 minutes without making a field goal.
New Orleans raced to a 35-18 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Gallinari scored 11 early in the second as Atlanta pulled within 47-43.
McCollum scored four points during a 10-2 run that gave the Pelicans a 57-45 lead.
The Hawks closed within eight points before McCollum beat the buzzer with a layup that gave New Orleans a 60-50 halftime lead.
Young made back-to-back 3-pointers and Gallinari added a 3-pointer as the Hawks cut the Pelicans’ lead to six early in the third quarter.
Naji Marshall made a 3-pointer and Jones converted a three-point play as New Orleans took a 77-63 lead midway through the period.
Atlanta got within 10 points twice, but Alvarado’s 3-pointer pushed the Pelicans’ lead to 84-69.
New Orleans maintained that margin as Hernangomez’s three-point play gave it a 91-76 lead at the end of the period.
