New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) shoots against Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 1, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Ingram scored 19 of his 34 points in New Orleans’ franchise record-tying 48-point first quarter and the Pelicans beat the Indiana Pacers 129-102 on Friday night in the NBA to split a home-and-home set.
Coming off a 123-114 loss in Indianapolis on Wednesday night, the Pelicans were 20 of 22 from the field in the first quarter in racing to a 48-26 lead.
The 90.9% shooting was the highest field-goal percentage by any team in a quarter this season and the highest percentage in a first quarter by any team since Dallas shot 94% in a 2014 game against Utah.
Brandon Ingram got red-hot early and led the @PelicansNBA to the W 🔥🔥
BI: 34 PTS (19 in 1Q), 13-21 FGM, 8 REB, 6 AST pic.twitter.com/wEuqb5dBcc
— NBA (@NBA) March 2, 2024
Trey Murphy III added 28 points, hitting 6 of 12 3-pointers.
Ingram, who also had seven assists, sparked the early spree with 9-of-11 shooting. Murphy made a 25-footer from the left wing early in the second to make it 57-26.
In addition to their hot shooting, the Pelicans played suffocating defense against the highest-scoring team in the NBA, holding the Pacers to 42.6% shooting and 21 points below their 123-point-per-game average.
The Pelicans neutralized Tyrese Haliburton, holding the All-Star guard scoreless for the first time since November 2021. Haliburton was 0 for 7 from the field in 23 minutes.
Isaiah Jackson and Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 13 points each. Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner had 12 each.
Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and nine rebounds for New Orleans, and CJ McCollum added 14 points.
The Pacers held New Orleans scoreless for over five minutes during a 23-3 run in the second period that cut the deficit to 60-49. But the Pelicans regained their footing with a 17-7 run to close out the quarter, capped by Murphy’s deep 3 at the buzzer for a 77-56 lead. Murphy had 17 of his 23 first-half points in the second quarter, making 4 of 7 from long range.
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NEXT SCHEDULE
Pacers: At San Antonio on Sunday night.
Pelicans: At Toronto on Tuesday night.
