Ingram leads Pelicans past Jokic-less Nuggets, 101-94

NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Ingram scored 29 points to lift the New Orleans Pelicans to a 101-94 victory Friday night over the Denver Nuggets, who played without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Ingram twisted his left ankle in the second half but stayed in the game to help the injury-riddled Pelicans snap a six-game skid and end the Nuggets' five-game winning streak.

Brandon Boston Jr. scored 19 points and Trey Murphy III had 17 points for New Orleans.

Michael Porter Jr. led Denver with 24 points and Peyton Watson added 18. Jamal Murray scored 16 points for the Nuggets but struggled from long range, making 2 of 8 from beyond the arc.

Takeaways

Nuggets: Denver entered the game shooting 40.4% from 3-point range but made only 10 of 37. With Jokic out for personal reasons, the Pelicans double-teamed Murray and slowed down Denver’s high-powered offense. Assistant coach David Adelman took over head coaching duties while Michael Malone remained in Colorado to watch his daughter, Bridget, compete in the state volleyball playoffs.

Pelicans: New Orleans had scored only 88 points in two of its previous three losses but had much better spacing and outshot the Nuggets from the perimeter. Ingram, Murphy and Boston combined to shoot 26 of 54 from the floor.

Key moment

Denver closed within 87-86 on Russell Westbrook's 3-pointer with 6:19 left, but the Pelicans scored the next eight points, including 3s by Javonte Green and Boston.

Key stat

Boston, a third-year player from Kentucky, has averaged 19.9 points in his last four games.

Up next

Nuggets: At Memphis on Sunday.

Pelicans: Host the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night.