Ingram’s Last-Second Magic Hands Pelicans a Hard-Fought Victory Over Trail Blazers

Brandon Ingram proved his mettle with a decisive jumper, leaving only 4.9 seconds on the clock, propelling the New Orleans Pelicans to a thrilling 105-103 comeback victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. The Pelicans managed to overturn the tide after trailing the game until the last quarter when CJ McCollum’s 3-pointer and floater levelled the scores at 91-all with just over eight minutes remaining.

Hawkins Steps Up, Zion Returns

Jordan Hawkins stood tall, sinking crucial free throws to tip the scales in favor of the Pelicans, who then stretched the lead to 97-91 courtesy of Daniel Theis’s layup. Anfernee Simons’ jumper allowed Portland to regain the lead momentarily with 2:24 left on the clock, but it was a fiercely contested tug-of-war down to the last seconds until Ingram’s decisive shot. Hawkins topped the score sheet for the Pelicans, netting 24 points.

Zion Williamson, New Orleans’ star player, returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the opener against Chicago due to an illness, contributing a solid 16 points to the team’s victory. Despite the Blazers taking an early lead in the first quarter (27-15) and maintaining a double-digit lead for most of the first half, the Pelicans managed to close the gap and entered the break trailing 47-37.

Key Takeaways and Performances

News from the Pelicans’ camp indicates that Dejounte Murray could be sidelined for a month-and-a-half due to a hand injury sustained in the season opener against the Chicago Bulls. Jose Alvarado took his place in the starting lineup.

For the Blazers, rookie Donovan Clingan made a notable impact defensively in his limited time on court, blocking three shots in the first half and finishing with four points and four blocks in 14 minutes.

The Game-Changing Moment and Standout Statistic

The game’s pivotal moment came when Ingram, facing Simons, drove into the paint and pulled off a contested turnaround jumper, securing a 105-103 lead for the Pelicans with just 4.9 seconds remaining.

In terms of individual performances, Jerami Grant stole the spotlight with a career-high 34 points, including an impressive eight 3-pointers, for the Blazers, surpassing his previous best of seven, set against Cleveland in 2022.

Looking Ahead

The next showdown between the Pelicans and the Blazers is set for Sunday afternoon at the Moda Center. Following this pulsating encounter, fans can surely expect another thrilling NBA spectacle.