Ingram on fire, helps Pelicans cool off Jazz
NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Ingram scored a career-high 49 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans stopped the Utah Jazz’s 10-game win streak with a 138-132 victory.
Utah led 132-127 on Bojan Bogdanovic’s 3 with 2:28 to go in overtime, but went scoreless the rest of the way. The Pelicans scored 11 straight on layups by Derrick Favors and E’Twaun Moore and seven free throws.
Favors finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks against his former team. Moore had 16 points for New Orleans, which has won 10 of 14 and has two games to play before the NBA’s top overall draft choice, Zion Williamson, is slated to make his Pelicans debut on Wednesday night.
Fellow 2019 first-round picks Nickeil AlexanderWalker and Jaxson Hayes each played prominent roles in New Orleans’ victory. Alexander-Walker had 12 points, and Hayes collected nine points, five rebounds and a blocked shot.
The Pelicans thought they had won the game in regulation on Ingram’s off-balance jumper with .2 seconds left. But Hayes was called for holding Rudy Gobert as Utah attempted a desperation tip-in on the inbound pass.
The call, which was upheld after video review, gave Gobert a chance to win it by making both foul shots. But with the crowd heartily booing the officials, Gobert missed the first free throw before hitting the pressurepacked second to tie it at 122 and force overtime.
Utah star Donovan Mitchell tied his career high with 46 points before missing several shots in the final minutes of overtime. Bogdanovic scored 26, and Gobert finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
BUCKS 128, CELTICS 123
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 17 rebounds, Khris Middleton scored 23 and the Milwaukee Bucks held off the Boston Celtics.
With the victory, the NBA-leading Bucks (376) extended their winning streak to five games.
Kemba Walker scored a game-high 40 points to lead the Celtics, who took the floor without Jaylen Brown. The 6-foot6 forward suffered a sprained right thumb in a 13-point loss to Detroit on Wednesday.
“We saw a play late in the first half and we think that might have been when it happened,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said. “Maybe it got worse as the game went on. He didn’t say much about it at halftime. Certainly, after the game it was sore. Today, more sore.”