Ingram, Williamson power Pelicans past Cavaliers
NEW ORLEANS — Brandon Ingram scored 28 points, Zion Williamson added 23 and the New Orleans Pelicans bounced back from a lopsided loss with a 116-82 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
Ingram played just 25 minutes and Williamson 18 because of how lopsided the game became. Steven Adams had 10 points and 17 rebounds in his 21 minutes on the court.
The Cavs welcomed forwards Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. back to the starting lineup after extended absences, and both announced their returns with early 3s. But their roles were relatively limited and did not significantly influence the result of a match-up with a Pelicans squad that looked inspired and determined to bounce back from an embarrassing 30-point loss to Minnesota a night earlier.
Love, who had missed 33 games since injuring his right calf in late December, played 10 minutes and had four points and a rebound. He also got caught a step behind Williamson a couple times on the defensive end.
Nance, who missed 12 games after injuring his left hand, had 11 points, four rebounds and a block in 28 minutes.
76ers 127, Wizards 102
WASHINGTON — Joel Embiid scored 23 points but departed midway through the third quarter following an apparent leg injury in Philadelphia’s win over Washington.
Embiid, an MVP candidate for his role on the Eastern Conferenceleading Sixers, was in his first game back following a week-long absence for contract tracing. He entered Friday averaging 30.2 points and 11.6 rebounds.
He had also grabbed seven rebounds before his departure with 6:20 left in the third.
Nuggets 103, Grizzlies 102
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and scored Denver’s final five points to help the Nuggets hold off Memphis.
Memphis had a chance to take the lead with about three seconds remaining when guard Ja Morant went to the rim against Jokic but came up short against the Denver center. The Nuggets then ran out the clock for their fifth straight victory.
Will Barton and Michael Porter Jr. had 21 points each for Denver. Jamal Murray was held to a season-low three points, missing 13 of 14 shots.
Brandon Clarke and Dillon Brooks led Memphis with 20 points each. Morant had 16 points — on 5-of-16 shooting — and nine assists, and Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and 11 rebounds.