Pelicans at Knicks
The New Orleans Pelicans look to stay hot when they launch a three-game road trip at the New York Knicks on Friday. Behind Brandon Ingram's 29 points, career high-tying 11 assists and eight rebounds, the Pelicans rolled to a 123-108 win over Chicago on Wednesday to improve to 7-3 following a 6-22 start.
Ingram hit 11-of-12 free throws and added two blocks as he continues a breakout campaign that has him ranked ninth in the league in scoring (25.3) entering Thursday. "Just coming in and trying to do everything that I work on in practice in my routines," Ingram told reporters. "My teammates have been doing a really, really good job of just being the best version of themselves. They help me out so much and we just mesh together so well." The Knicks were shorthanded in a 128-104 loss at Utah on Wednesday, their fourth setback in a row. The team's top two scorers - Marcus Morris (neck) and Julius Randle (personal) - were among those on the sidelines.
TIME: 7:15 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN, FS New Orleans, TSN2
ABOUT THE PELICANS (13-25): JJ Redick chipped in 24 points while making six 3-pointers in Wednesday's win, and the veteran sharpshooter is 15-of-27 from long range in four games this month. Rookie center Jaxson Hayes notched his second career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four blocks, earning the praise of coach Alvin Gentry. "The spectacular plays are really what fans like to see and he's a guy that's a great leaper, he blocks some shots, he'll have a dunk every now and then," Gentry told reporters of Hayes. "But we talk to him about being solid and doing exactly what we're supposed to do defensively."
ABOUT THE KNICKS (10-28): Also sitting out Wednesday was point guard Dennis Smith Jr. (oblique), and New York - which was wrapping up a four-game road trip and playing the second half of a back-to-back - ran out of steam. "We're in the mountains. You can't breathe," rookie guard RJ Barrett told reporters after finishing with 10 points and zero assists in 27 minutes. Frank Ntilikina led the way offensively with 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pelicans PF-C Derrick Favors is averaging 12.3 points on 67.7 percent shooting and 11.3 rebounds in January.
2. Knicks PF Bobby Portis had 13 points and a season-high 13 rebounds Wednesday while starting in place of Randle.
3. The teams split two meetings last season.