On February 2, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued, and the Pelicans challenged the Pistons away. Grant returned after nearly 2 months out, and Ingram also returned after missing five games. The two sides began with a tight start, with the Pistons pulling away the points gap in the second half of the second quarter, and establishing a 15-point advantage in the third quarter. The Pelicans fought back frantically, overtaking the score in the final quarter and firmly holding the advantage, and finally the Pelicans doubled the Pistons 111-101 to end a four-game losing streak. In this game, Lang Cunningham played 21 minutes and scored six points, but did not play in the final quarter due to an injury to his right hip.
Field data
Pelicans: Ingram 26 points, Walker 14 points, Varan 13 points and 13 boards, Murphy 12 points, Hernangomez 11 points, Alvarado 10 points and 6 assists
Pistons: Joseph 18 points, Grant 17 points, Jackson 14 points, Diallo 12 points, Stewart 8 points and 11 boards
Star of the game: Ingram leads the team to reverse
Ingram blasted the highest score of the game, his free throws and mid-range shots helped the team turn the tide in key moments of the final quarter, and the Pelicans, who had the advantage, also maintained the lead until the end. Despite his expulsion at the last minute, he became an important contributor to the victory.
Game tidbits
Ingram yelled at his opponent after Jackson the Big Hat! The referee decisively blew the T, and Ingram was expelled for accumulating two technical fouls
Highlights of this session
Diallo takes off! Domineering dunks shake the basket
Magical Hit! Jackson pressed the whistle to send the fairy ball
Cleverly matched! Varan eats bread and buckles
Long drive straight in! Yuanlang made a layup
Fight back against the dunk! Ingram one-handedly abused the basket
Game review
In the first quarter, Grant and Joseph scored four consecutive points in the opening game, Graham hit a jumper, Stewart hit two free throws, and then the Pelicans blasted a 7-0 wave to take a 9-6 lead. Cunningham hooked the ice, Hayes took off with a dunk, Stewart made a layup, Cunningham continued to score points under the basket, Varan hit four consecutive free throws to give the Pelicans a 17-14 lead. Hayes played under the basket, Lyles sent a three-pointer, Hernangomez sent a 2+1, and the Pelicans led by one point at 26-25. Lyles hit a hit, Walker and Olynyk scored three-pointers, and the Pistons led 33-31 into the second quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, the Pistons started with a 10-2 surge to build a 10-point advantage. Graham shot long to stop the bleeding, Diallo played under the basket, Varan sent a dunk, then Ingram hit two free throws, Murphy sent a three-pointer, and the Pelicans trailed to 43-45. Cunningham made a layup to stabilize the situation, Hernan Gomez dunked violently, and then Ingram hit a dry shot, and the two sides drew 49. Bay hit a three-pointer, Ingram broke through but ate T to send the Pistons free throws, Grant sent three points, Murphy hit two free throws, Joseph forced the basket to play, the Pistons ate two T in a row, Murphy hit 4 consecutive free throws, Grant sent three points, in the last minute Olynyk three-pointers again, the Pelicans fell behind 57-65 into the second half.
In the re-fight, Joseph sent a three-pointer, Stewart played under the basket, and then Grant hit a dry shot, and the Pistons opened a 15-point gap. Ingram hit two free throws, Began pulled in, then Hayes hit a layup, Alvarado scored five points in a row, Jones made a layup and sent an assist, and the Pelicans were instantly close to a four-point gap. Jackson hit a three-pointer, Diallo hit a basket, Alvarado continued to hit a three-pointer, then Walker hit a mid-range shot, Clark gave a three-pointer, and the Pelicans trailed to 84-85. Hayes hit a layup and the Pistons led by three points 87-84.
In the final quarter, Hernan Gomez made a basket shot, Lyles sent a throw, Walker played 2+1, and the two sides drew 89. The Pistons scored four straight points to open the gap, Walker made two free throws and a layup, and then Ingram hit all two free throws to give the Pelicans a 94-93 comeback. Varan hit two free throws and Ingram sent a jumper and the Pelicans had a four-point advantage. Varan then hit a hit, Grant hit two free throws, Ingram returned two free throws and one shot, Murphy sent a three-point jumper to give the Pelicans a nine-point lead at 107-98. Ingram hit both free throws, the Pelicans pulled a double-digit gap in the final minute, Ingram ate tweed, Grant hit a jumper, and the Pistons trailed 101-109 in the last 83 seconds. Temple made two free throws to stabilize the situation, and in the last 50 seconds the Pistons trailed by 10 points and were unable to turn the game over, and the home court suffered a reversal.
Both sides started
Pelicans: Graham, Herbert-Jones, Ingram, Hayes, Valanciunas
Pistons: Joseph, Cunningham, Sadiq Bay, Grant, Stewart