Saturday NBA: Pelicans unbeaten with Ingram, Williamson stepping up: 'It's on us now'
New Orleans – Brandon Ingram poured in an array of mid-range pullups, turnarounds and fades. Zion Williamson kept finding ways to power toward the rim and finish with touch.
The Pelicans tandem presented problems for a Knicks team playing a second road game in a different city in less than 24 hours.
Ingram scored 26 points, Williamson added 24 and New Orleans remained unbeaten on this young NBA season with a 96-87 victory over New York on Saturday night.
Williamson said that when he and Ingram are on the court together in the fourth quarter, "we kind of give each other that look, like, all right, it's on us now.”
And that's how Pelicans coach Willie Green wants it.
“They carried us tonight offensively and that’s what they need to do night in and night out,” Green said. “That's what they're capable of doing and we’re going to need those two guys to continue to attack."
Williamson, who missed most of last season because of a hamstring injury last Jan. 2, has now scored at least 23 points in each of New Orleans' first two games. Against New York, he hit difficult leaners or one-handed floaters through crowds of defenders, sometimes while being fouled. Several of his baskets brought the crowd to its feet in full voice as he celebrated by flexing his biceps on each side of his head.
“It’s crazy seeing it in real time," Ingram said of some of Williamson's difficult touch shots around the rim. "Sometimes you wonder what shot he’s putting up and it drops straight in.”
But for the 6-foot-6 Williamson, who wasn't always the tallest player on the court from the time he started playing as a child, it's nothing new.
"When I was younger, I used to go to the park," Williamson began. “I was a lot smaller than everybody, so you've got to figure out touch around the basket and different angles, so I think just over time I developed it.”
RJ Barrett scored 18 for the Knicks, who appeared to run out of steam in the fourth quarter after winning in Atlanta one night earlier.
“We knew that would be a challenge coming off a back-to-back,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We were a step behind, a step slow.”
More Saturday games
Philadelphia 114, (at) Toronto 107: Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each scored 34 points, and Philadelphia beat Toronto to give new coach Nick Nurse his first win against his former team.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 18 points and Tobias Harris had 15 as the 76ers won their fourth straight over the Raptors.
Toronto fired Nurse in April after five seasons as head coach. Nurse led Toronto to the NBA championship in 2019 and was voted NBA Coach of the Year in 2020. Fans rose for a brief standing ovation when Nurse was honored with a video tribute during a first-quarter timeout.
Scottie Barnes scored 24 points, Gary Trent Jr. had 17 and rookie Gradey Dick scored 16 points for the Raptors.
(At) Minnesota 106, Miami 90: Naz Reid scored 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting in 28 minutes off the bench, sparking Minnesota over short-handed Miami in its home opener.
The fan favorite Reid swished back-to-back 3-pointers during an 11-0 run for the Timberwolves midway through the fourth quarter and went 4 for 7 from deep. Rudy Gobert (14 points, 14 rebounds) and Karl-Anthony Towns (12 points, 10 rebounds) also played their parts in a dominant performance by the Minnesota big men as the Heat faded hard down the stretch.
Anthony Edwards finished with 19 points after a late flurry for the Timberwolves (1-1), who outscored the Heat 24-4 over a seven-plus minute stretch that lasted deep into the fourth quarter.
Tyler Herro scored 22 points on 8-for-23 shooting and Bam Adebayo added 19 points for Miami, which played without starting forwards Jimmy Butler (rest) and Kevin Love (bruised left shoulder) on the second half of a back-to-back set of games.
Indiana 125, (at) Cleveland 113: Aaron Nesmith scored a career-high 26 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, sending Indiana over short-handed Cleveland.
Cleveland played without three starters, including All-NBA shooting guard Donovan Mitchell (right hamstring soreness). Point guard Darius Garland (left hamstring strain) and center Jarrett Allen (left ankle bone bruise) also remained out.
Myles Turner had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Indiana, which outscored the Cavaliers 29-12 in the second quarter and won its second straight game to open the season. Bennedict Mathurin and Jalen Smith added 13 points apiece.
Evan Mobley had 33 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks for Cleveland. Caris LeVert started at the point and had 31 points and eight assists, while Max Strus finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
(At) Washington 113, Memphis 106: Corey Kispert scored all of his 22 points in the first half, and Washington held off winless Memphis in its home opener.
Memphis, which is without suspended star Ja Morant, has dropped its first three games this season after surpassing 50 wins in each of the past two. The Grizzlies were on the second night of a back-to-back after a four-point loss to defending champion Denver.
Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 27 points and Kyle Kuzma added 21. They attempted 23 field goals apiece, with Kuzma going 1 of 10 from 3-point range.
Desmond Bane scored 26 points for Memphis.