NEW ORLEANS — Anfernee Simons led the Portland Trail Blazers with 24 points, while Deandre Ayton contributed 19 points and secured 13 rebounds, guiding the team to a 118-100 victory over the shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.

Toumani Camara and Jerami Grant each scored 16 points for the Trail Blazers, who found themselves trailing for most of the first three quarters. The game took a turn in the fourth, thanks to Dalano Banton’s impressive performance, where he scored 20 points during the period, helping the Blazers clinch the win.

Brandon Ingram was the sole regular starter available for the Pelicans, scoring 27 points in the contest. New Orleans faced significant challenges with star forward Zion Williamson sidelined due to tightness in his right hamstring and quad for the second consecutive game. Additionally, the team was missing starters Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Herb Jones, as well as key reserves Trey Murphy III and Jordan Hawkins.

Brandon Boston Jr. stepped up with 20 points in a starting role, taking the place of Hawkins, who was unable to play again due to lower back tightness. Jose Alvarado also made notable contributions for New Orleans, finishing with 18 points.

Several takeaways emerged from the game: The Trail Blazers asserted their dominance near the basket, shooting an impressive 54.8% from the field (46 of 84) while also narrowly out-rebounding the Pelicans 38-34.

On the other hand, New Orleans struggled once again in the paint, being outscored significantly. Portland enjoyed a commanding 66-38 advantage in points scored inside, mirroring their defensive woes just a night prior against Atlanta, where they were outscored 66-32 in the paint.

A key moment in the game occurred when Banton, who did not play in the first three quarters, entered and quickly scored eight points within five minutes, igniting a 10-2 run that shifted the lead to the Blazers at 94-89. From that point on, Portland distanced themselves from New Orleans.

Highlighting Banton’s impact, he showcased remarkable shooting, going 8 of 9 in just 12 minutes of play and hitting 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.

Looking ahead, the Trail Blazers will visit San Antonio on Thursday night, while the Pelicans will host the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, completing a four-game homestand.