NEW ORLEANS — In a commanding performance, the Portland Trail Blazers topped the New Orleans Pelicans 119-100 on Wednesday evening, with Deni Avdija leading the charge with 26 points and Shaedon Sharpe contributing 21 points. The Blazers maintained control throughout the game, establishing their dominance early on.
The Pelicans were noticeably missing key players, particularly power forward Zion Williamson, who was held out as a precautionary measure after returning from a left hamstring strain just a night prior. Additionally, Brandon Ingram missed his 14th consecutive game due to an ankle injury.
Other notable performers for Portland included Anfernee Simons, who added 17 points, and Toumani Camara, who chipped in 15 points. The Blazers entered halftime with a significant 75-42 lead and continued their strong play from there. Deandre Ayton also made an impact, scoring 11 points and securing 13 rebounds. Portland boasted an impressive shooting percentage of 54.5%, converting 48 out of 88 attempts.
On the other side, CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 23 points, while Dejounte Murray added 20 points, but the team’s efforts fell short. The Pelicans have struggled lately, managing to win only three of their past 25 games.
Adding to New Orleans’ challenges, defensive standout Herb Jones had to leave the game in the third quarter due to a right shoulder injury, a painful reminder as he had already missed 18 games earlier this season with a similar issue.
Key observations from this matchup highlighted the Trail Blazers’ recent resurgence. With a record of 13-23, Portland has shown improvement, securing victories in four of their last seven games, including two losses by narrow margins. Remarkably, the Blazers have scored 103 or more points in 11 out of their last 12 games.
Conversely, the Pelicans’ inconsistency showed, especially when comparing their competitive play against Minnesota just the night before, when Williamson was in the lineup. This time around, New Orleans appeared sluggish and disconnected, prompting disappointment among the sparse audience.
One notable aspect of the game was the absence of a key turning point; the Blazers built a commanding 16-point lead in the first quarter and never relinquished it.
In terms of statistics, Portland’s first half was particularly impressive, with the team shooting 67.4% (31 of 46) and setting a season-high scoring mark of 75 points in the first half.
Looking ahead, the Trail Blazers are set to face the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, while the Pelicans will continue their road trip with a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
