NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Naji Marshall scored a career-high 22 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans extended their winning streak to three games, beating the Indiana Pacers 113-93 on Monday night.
CJ McCollum added 19 points for New Orleans, which was missing top scorer Zion Williamson along with Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III.
Rookie Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 15 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Myles Turner scored 14 points for Indiana.
New Orleans had its best first-half defensive effort of the season, holding Indiana to 38 points on 14 baskets. The Pelicans led 57-38 at the break and maintained a double-digit advantage for the rest of the game.
New Orleans forced 13 turnovers by Indiana and outrebounded the Pacers 54-36.
Trailing 18-9 midway through the first quarter, the Pelicans took control with a 13-0 run, holding the Pacers scoreless the final 5:30 of the quarter to take a 24-18 lead.
New Orleans had a 15-0 run in the second quarter to push the advantage to 43-23 and never looked back.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, who scored a career-high 43 points in a win over Miami on Friday night, was held to 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting.
Pelicans: Used their 10th starting lineup of the season. … Prior to the game, coach Willie Green said the team wanted Williamson to get a full practice in before he returns to play. He has missed three straight games because of health and safety protocols. … Kira Lewis’ 3-pointer in the first quarter was his first points at home in over a year. He missed 55 games last season and had played in only two games so far this season because of a knee injury.
