New Orleans Pelicans Beat Damian Lillard Trailblazers 121-110

Ingram had an outstanding game for the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. He scored 30 points, hit two clutch jumpers in the fourth quarter, and guided his team to victory against Damian Lillard Trailblazers.

Early in the second quarter, Portland trailed by eight points but that would be their only advantage. They held New Orleans to just three points during that period as they worked their way into that scrappy zone defense that we sometimes criticize.

Offense

The New Orleans pelicans have a wealth of young talent, but none stands out more than Brandon Ingram. At 24 years old, he has already achieved all-star status, become a playmaker and scored 13 goals in three seasons - an incredible accomplishment!

Ingram, who suffered an injury in November, has made the most of his opportunity and is one of the premier players in the NBA. His leadership role has been instrumental in their miraculous journey from 3-16 to 23-35 - all without superstar Zion Williamson - and could potentially become a future All-Star.

Though Ingram's play has been inconsistent throughout these playoffs, there's no denying his importance to this New Orleans team. He's a cornerstone player who helps break down defenses with his scoring, playmaking and shooting prowess; additionally, Ingram serves as a defensive anchor who helps the pelicans stay competitive in the paint.

He's a reliable fantasy asset and easy to build your team around. His average of 28 points per game this month and shooting better than 50 percent from the field show that he is more than just an elite 3-point shooter.

When you observe how Ingram has adjusted to his role on the New Orleans Pelicans' offense, it can be a little surprising. He appears to have no issues with either the speed of play or his own play style.

Thus, Zion Williamson has been the face of this team and it's been easy for him to be its captain. The Pelicans remain an exciting young squad with plenty of potential when healthy; led by Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum in the frontcourt; plus veteran leaders Jonas Valanciunas and Herbert Jones on the bench.

They've relied heavily on Ingram for support in the paint. In fact, the pelicans have won all five preseason games when it comes to points scored inside the paint.

Ingram is an incredible talent that has often gone overlooked, but his shooting and playmaking make him a highly valuable fantasy asset. This season he's made an impressive 46.7 percent of his three-pointers; as long as Ingram can continue improving on this skill set, he will remain part of this team's rotation.

Defensively

On Tuesday night, Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers faced a formidable defensive challenge against the New Orleans Pelicans. To have any chance at victory, both guards needed to be at their best performances.

CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram both played outstanding defensively against Notre Dame, helping keep the Blazers at bay. The Pelicans slow down McCollum's speedy guard, forcing him to take more time away from the ball, thus limiting his production.

Zion Williamson and Lonzo Ball were able to keep the Blazers from getting easy layups or dunks due to their length and tenacity, respectively. Furthermore, Williamson and Ball were able to capitalize on their short height by catching Blazer defenders in the air for some easy baskets or layups.

Due to their defense, the Blazers didn't get many easy baskets in the first half and had difficulty making up ground, leading to some early second-chance points for the Pelicans.

Ingram took advantage of his chances and put together a strong performance, scoring 35 points in the win. Additionally, he grabbed five rebounds and had four assists for an impressive total.

The Pelicans offense found its stride against the Blazers, but their defense proved crucial in helping them maintain a lead through the second half. They held them to an average of 118.2 points through three quarters - their highest total against any team this season.

The Pelicans boast a robust defense, particularly off the bench. Naji Marshall, Larry Nance and Jose Alvarado have all proven to be excellent defenders in their own right while switching on an impressive number of on-ball screens for another layer of protection for the Pelicans' front seven.

These players and their teammates were instrumental in helping the Pelicans keep the Blazers at bay and prevent a potential comeback. Portland was held to their lowest point total against them this season while maintaining the lead throughout the game.

Assists

On Wednesday night, the New Orleans Pegasus used a balanced scoring attack to defeat Damian Lillard Trailblazers 121-110. Brandon Ingram led all scorers with 40 points while CJ McCollum added 24 for their first victory over Dillard this season.

Ingram's game has developed into a full-time role with the Pelicans, where he provides everything from scoring to playmaking and leadership to help their team work as one cohesive unit. His versatility makes him an invaluable asset on any roster.

He may not be a great three-point shooter yet, but his abilities have grown substantially from last season and should continue to improve as the year progresses. Additionally, his ability to create offense through the dribble gives him an advantage when defenses try to double him up.

After a quiet first half, Ingram took control of the Pelicans in the second and hit two 3-pointers to open up an eight-point lead. He also played an integral role in their 62-52 victory in the fourth, blocking Williamson's dunk attempt and converting on one crucial steal.

Ingram has missed 29 games due to a left big toe injury, yet still managed to set career highs in assists, points and rebounds this season. His 76 assists are the franchise's highest single-season total since Luka Doncic had an incredible 91 assists streak back in 2014.

Ingram has not only put up impressive offensive numbers this season, but he's also played an essential role in keeping the Pelicans' defense together. His average of 1.7 steals per game this season ranks him third among players who have scored at least 20 points and averaged five rebounds per game.

His ability to create offense with the dribble makes him a valuable resource for his teammates as well. As the Pelicans' best ball-handler, he's adept at creating easy baskets in traffic and also good on defense where he can open up space for teammates to score from outside.

Ingram's career-high 76 assists are the second most by a player with at least 20 points this season, tied for second only to Lillard. He's also ranked 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio this season - encouraging news for the Pelicans.

Rebounds

Rebounding is an integral element of offense and defense, often making the difference in winning or losing games. Not only does it give your team extra chances to score a basket, but it also frustrates opponents by giving them additional shots at scoring. The best rebounders understand the significance of positioning and timing when trying to rebound a ball.

Coaches typically emphasize to their players that the most critical step in rebounding is getting into position and stance before your opponent releases a shot. Doing this gives you time to jump for the rebound before your opponent has any opportunity to pass it away.

Maintain your core engagement during this exercise to create stability and balance. Experiment with this movement for several minutes, resting as needed to make sure you are in the proper position to bounce back quickly.

On Monday evening in Orlando, Ingram notched a double-double with 25 points and six rebounds. He added two triples and five assists, extending his scoring streak to eight games. Over these nine contests in February, Ingram has averaged 27.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.

He has averaged 2.5 made 3-pointers per game, giving him strong counting stats for managers in points leagues. Unfortunately, his high turnovers and lack of defensive statistics make him a risky pick for fantasy managers in category leagues.

On Wednesday evening in New Orleans, the Blazers suffered a close loss to the Pelicans by a score of 121-110. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum led Portland with 41 and 24 points respectively.

McCollum had an impressive start, but his shooting wobbled in the third quarter. He shot just 4 of 16 from the field and missed four of his seven three-point attempts during that span.

After trailing in the first quarter, the Pelicans went on a 15-4 run to tie the game at 87-87 with 9:32 remaining in the fourth. That surge culminated in Thybulle's dunk, giving New Orleans its first lead of the game.