The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Denver Nuggets, 119-104, on Saturday in an NBA Season Restart Scrimmage at Orlando.
The Pelicans had no problem controlling the pace of the game as soon as things started, and they quickly jumped to a comfortable 33-20 lead following the first quarter. The Nuggets, who were extremely depleted once again, were no match for New Orleans. The Pelicans saw their lead reduce to a sizable 11-point edge by half time. The Nuggets shortened the gap to 10 points by the time the third quarter ended, but the Pelicans got the job done in the final minutes. A 34-29 fourth-quarter score lifted New Orleans to a comfortable 119-104 win.
Five Pelicans scored in double digits, and all of them were bench players. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the way with 21 points, while Sindarius Thornwell notched 12 points, seven assists, and three rebounds. Frank Jackson had 16 points, and Jaxson Hayes delivered 13 points with six boards. As for the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic flirted with a triple-double (11 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists) as a point guard, while Mason Plumlee chipped in with 18 points and 13 boards. Bol Bol posted 15 points despite shooting just 6-for-19 from the field and 2-for-7 from three-point range.
Both teams will play again Monday. The Pelicans will face the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Nuggets will lock horns with the Orlando Magic.
