Devonte’ Graham dropped in a mid-range shot just before the first-half buzzer, then let out a yell that reverberated throughout Target Center as he gave New Orleans a double-digit lead. About 90 minutes later, all of Graham’s Pelicans teammates had reason to howl. After a big third-quarter surge by Minnesota, the Pelicans regained command in the fourth, giving new head coach Willie Green the first victory of his career.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Brandon Ingram sank a mid-range jumper with 3:19 left off a feed from Graham, giving New Orleans a 100-88 lead. Ingram tallied six straight points to eventually make it 104-88 near the 2:00 mark and prevent any anxious moments for the visitors.