Pelicans extend recent surge, keep Raptors reeling

Dejounte Murray had a season-high 27 points to lead New Orleans to a 122-111 win over the visiting Toronto Raptors, giving the Pelicans their seventh win in their last 10 games.

The victory spoiled the return of former Pelicans star Brandon Ingram, in his first season with Toronto after spending the previous six in New Orleans.

Ingram had 22 points on 8-19 shooting from the field. Immanuel Quickley had 25 for Toronto. The Raptors remain in the thick of the playoff chase in the Eastern Conference, but have lost four of their last five.

Toronto is just the fifth team the Pelicans have beaten this season that currently has a winning record.

Trey Murphy III had a game-high 28 points for New Orleans. Zion Williamson had 19 points, including an emphatic windmill dunk with 4:11 left to put the exclamation point on the victory.

After a back-and-forth first half that saw seven ties and eight lead changes, New Orleans carried a 60-58 lead into the break. Toronto went more than three minutes without a point in the third quarter, and New Orleans built a 77-65 lead thanks in part to a three by Herb Jones and a pair of baskets by Murray.

The lead crested at 18 after another Jones three with 3:54 left in the third, but Toronto fought back, pulling to within 95-93 after a three by Jamison Battle with 10:15 remaining in the fourth. After a New Orleans turnover, Toronto had a pair of three-point attempts rim out.

New Orleans dominated the rest of the way.

Williamson started a 7-0 run with a free throw that gave New Orleans a 103-93 lead. Minutes later, after a Yves Messi block, Williamson got the ball on a three-on-none break and excited the crowd with a windmill slam to make it 113-99.

Murray drained a three after faking out Jamal Shead with 1:25 left and stood over Shead saying a few words. The players had to be briefly separated. Murray received a technical foul for a hostile act with his team ahead 119-101.

It was just Murray's seventh game back this season after tearing his Achilles last season.