Brandon Ingram scored 33 points, sealing the victory with a baseline turnaround jumper with 1:46 remaining, as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Chicago Bulls 123-111 in their season opener on Wednesday night. The Pelicans managed to secure the win despite the absence of star player Zion Williamson.
In his debut with New Orleans, newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray contributed 14 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds but suffered a left-hand injury in the fourth quarter. CJ McCollum added 23 points for the Pelicans.
Williamson was ruled out shortly before tip-off due to illness, marking the 207th game he has missed since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 27 points, while Nikola Vucevic registered 21 points and 11 rebounds. Chicago faced challenges throughout the second half, trailing by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Smith contributed 15 points and Josh Giddey added 14 points for the Bulls, with Jordan Hawkins scoring 13 for the Pelicans.
A notable takeaway from the game was the potential impact of Pelicans’ first-round pick, 7-footer Yves Missi. Initially considered too inexperienced for significant playing time, Missi stepped up in Williamson’s absence, playing 23 minutes and finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and a steal, earning a standing ovation from the crowd as he left the court.
Ingram’s timely three-pointer gave New Orleans a commanding 107-92 lead during a crucial 13-2 run, where he scored eight points.
The Bulls struggled with ball control, committing 21 turnovers that led to 30 points for the Pelicans, with LaVine responsible for seven of those turnovers.
Looking ahead, the Bulls will travel to Milwaukee on Friday, while the Pelicans will embark on a four-game road trip starting at Portland.