Devonte’ Graham scored 26 points to lead six New Orleans scorers in double figures as the host Pelicans defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 116-112 in overtime Friday night.
Jonas Valanciunas added 24 points, Brandon Ingram scored 22, Herbert Jones had 17, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 12 and Josh Hart had 11 points and 15 rebounds for the Pelicans.
Jrue Holiday led the Bucks by scoring a career-high 40 points against his former team, Grayson Allen added 25 and Jordan Nwora had 14 points and 13 rebounds as the Bucks played without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was out due to health and safety protocols.
Holiday’s short jumper started the overtime scoring, but Alexander-Walker answered with a 3-pointer and Hart added a short jumper for a 108-105 Pelicans lead.
The Bucks pulled within one on a Holiday drive before Ingram made a free throw and Graham added a 3-pointer for a 112-107 lead.
Pat Connaughton made a 3-pointer and Holiday added a jumper to tie the score with 51.5 seconds left.
Jones’ layup put New Orleans back on top with 43.5 seconds left.
After a Holiday miss, Graham made two free throws with 11 seconds left.
Milwaukee broke from a 77-all tie by scoring the first five points of the fourth quarter.
Graham made back-to-back 3-pointers to help New Orleans take an 87-84 lead, but Allen made a 3-pointer to tie the score.
A 3-pointer by Graham gave New Orleans a 100-95 lead with 3:04 remaining.
Nwora’s layup gave the Bucks a 101-100 lead, but Graham answered with a 3-pointer with 1:25 left.
Holiday’s layup tied the score with 33 seconds left and forced overtime.
Ingram scored five points as New Orleans began the third quarter with a 12-3 spurt to take a 64-52 lead.
Holiday made a layup to complete an 11-1 run that pulled Milwaukee within two points, but the Pelicans rebuilt the lead to 72-63 on Ingram’s jumper.
Allen made four 3-pointers in a span of less than three minutes and the score was tied at 77 at the end of the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
