Ochai Agbaji and Jamison Battle scored 24 points each, three teammates had double-doubles and the Toronto Raptors won on the road for the first time this season, routing the New Orleans Pelicans 119-93 on Wednesday night.
RJ Barrett had 22 points and 11 assists, Scottie Barnes had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Ja’Kobe Walter added 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Raptors became the last NBA team to win a road game this season. They tied the 1997-98 team’s franchise record for futility by losing their first 10 road games.
CJ McCollum scored 19 points and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Pelicans, who lost their sixth straight game. Dejounte Murray, playing for the first time since sustaining a fractured non-shooting hand on opening night, scored 14. Yves Missi added 11 points and Elfrid Payton had 10.
Murray’s field goal started the third-quarter scoring and the Pelicans twice got within eight points before the Raptors took command. Toronto went on a 20-2 run as New Orleans scored one basket in six minutes and the lead ballooned to 79-55.
The Raptors outscored the Pelicans 31-17 in the third to take an 87-63 lead into the fourth.
Walter made a 3-pointer, Barnes converted a three-point play and the Raptors took a 10-4 lead. They led by six points twice more before Robinson-Earl made consecutive layups to complete a 6-0 Pelicans run that tied the score.
Battle made a 3-pointer to help Toronto take a 21-20 lead after a first quarter in which both teams shot poorly. The Raptors made 8-of-25 field-goal attempts, including 4-of-17 3-pointers. New Orleans made 7-of-24 field-goal attempts, including 1-of-12 3-pointers.
There were four lead changes in the first half of the second quarter and the Pelicans opened a 40-34 lead before going cold while Toronto stayed hot. Agbaji scored 11 points during a 14-0 run that gave the Raptors an eight-point lead.
McCollum’s 3-pointer ended the run, but New Orleans scored just six points during the final 6:15 and Toronto held a 56-46 lead at halftime.
–Field Level Media
