Highlights: Brandon Ingram Drops 49, Donovan Mitchell Posts 46 in Epic OT Duel
January 17, 2020New Orleans Pelicans small forward Brandon Ingram continued his breakout season Thursday night against the Utah Jazz, going toe-to-toe with guard Donovan Mitchell in an overtime game that pushed both to new heights.
The Pelicans eventually pulled off a 138-132 victory, but that wasn't as impressive as how both teams got there.
Ingram posted a career high with 49 points on 15-of-25 shooting with eight rebounds and six assists. A missed free throw at the end of overtime cost him the first 50-point game of his career. Not to be outdone, Mitchell responded by tying his career-high 46 points while matching a career-high seven three-pointers. It's the first game of 40 points or more for Mitchell this season after reaching the mark twice last year. Ingram had previously never scored more than 36.
The Pelicans' budding star nearly pulled off a game-winner as well. With less than five seconds left, Ingram hit a running jumper to give New Orleans a one-point lead with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation. A controversial foul on the ensuing inbounds put Utah on the line where big man Rudy Gobert hit one of two free throws to send the game to overtime.
Gobert wouldn't get a chance to do much more in overtime. He fouled out on another questionable call while trying to defend an Ingram drive to the rim, a whistle the center wasted no time expressing his displeasure over after the game.
Utah won't get to see the Pelicans again until March. By then, Zion Williamson should be fully integrated into the NBA, and a rebuilding New Orleans team should have a much better idea of where it can grow.
But more of Ingram vs. Mitchell would be the main attraction, and no one will complain about that.