Brandon Ingram returned to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. They hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves and Ingram played for the first time in two months. He did not really have a memorable game with just 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
The Timberwolves, who have been doing well in recent weeks, won the game in a contest that was fairly close at the final buzzer. They, the Timberwolves, put up a single-digit spread in the game, winning by 9 points. The final score was Minnesota 111, and New Orleans 102 as the Pelicans continue to falter in the Western Conference.
Timberwolves @ Pelicans: Anthony Edwards scores 37
With the loss, the Pelicans are now 26-23 overall on the season. They are a sliding team, one that has just three wins in their last 14 games, a lot of which have been played without Zion Williamson.
Currently, the Pelicans have a six-game losing streak, which is the longest active losing streak in the NBA right now. They have been given up a lot of ground lately to their Western Conference foes, including Minnesota. If their poor form continues much longer, then New Orleans may find themselves in a play-in tournament position.
New Orleans Pelicans: Recent Form Alert
- New Orleans Pelicans were 23-12 (December 31st, 2022)
- Following Wednesday's game, they are 26-23
- NO is 3-11 in their last 14 games
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves improved to 25-25 with the 9-point victory. The top scorer in the game was Anthony Edwards. He had an impressive 37 points in the contest and 6 rebounds.
Minnesota has to be fairly happy with how they have been doing lately. It will be interesting if they address any of their needs before the trade deadline. It doesn't seem that the team can count on the return of Karl-Anthony Towns. Chris Finch, Minnesota's head coach, commented several days ago that Towns has "no timetable" to return to game action (Dane Moore of 'The Dane Moore NBA Podcast' reported). Minnesota's next game is a tough one as they play on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Further reading: NBA Power Rankings
