Scottie Barnes posted 23 points and 12 assists, and Jakob Poeltl added 18 points with 11 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 119-106 on Friday at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto improved to 41-32, holding sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
RJ Barrett, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Ja’Kobe Walter each scored 18 points, while Brandon Ingram contributed 13. Mamukelashvili came off the bench and connected on three 3-pointers to help extend Toronto’s lead.
The Raptors opened the second quarter with a 25-8 run, taking a 59-44 lead into halftime. Toronto maintained a 15-point advantage after three quarters, holding off a late New Orleans rally.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting and was perfect from the foul line. Saddiq Bey added 19 points, but New Orleans was without Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray due to injury, while Immanuel Quickley missed the game for Toronto.
Barnes scored 13 points in the third quarter, energizing the Raptors’ offense and keeping the team ahead during a period when the Pelicans attempted to close the gap. Poeltl controlled the paint with 11 rebounds and efficient scoring, helping Toronto dominate second-chance opportunities.
New Orleans fell to 25-50, losing its fourth straight and fifth consecutive road game. The team struggled to keep pace, shooting just 42% from the field and 25% from three-point range. Injuries continued to hinder their rotation and bench production.
Toronto played on two days of rest after concluding a five-game road trip in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Raptors will host the Orlando Magic on Sunday, while the Pelicans return home to face the Houston Rockets.
