TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 23 points and 12 assists, Jakob Poeltl had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the New Orleans Pelicans 119-106 on Friday night.
RJ Barrett, Sandro Mamukelashvili and J’Kobe Walter also scored 18 points apiece for the Raptors, and Brandon Ingram added 13.
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Toronto Raptors' RJ Barrett, second from right, scores against New Orleans Pelicans' Jordan Hawkins (24) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday March 27 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors' Brandon Ingram, front, plays the ball as New Orleans Pelicans' Yves Missi defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Friday March 27, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili, center right, dunks against New Orleans Pelicans' Derik Queen (22) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday March 27 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes scores against the New Orleans Pelicans during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday March 27 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Zion Williamson scored 22 points for New Orleans on 9-for-13 shooting from the field and 4 for 4 from the foul line. Saddiq Bey added 19 points.
The Raptors won for the second time in three outings to remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a full game ahead of the idle Philadelphia 76ers. The top six teams automatically make the playoffs in each conference.
The Pelicans lost their fourth in a row overall and fifth straight on the road. They were without top scorers Trey Murphy III (ankle) and Dejounte Murray (Achilles). Immanuel Quickley (Achilles) was absent from the Toronto lineup.
Barnes scored 13 of his game-high total in the third quarter. Mamukelashvilli came off the bench for his total that included three 3-pointers.
After pulling away with a 25-8 run to begin the second quarter, the Raptors took a 59-44 lead into halftime. Toronto maintained its 15-point advantage after three quarters.
The Raptors played on two days of rest after a five-game road trip that concluded in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Pelicans: Host the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
Raptors: Host the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Toronto Raptors' RJ Barrett, second from right, scores against New Orleans Pelicans' Jordan Hawkins (24) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday March 27 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors' Brandon Ingram, front, plays the ball as New Orleans Pelicans' Yves Missi defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Friday March 27, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili, center right, dunks against New Orleans Pelicans' Derik Queen (22) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday March 27 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes scores against the New Orleans Pelicans during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday March 27 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jannik Sinner sat out the Miami Open a year ago as he served a three-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance.
Now the 24-year-old Italian is on the verge of winning his second Miami Open title in three years and becoming the first male to win the “Sunshine Double’’ since Roger Federer in 2017.
The second-ranked Sinner roared into the Miami Open final with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win over No. 4 Alexander Zverev on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
“Coming here and trying to produce some good tennis was my main goal, and standing here again in the final means very much to me,” Sinner said. “It has been an incredible swing and I couldn’t be better. I’m very happy."
Sinner, who served 15 aces, has beaten Zverev seven straight times and has won a record 32 straight sets at an ATP Masters 1000. A hardcourt dynamo, Sinner captured the first leg of the Sunshine Double on March 15 when he topped Daniel Medvedev in Indian Wells.
Sinner will be a heavy favorite when he faces 21st-seeded Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s final. Sinner has won 11 straight matches in Miami dating to 2024. He captured the 2024 Miami Open but wasn’t allowed to defend his title.
Nevertheless, Zverev was the crowd favorite, particularly drawing loud cheers on points he won in the second set.
When the 6-foot-6 German got up a break point leading 4-3 in the second set, the stadium was awash in noise. But Zverev couldn’t pull it off, hitting a backhand into the net as Sinner escaped. In the second-set tiebreaker, Sinner lost the first point but pounded two straight aces to lead 2-1 and soon it was over after a Zverev service return sailed long.
Sinner notched his first-set break at 2-1. Off a long rally, he came in and smashed an overhead winner for break point, then looped a lovely forehand winner down the line to make it 3-1.
Sinner has a 3-0 career record against Lehecka, beating him last at the 2025 French Open.
Lehecka advanced to the biggest ATP final of his rising career by routing 28th seed Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-2 in the early semifinal. Lehecka’s Czech countryman, Jakub Mensik, won the Miami Open last year.
Lehecka will make his first appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 final.
“Today was a great match,’’ Lehecka said. “Definitely brought me a lot of confidence going into the Sunday final. I must say that it was one of the better matches that I played in my life,’’
Lehecka, 24, broke Fils in the opening game and the outcome never seemed in doubt. On match point, Lehecka served an ace and raised his arms. Lehecka finished with six aces, no doubles faults and didn’t face a break point. He hasn’t been broken in the tournament.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts to a missed point against Jannik Sinner of Italy during a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after defeating Alexander Zverev of Germany during a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after defeating Alexander Zverev of Germany during a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, right, hugs Arthur Fils of France, after winning in their semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic celebrates after winning a semifinal match against Arthur Fils of France, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic shouts as he celebrates after winning a semifinal match against Arthur Fils of France, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
