Jordan Poole returned from an 18-game absence and gave the New Orleans Pelicans a much-needed lift.

Poole, the Pelicans’ third-leading scorer (17.3 points per game) who hadn’t played in 37 days because of a quad strain, had 22 points, five teammates scored in double figures and New Orleans ended a seven-game losing streak by running away to a 143-120 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night in the Smoothie King Center.

Interim head coach James Borrego called Poole “a massive offensive weapon” before the game. “He adds an element to our offense with the ball and without the ball,” Borrego added.

Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans (4-22), who play at the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, with 24 points, making 10-of-13 field-goal attempts. Bryce McGowens tied a career-high by scoring 23 points (making 5-of-5 3-pointers), Jeremiah Fears scored 19, Derik Queen added 17 and Saddiq Bey had 15.

“I saw some evidence of a team moving in the right direction on both sides of the ball,” Borrego said.

The Pelicans, who lost to the visiting San Antonio Spurs 135-132 on Monday, had two full practices between games for the first time since Borrego replaced Willie Green on Nov. 15.

“We got two days where we could really lock in and we haven’t had that in a while,” McGowens said. “I feel like those days were huge for us.”

Borrego focused on defense in those practices after New Orleans allowed an average of 36.4 points in its last five first quarters, which Borrego called “unacceptable.”

The Pelicans were marginally better in the first quarter against the Blazers, allowing 30 points, but gave up 38 in the second quarter before holding Portland (9-16) to 29 in the third quarter and 23 in the fourth quarter.

Ironically the improvement on defense came after Herb Jones, the team’s best one-on-one defender, was ejected as a result of receiving two technical fouls for arguing with officials with one second left in the first half.

Crew Chief Gediminas Petraitis told a pool reporter that Jones “directed profanity toward one official at first” and subsequently “directed profanity toward both officials.”

Borrego turned to McGowens to replace Jones in the second half.

“You lose Herb and you’re not quite sure where to go,” Borrego said, “but Bryce has been solid all year. He’s earned these minutes.”

“My job is just to get after it and do whatever the team needs for us to win,” McGowens said.

Shaedon Sharpe scored 21 points, Sidy Cissoko had a career-high 20, Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija added 16 each, Toumani Camara scored 15 and Rayan Rupert had 14 to lead the Blazers (9-15), who beat the Pelicans 125-117 on Nov. 12 in the Smoothie King Center.

Grant made a 3-pointer to start the second-half scoring and give the Blazers a 71-70 lead. That was the first of eight lead changes in the period, the last coming when Bey made two free throws to give the Pelicans a 92-91 lead and they held a 105-97 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The Blazers scored the first four points of the fourth quarter, but New Orleans scored the next eight points to open a 113-101 lead and pulled away, outscoring Portland 73-52 in the second half to match their highest point total of the season.

The Pelicans set a franchise record for points in the paint, outscoring the Blazers 88-62, and their bench outscored their Portland counterparts 64-45, led by McGowens and Poole.

“Bryce has been playing amazing,” Poole said. “He has such a calm demeanor and he just plays the right way. …

“Our superpower is playing with speed, getting out in transition. I think when we move the ball how we did tonight a lot of guys are able to step up and it was huge for us. We’ve got to find a way to keep this momentum.”

The Pelicans already had a 14-6 lead when Poole entered the game with 7:08 remaining in the first quarter. He went on to match Murphy’s eight first-quarter points and New Orleans had a 39-30 lead at the end of the period.

“He just knows how to score,” Borrego said of Poole.

McGowens’ 3-pointer started the second-quarter scoring and gave the Pelicans their largest lead of the half. Portland charged back and the lead changed hands eight times before Bey broke the eighth tie of the period with a dunk that gave New Orleans a 70-68 halftime lead.