Zion Williamson’s dominant performance powered the New Orleans Pelicans to a 136-123 win over the Utah Jazz on Friday night. Williamson recorded 24 points, 14 rebounds, and highlighted his game with several emphatic dunks during a decisive fourth-quarter stretch.
CJ McCollum added 26 points, including six 3-pointers, as the Pelicans extended their winning streak to three games and improved to 11-32. The victory marked a rare win for New Orleans, pulling them one game ahead of Utah (10-30) in the Western Conference standings.
New Orleans surged to an early 50-24 lead in the second quarter following a 3-pointer by Daniel Theis. Despite a 28-11 run by the Jazz to close the half, the Pelicans regained control in the second half and never looked back.
Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy III each contributed 19 points for New Orleans, with the team collectively making a season-high 22 3-pointers on 50 attempts. Theis, starting in place of rookie Yves Missi, delivered his best performance of the season with 18 points and eight rebounds.
For the struggling Jazz, Keyonte George led all scorers with 26 points, while Collin Sexton added 24. Utah, missing several key players due to injuries, including Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson, has now lost five of its last six games.
New Orleans dominated the boards, out-rebounding Utah 56-40, and finished with 34 assists compared to Utah’s 30. Despite a valiant effort by the Jazz in the second quarter, their 34.2% shooting from beyond the arc proved insufficient against the Pelicans’ long-range accuracy.
The Jazz bench provided a spark, with Isaiah Collier contributing 11 assists, but Utah’s depleted roster struggled to contain New Orleans’ balanced attack. Svi Mykhailiuk added 16 points, while rookie Oscar Tshiebwe chipped in eight points and six rebounds.