Rookie Jeremiah Fears set a New Orleans Pelicans record with 40 points, powering the team to a 156-137 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday at the Smoothie King Center. Jordan Poole added 34 points, including 22 in the third quarter, when the Pelicans scored a franchise-record 50 points in a single period.
New Orleans overcame the absence of several usual starters, including Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, and Saddiq Bey. Despite limited rotation, the Pelicans set a franchise record for points in a game, surpassing their previous high of 153 points against Utah in January 2024.
Micah Peavy scored a season-high 20 points, while 2023 first-round pick Jordan Hawkins contributed 25. Derik Queen, the 13th overall pick in 2025, recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds. Veteran Kevon Looney added 12 rebounds in his seventh start of the season as New Orleans dominated inside, finishing with 90 points in the paint.
Fears shot 17 of 29 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line, eclipsing the previous rookie scoring mark of 37 set by Marcus Thornton in 2010. Poole made 7 of 16 from three-point range, marking a strong performance in his seventh start of the season after spending much of the year off the bench.
For Utah, Kennedy Chandler led with 31 points, Cody Williams added 26, and Bez Mbeng posted a career-high 26. Brice Sensabaugh, who had averaged 25.7 points over the past 10 games, finished with 18, while John Konchar recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Jazz fell to 21-58, marking their 10th consecutive loss.
New Orleans shot 58% from the field, hitting 61 of 106 attempts, while Utah converted 51% of its shots. The Pelicans also made 20 of 23 free throws and 14 of 34 from three-point range, showcasing balanced scoring across their roster.
The third quarter surge proved decisive as New Orleans turned a competitive game into a blowout, with Fears and Poole leading the way. Utah was unable to recover, despite strong individual performances, and fell further behind in the Western Conference standings.
The Pelicans close the regular season on the road against the Boston Celtics on Friday, while the Jazz will host the Memphis Grizzlies in their final home game. New Orleans snapped an eight-game losing streak, ending the season on a historic offensive note.
