Pelicans Vs Jazz: pelicans vs jazz Game Recap (Feb 26, 2026)
In Salt Lake City on Thursday night, the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Utah Jazz 129-118 in the first game of a two-game set; pelicans vs jazz produced a 42-point night from Saddiq Bey. The teams will meet again in Salt Lake City on Saturday night, and the Pelicans opened a six-game trip with the win.
Game score and summary
The final score was 129-118, New Orleans over Utah. The Pelicans have won three straight and five of seven, a run that the team pushed to a record listed as 18-42 after the game. The Jazz, a short-handed roster in Salt Lake City, had lost four straight and are shown as 18-41 after the loss.
Standout performances and lines
Saddiq Bey led all scorers with 42 points. Bey was 14 of 20 from the field, made 5 of 9 from 3-point range, and made all nine of his free throws. Zion Williamson added 20 points and was 9 of 14 from the floor. Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray contributed 17 points and nine assists in his second straight game after missing more than a year because of a torn right Achilles.
Utah scorers and rotation notes
Ace Bailey led Utah with 23 points, and Brice Sensabaugh had 20. The Jazz were described as short-handed for the contest; their four-game losing streak left their mark on the standings.
Pelicans Vs Jazz injury report
Injuries and availability shaped both rosters. Lauri Markkanen was injured in practice Wednesday and was held out of the game because of a sprained right ankle and right hip impingement. Additional reporting listed Markkanen as having a right ankle/right hip issue suffered during practice the day before the matchup, a problem that limited his availability and led to him missing the game.
Lauri Markkanen update
Markkanen had missed two of his last three games for Utah before the matchup, though he had played in a recent game against the Houston Rockets where he posted a 29-point performance with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. In the run-up to this Salt Lake City game he was variously listed as questionable (with right ankle sprain, right hip impingement) and later described as downgraded to out before tip-off.
Keyonte George status
Keyonte George was listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain for the New Orleans series in some notes, while other reporting indicates he was downgraded to out before tip-off. George has been sidelined across eight of the Jazz’s last nine games with ankle injuries, was briefly elevated to questionable for the previous game against the Houston Rockets and then was downgraded again ahead of this matchup; that sequence made this what was described as George’s ninth missed game in his past 10 outings.
Other roster injuries and moves
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic were listed as shut down for the season following surgeries. Jaren Jackson Jr. was also listed elsewhere as OUT with left knee surgery. Vince Williams Jr. suffered a torn ACL on Monday night in a loss at Houston and was lost for the Jazz. The Pelicans were described as mainly healthy but without their two-way wing Trey Murphy III, who was noted as dealing with a right shoulder issue; a separate listing spelled that name as Try Murphy III and marked him OUT with a right shoulder contusion.
Context and records leading into the game
Pre-game listings varied: one pregame listing showed the Pelicans at 17-42 and the Jazz at 18-40, a narrow difference that was framed as important for Utah as it pursued a top-eight draft-pick positioning. It was also noted that the Pelicans do not own their own 2026 first-round pick, meaning a Pelicans win would not affect certain broader draft strategies.
Sequence of events from practice to tip-off: Markkanen suffered the right ankle/right hip issue in practice the day before the game; he was subsequently held out. George’s availability swung from sidelined to questionable and then to out, extending a long absence tied to ankle problems. The game then proceeded Thursday night in Salt Lake City, with the Pelicans opening a six-game trip and winning 129-118.
Unclear in the provided context: any additional reactions from coaches or players beyond the listed performances and the various availability designations.
Closing: Saddiq Bey’s 42-point performance and the absence of several Utah contributors defined the night in Salt Lake City. The teams will meet again Saturday night as the Pelicans continue their six-game trip.
