Pelicans Vs Jazz: Saddiq Bey’s 42 Powers New Orleans to 129-118 Win as Utah’s Injuries Mount
The Pelicans Vs Jazz matchup in Salt Lake City ended with New Orleans beating Utah 129-118, a result that matters for the Jazz’s draft positioning and underscored how injuries have hollowed Utah’s rotation. With several Jazz players listed questionable or out, Utah was unable to sustain a second-half challenge and fell in the first of two straight meetings between the clubs.
Pelicans Vs Jazz: Final Score and Key Runs
New Orleans closed the second quarter on a 22-8 run that widened what had been a close contest in the first half and carried a decisive lead through the remainder of the night. The Pelicans led by as much as 27 points before Utah trimmed the deficit to 10 with 4: 40 remaining in the fourth quarter; a Saddiq Bey 3-pointer soon pushed the lead back beyond double-digits and sealed a 129-118 final.
Saddiq Bey’s breakout night
Saddiq Bey delivered a season-high 42 points and also handed out seven assists while grabbing five rebounds, spearheading New Orleans’ late surge. Rookie guard Jeremiah Fears contributed 12 points, all coming in the first half, helping the Pelicans build the cushion that proved decisive in the second half.
Utah injuries: Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Try Murphy III
Utah entered the game with a thin roster. Lauri Markkanen was listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain and a right hip impingement; Keyonte George was also questionable with a right ankle sprain. Jaren Jackson Jr., described as the Jazz’s latest blockbuster acquisition, was out for the season following left knee surgery. Try Murphy III was listed out with a right shoulder contusion. A separate item labeled "Utah Jazz injury news for Vince Williams Jr. " appeared but the status of Vince Williams Jr. is unclear in the provided context.
Jazz contributors, turnovers and defensive efforts
Ace Bailey provided much of Utah’s offense early, scoring 16 points in the first half and finishing with 23 after a previous four-point outing against Houston. Elijah Harkless supplied defensive energy in the second half, finishing with four steals, a block, 11 points and six assists. John Konchar, an undrafted player from Purdue Fort Wayne now in his eighth NBA season, recorded five steals and drew praise for his hustle; Konchar said he has tried to create a role for himself by playing hard and diving for loose balls, though part of his postgame remark was unclear in the provided context.
Turnovers loomed large for Utah late. Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier committed four turnovers apiece. John Konchar, Brice Sensabaugh and Elijah Harkless each had two turnovers, and Kevin Love added three miscues. Those turnovers compounded a second-quarter slide that the Jazz could not overcome.
Draft implications, Pelicans’ pick status and team trajectories
The loss has immediate draft-race consequences. The Pelicans entered the night 17-42 and the Jazz 18-40; with the defeat Utah now ties New Orleans in the win column and moves closer to a top-five lottery position, while previously the Jazz had been trying to lock up a top-eight draft pick. New Orleans does not own its 2026 first-round pick and is described as having zero ownership over their first-round pick this year, a situation attributed to Derik Queen, who finished the game with five points and six rebounds. The broader implication is that Utah’s continuing injuries—and New Orleans’ return of key players—are sending the teams in opposite directions: Utah losing players to injury and New Orleans closing the season with the returns of guard Dejounte Murray and Zion Williams.
What makes this notable is how quickly personnel shifts have altered competitive calculations: mounting injuries reduced Utah’s lineup options, which contributed directly to the second-quarter collapse and left the Jazz short-handed in a game that affects their draft positioning.
Highlight plays and what’s next
Fans at the arena saw a standout highlight when Cody Williams threw down a dunk over Karlo Matkovic and later attempted another explosive finish from near the free-throw line; Williams is listed as 21 years old, 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and a 35-inch vertical. The clubs will meet again on Saturday for a rematch, giving Utah a quick chance to respond and New Orleans an opportunity to reinforce a late-season push.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy noted the team’s sloppy offensive moments and lack of resistance on defense in the quarter that decided the game, and he highlighted individual efforts that stood out despite the loss. The combined effect of injuries, turnovers and New Orleans’ hot shooting produced a result that tightened the standings and intensified the draft-race stakes.
