Pelicans Vs Jazz: Injury Chaos and a Pelicans Win Highlight First of Two in Salt Lake City

The latest matchup in the pelicans vs jazz series in Salt Lake City was defined as much by absences as by on-court play: Utah entered the first of a two-game slate hamstrung by multiple injury developments and wound up losing the opener 129-118.

Pelicans Vs Jazz: Game context and stakes

The teams met for the first of two straight games in Salt Lake City on Thursday night, marking Utah's return to play in front of their fans for the first time in two weeks. The matchup carried extra weight for Utah as it tries to lock up a top-eight draft pick; New Orleans, with one fewer win than Utah, does not own its own 2026 first-round pick, meaning a Pelicans victory does not complicate their broader draft positioning.

Jazz injury developments

Utah's injury picture tightened considerably ahead of tip-off. Keyonte George had been listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain, having been sidelined across eight of the Jazz's last nine games with ankle injuries and briefly elevated to questionable for the previous game versus Houston. That status was changed again before tip-off, with George downgraded to out, extending his absence to nine missed games in his past 10 outings.

Lauri Markkanen was initially listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain and a right hip impingement, but a right ankle/right hip issue suffered during Jazz practice the day before the Pelicans game will limit his availability and he will miss the contest. Markkanen had missed two of his last three games but did play in the game against the Rockets, delivering a 29-point performance with three rebounds, two assists and two steals; he will now be absent once more, a development that likely forces Utah to roll out an extremely young starting five.

The Jazz roster also contains other injury notes: the team's latest blockbuster acquisition Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for the season while recovering from left knee surgery. The coverage also references Utah Jazz injury news for Vince Williams Jr.; the context of that mention is unclear in the provided context.

Pelicans injury outlook

New Orleans entered the game largely healthy but will be without their standout two-way wing Trey Murphy III, who is dealing with a right shoulder issue. A separate itemized injury list in the context labels Try Murphy III as OUT with a right shoulder contusion.

On-court impact: how the first game unfolded

The Pelicans pulled away in the second quarter, opening a 22-8 run that widened the gap to close the half. New Orleans then protected the lead for the remainder of the game, prevailing 129-118 after Utah offered little resistance in the second half. The Pelicans led by as much as 27 during the game; Utah trimmed the deficit to 10 with 4: 40 remaining, but a 3-pointer by Saddiq Bey pushed the lead back into double digits and sealed Utah's inability to complete a comeback.

Key performances and takeaways

• Saddiq Bey exploded for a season-high 42 points and added seven assists and five rebounds to fuel New Orleans' win.
• Ace Bailey bounced back from a four-point outing against the Rockets by scoring 16 first-half points and finishing with 23 for Utah.
• Jeremiah Fears provided a spark off the Pelicans' bench with 12 points, all coming in the first half.
• Elijah Harkless delivered a stout defensive outing for Utah with four steals, one block, 11 points and six assists; his effort drew praise from the Jazz coach.
• John Konchar recorded five steals and drew postgame praise; the context notes he is an undrafted player out of Purdue Fort Wayne now in his eighth NBA season after carving out a rotational role to stay in the league. Konchar said he tried creating a role for himself in the NBA and that he aims to play hard and work hard, and the remainder of his quoted remarks is unclear in the provided context.
• Cody Williams produced a highlight by dunking over Karlo Matkovic and later attempted another dunk from near the free-throw line.

The combination of Utah's mounting injury woes and New Orleans' late second-quarter surge set the tone for the result. With the two teams scheduled to meet again as part of this two-game slate, the injury lists and available rotations will remain central to how the second game unfolds.