Zion Williamson Tweaks Right Ankle, Exits as Pelicans Beat Jazz 115-105 at Delta Center
zion williamson rolled his right ankle and left the game in the second quarter of the New Orleans Pelicans' 115-105 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The injury happened in a contest that matters because it occurred while the Pelicans were managing other absences and still extended a winning streak against Utah.
Zion Williamson exits after rolling his right ankle
The right ankle roll forced zion williamson out of action in the second quarter. He left while New Orleans was building a commanding lead, removing a high-impact player from a lineup that was already depleted for the night.
Jeremiah Fears' second double-double lifts the Pelicans
Jeremiah Fears came off the bench and produced his second career double-double, finishing with 18 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and five assists. Interim head coach James Borrego credited Fears' poise and playmaking, saying his rebounding and defensive growth fueled the team's transition offense and helped settle the game early.
Pelicans cope without Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy
New Orleans had rested Dejounte Murray for the game, and Trey Murphy remained sidelined while recovering from a shoulder contusion. Even without those regular starters and with zion williamson leaving in the second quarter, the Pelicans built a 27-point advantage and held on for the win—highlighting depth contributions from role players.
Utah Jazz droughts and a 65-40 halftime gap
Utah began the game ice-cold, missing its first 10 shots and failing to record a field goal until the 7: 19 mark of the first quarter. The Jazz closed the first half on another dry stretch, going the final 3: 26 of the second quarter without scoring, which helped New Orleans take a 65-40 lead into halftime.
Bryce McGowens' late 3s and closing sequence
The Jazz mounted a fourth-quarter push that cut the deficit to 89-82 early in the period. Bryce McGowens answered with a 3-pointer to halt Utah's momentum, then after a Jeremiah Fears floater McGowens connected on another trey to reestablish cushion. Borrego called McGowens' late shot "a huge bucket, " adding, "He delivered. Maybe the biggest bucket of the game. "
Scoring, context and visuals from Salt Lake City
Saddiq Bey led New Orleans with 24 points after a 42-point performance two nights earlier against the Jazz, while Herb Jones finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The victory was New Orleans' fourth straight, improving the Pelicans to 19-42 on the season, and came in the team's second meeting with Utah in three nights; the Jazz fell to 18-42. It was the Pelicans' seventh consecutive win over Utah.
Photographs from the game captured key moments: Jeremiah Fears driving against Utah guard John Konchar and Pelicans forward Karlo Matkovic attacking the basket during first-half action in Salt Lake City on Feb. 28, 2026.
What makes this notable is that New Orleans secured a decisive road victory and continued a streak against the Jazz while navigating multiple lineup disruptions; the timing matters because the win came back-to-back with another matchup in the same week and underlines how role players stepped up when starters were unavailable or exited with injury.
