Jazz Blowout Pelicans, 121-100: Four Takeaways

The Utah Jazz got a big win over the New Orleans Pelicans in the return Lauri Markkanen.

Malik Beasley and Nikiel Alexander-Walker combined for 40 points off the bench as the Utah Jazz blew out the New Orleans Pelicans, 121-100.

Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 26 points in a losing cause.

There were contributions up and down Utah’s roster, but it was the bench exploding for 60 points that made the difference in a much-needed win.

What did we learn as the Jazz improved to 16-14 on the season? Let’s break it down.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a Permanent Fixture in the Rotation

The fourth-year pro out of Virginia Tech has strong-armed his way into the rotation with stellar play on the defensive end and efficient shooting on offense. Alexander-Walker has never been a knockdown three-point shooter, but this year, he’s shooting 41.3% from long distance. 

It’s a small sample size, but if Alexander-Walker can come close to that number over the long haul, the Jazz may consider locking their emerging shooting guard up on a multi-year deal.

Jarred Vanderbilt has Best Game in a Jazz Uniform

Vanderbilt had a season-high in points (18) and rebounds (14) while shooting 8-for-9 from the field. The Pelicans had a huge size advantage over the Jazz in the paint, but Vanderbilt more than held his own despite the Pelicans throwing their weight around. Vanderbilt talked about his mindset heading into the game.

“I wanted to come out and be aggressive on the glass and that was our main focus was to play harder," Vanderbilt said. “We came out with that approach and got a win.”

Vanderbilt then touched on scoring his season-high in points for the year.

“Just being aggressive and taking the shots they made available for me. Just finishing around the rim and even on the offensive glass," he said, "just getting put backs up and stuff like that. Kudos to my teammates that found me and got me some drop-offs and I was able to finish tonight.”

The Domino Effect of Being Healthy

One of the big stories of the night was that the top two scorers for Utah came off the bench, but that doesn’t happen without a healthy starting five. NAW and Malik Beasley had been inserted into the starting lineup when Mike Conley and Lauri Markkanen were on the shelf. 

In Markkanen's three-game absence, the Jazz only averaged 33 bench points a game compared to the 60 they put up against the Pelicans. The Jazz have some of the best backups in the league, and the starters keeping a clean bill of health will be key to getting elite bench production moving forward.

Utah Steps Up the D

Utah has overall been a bottom-10 team on defense this year, but the Jazz may have turned out their best performance on Tuesday night. The Pelicans shot 39.8% from the field and 14.8% from long distance as the Jazz held their opponent to their second-lowest point total for the year. 

Jazz head coach Will Hardy elaborated on how the team can use this effort as a blueprint moving forward.

“I think anytime you have examples of what it’s supposed to look like, it resonates a little bit more than only showing situations or film clips of possessions that are wrong," Hardy said. “'You should do this, or you should be there.’ I think anytime you can paint a picture that this is what it’s supposed to look like, it sticks a little bit better in their brains.”

The Jazz will get their chance to duplicate Tuesday night's performance when they face these same Pelicans again on Thursday night at Vivint Arena. Tip-off is at 7:00 pm MDT.

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