Zion's Return Falls Short As Pelicans Lose Again To Jazz

New Orleans has lost five straight games to the Jazz in Utah.

The New Orleans Pelicans (9-9) fell short 114-112 to the Utah Jazz (6-11) dropping their fifth straight game in Salt Lake City, and eight of nine overall.   Zion Williamson's return to the lineup and 26 points weren't enough to propel the Pelicans to victory.  The last two losses to Utah were by a combined seven points. 

During the first quarter, the Pelicans offense lacked intensity and energy Zion in the rotation.  Meanwhile, the Jazz fed off the home crowd and jumped out to a 32-24 first-quarter lead.  Eight players for the Jazz scored in the period, led by guard Jordan Clarkson's eight points. Clarkson missed Saturday's game versus the Pels with an illness.

Nov 27, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) is fouled by Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk (41) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Williamson scored six points to lead the Pelicans in the quarter, but New Orleans trailed by 8 points.   Utah extended its lead to 11 points midway through the second quarter as Herb Jones picked up his third foul and was forced to sit on the bench before halftime.  In his place, Naji Marshall stepped up and contributed off the bench.

Marshall scored nine points in the second quarter, allowing New Orleans to creep back into the game. The Pelicans bench scored 22 points by halftime, the same amount of points the bench scored the entire game on Saturday. Zion Williamson scored 14 points in the half. Utah's lead was down to 57-55 at the half. 

Each team played the third quarter to a standstill. New Orleans scored 20 of their 33 third-quarter points in the paint. Brandon Ingram scored 11 points in the quarter for 17 points through three quarters. Utah capitalized on the Pelicans fouls that put the Jazz in the bonus with 8:40 left in the quarter. Utah shot 12 free throws in the final eight minutes of the quarter to keep pace. The score was tied at 88 apiece heading to the final quarter.

Nov 27, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels (11) holds the ball away from Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio (16) in the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Utah quickly went on a 10-3 run to start the fourth quarter. Coach Willie Green called a quick timeout for the Pelicans to regroup his team. New Orleans scored the next six points to cut the Jazz lead down to one. Utah's three-point shooting proved to be the difference in the game. The Jazz made six three-pointers in the fourth quarter alone for a +30 on the evening.

New Orleans dominated the paint area, outscoring the Jazz 68-38 in the restricted area. The Pelicans had a chance late in the game to either tie or win the game at the buzzer. With the Pels down 114-112 and 10.2 seconds left in the game, Coach Green drew a play for Brandon Ingram to get a shot at the top of the key. Ingram missed the midrange jumper, and Naji Marshall's tip at the buzzer fell short. Ingram finished with 25 points, while Zion had a team-high 26 points on the night. 

The Pelicans must now return home to think about how they lost two straight games to a struggling Jazz team. Awaiting New Orleans on Wednesday are the reigning MVP Joel Embiid and the 76ers, who have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. 

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