Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio (16) runs back to play defense after scoring against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Isaac Hale)
SALT LAKE CITY — Collin Sexton and a ragtag group for the Utah Jazz turned it on down the stretch.
Sexton scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter in Utah’s 105-100 comeback victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.
The Jazz (5-11) were missing their two top scorers, Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) and Jordan Clarkson (illness), for the first of two straight games between the teams in Utah.
Young Bull came out hungry 𝙖𝙣𝙙 kept the team fed 😈#PlayerHighlights | @zionsbank pic.twitter.com/03gney3BTb
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 26, 2023
“Just making the right reads, not trying to make the home run play and just making a simple play and find the open guy,” Sexton said. “We made some really good plays and we got some really good shots out of it.”
Rookie Keyonte George scored 15 and Kelly Olynyk added 13 for the Jazz, set to face the Pelicans again Monday night.
“It was just opportunity all around,” George said.” For me, it just gave me a chance to even step up a little bit more, be a little bit more aggressive, and use my voice a lot more.”
The Pelicans (9-8) rested Zion Williamson, who had averaged 27.3 points over his last four games, and fell to 1-3 without their star forward.
New Orleans had won three in a row and five of six but ran out of gas against the Jazz, who outscored the Pelicans 37-23 in the fourth quarter.
Simone Fontecchio, who had 10 points, made a driving layup to give the Jazz — who had lost four straight — a 103-95 lead with 1:11 to play.
🎷 10 Jazzmen saw the floor, all 10 scored
🎷 6 in double digits
🎷 15 team threes #TakeNote | @LVT_USA pic.twitter.com/5VxVrWHIfz— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 26, 2023
The Pelicans made a last-gasp rally and had a chance to tie, but Dyson Daniels traveled with 9.9 seconds left and George made two free throws with 5.7 remaining to seal it.
Coming off a late Friday night game in Los Angeles against the Clippers, the Pelicans faded when the Jazz finally found their offense after committing 24 turnovers.
“It was really tough back-to-back,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “They made some momentum plays. We allowed some momentum plays to turn the game and that was the difference.”
The Jazz chose to double Brandon Ingram, who had 26 points, and let other Pelicans players step up and make them pay. No one could.
Ingram went 2 for 7 in the final period.
Olynyk’s 3-pointer with 7:46 remaining capped a 19-7 run to give the Jazz their first lead since the first quarter.
“Guys started getting confidence,” Ingram said. “Kelly Olynyk hit some big shots. Collin Sexton hit some big shots.”
The Pelicans led most of the game — by as many as 13 points — and had a 77-66 advantage late in the third quarter.