NBA: Jazz stun Pelicans in OT for 3-0 start
Jordan Clarkson #00 of the Utah Jazz reacts after scoring during overtime at the Smoothie King Center on October 23, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images/AFP
Lauri Markkanen scored 31 points and Kelly Olynyk made a layup with 3.1 seconds left in overtime as the visiting Utah Jazz defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 122-121 on Sunday night.
Markkanen added 12 rebounds, Olynyk finished with 20 points, Jordan Clarkson scored 18 and Jarred Vanderbilt added 15 points as the Jazz prevailed in a pairing of teams that had both won their first two games.
Lauri with a 30-10 game in a Jazz uni 😊
31p | 12r | 2a | 2 3pm | 2s | 1b#TakeNote | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/C44XKviTD8
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 24, 2022
CJ McCollum had 28 points and 12 assists to lead the Pelicans, who overcame a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to force the extra period despite losing Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson to injury.
Williamson scored 25 points before going to the bench for good midway through the fourth quarter after taking a hard fall and having his hip or back checked by trainers. Trey Murphy III had 16 and Larry Nance Jr. and Ingram had 10 each.
Ingram, who had scored 28 points in each of the Pelicans’ first two games, left the game for good after colliding with a teammate early in the second quarter.
The Pelicans said Ingram had a head injury and was being evaluated for concussion-like symptoms.
The Pelicans took the first lead in overtime on McCollum’s jumper and the lead changed hands five times before Markkanen’s two free throws gave Utah a 120-119 edge with 11.5 seconds left.
McCollum’s jumper gave the Pelicans the lead with 8.4 seconds left before Olynyk answered. McCollum’s off-balance 3-pointer missed at the buzzer.
The Jazz seemed to take command by scoring the first seven points of the fourth quarter to take a 100-84 lead.
But after Olynyk’s 3-pointer produced a 12-point lead with 7:26 left, Utah went cold.
The Pelicans pulled even at 105 when Herbert Jones made one of two free throws and McCollum’s jumper put New Orleans on top with 1:26 left.
Clarkson ended the Jazz’s six-minute scoring drought by making a layup to tie the game at 107.
McCollum answered with a 3-pointer and Clarkson tied the score with a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left.
McCollum turned the ball over and Clarkson missed a jumper at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
