Pelicans and Jazz Ready to Battle in a Friday Night Showdown

Don’t let the standings fool you—the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz are heating up, even if they’re sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference. With both teams showing signs of life recently, Friday’s game in New Orleans could be a turning point for either squad.

Pelicans: Finding Their Groove

The Pelicans (12-28) have had a rough season, but things are starting to look up. They’ve won three of their last four games and five of their last eight, despite battling a string of injuries to key players.

• Injury Struggles:
  Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Herbert Jones have missed significant time, but the team isn’t letting that hold them back. Williamson sat out Wednesday’s 119-116 win over Dallas but is expected to play Friday.
• Standout Performers:
  • Dejounte Murray: He dropped a season-high 30 points against Dallas, including 13 in the fourth quarter, and chipped in seven rebounds and seven assists.
  • Trey Murphy III: Murphy put up 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked three shots, including a game-saving block in the final seconds.
• Coach’s Take:
  Head coach Willie Green is proud of the team’s resilience:
  “We’re getting more confident, and our guys are sticking with it even through challenges.”

Jazz: Staying Competitive Despite Injuries

The Jazz (13-27) are also showing signs of improvement. They’ve split their last six games, and while they fell 117-112 to Charlotte on Wednesday, they were missing a big chunk of their roster.

• Injury Issues:
  Utah played without Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, Jordan Clarkson, Johnny Juzang, and Collin Sexton against Charlotte. Despite that, they led by as many as 13 points before letting it slip away.
• Bright Spot:
  • Keyonte George: Back from a five-game absence due to heel inflammation, George dropped 26 points and gave the Jazz a much-needed boost.
• Coach’s Perspective:
  Head coach Will Hardy is keeping things positive:
  “We’re playing better on both ends of the floor, but we need to focus better in crunch time.”

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What to Watch

1. Momentum vs. Resilience:
   New Orleans has been on a roll, while Utah has been finding ways to compete despite missing key players.
2. Key Players:
   • The Pelicans will lean on Williamson, Murray, and Murphy to keep the wins coming.
   • The Jazz will look to George and their depth to stay in the fight.
3. Crunch-Time Focus:
   The Pelicans have been clutch in close games, while the Jazz need to fix their late-game execution after blowing a lead to Charlotte.

Why It Matters

• For the Pelicans: This is a chance to leapfrog the Jazz in the standings and keep their momentum alive.
• For the Jazz: A win would show they can compete even with a depleted roster and continue building on recent improvements.

The Bottom Line

The Pelicans are riding high, and with Williamson expected back, they’ve got the edge. But don’t count out the Jazz—they’ve shown they can hang tough even without their stars. Expect a hard-fought, competitive game as both teams look to prove they’re better than their records suggest.