Pelicans Look to Keep Rolling Against Jazz in New Orleans

The New Orleans Pelicans are heating up, and they’ll be looking to extend their season-best winning streak to four games when they host the Utah Jazz on Monday night. After a dominant 136-123 win over Utah on Friday, the Pelicans seem to be clicking at just the right time.

Pelicans: Shooting Lights Out

New Orleans is on fire right now. They’ve won four of their last five games and six of their last nine, and their offense is thriving. Friday’s win was their most impressive yet, with the team hitting a season-high 22 3-pointers on 50 attempts. Head coach Willie Green has been pushing the team to embrace the 3-point shot, and it’s paying off in a big way.

And then there’s Zion Williamson. He was an absolute force on Friday, dropping 24 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing out six assists, and swatting three shots—all in just 23 minutes. Zion’s only played four games since returning from a hamstring injury, but he’s already reminding everyone why he’s a game-changer. Coach Green called his performance “solid,” especially on defense and the boards. Speaking of rebounding, the Pelicans crushed Utah on the glass, out-rebounding them 56-40, with a 21-7 advantage in offensive boards. That led to a 35-8 edge in second-chance points—numbers that are hard to beat.

Jazz: Trying to Bounce Back

The Jazz, meanwhile, are struggling to find their rhythm. They’ve dropped five of their last six games, and Friday’s loss was a tough one. Despite falling behind by 26 points in the second quarter, Utah fought back to cut the deficit to six before running out of gas in the second half.

One bright spot for the Jazz has been Drew Eubanks, who’s been hustling on both ends of the floor. He had 17 points and seven rebounds on Friday and earned praise from coach Will Hardy for doing the “dirty work.” Rookie guard Isaiah Collier has also been a standout, dishing out a season-high 11 assists off the bench, continuing his recent strong play.

But rebounding remains a big issue for Utah. Allowing the Pelicans to dominate the boards and take 14 more shots proved costly. Hardy admitted the team needs to tighten up its focus and energy, especially as they near the All-Star break.

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What to Watch

1. Pelicans’ 3-Point Attack: New Orleans has been lighting it up from beyond the arc. Can Utah adjust and slow them down?
2. Rebounding Battle: The Pelicans owned the glass on Friday. If the Jazz can’t close the gap here, it’ll be another long night.
3. Zion’s All-Around Game: Williamson is making a big impact on limited minutes. Utah needs a plan to contain him.
4. Utah’s Fight: The Jazz have shown resilience, but they need to sustain it for 48 minutes to pull off an upset.

Bottom Line

The Pelicans are riding high with momentum, a red-hot offense, and Zion Williamson back in the mix. Meanwhile, the Jazz need to regroup and bring more energy if they want to turn things around. With New Orleans hitting their stride and Utah searching for answers, this rematch has all the ingredients for another exciting showdown.