Pelicans vs Jazz

New Orleans’ scoring route runs through Zion Williamson’s interior attack and Jeremiah Fears’ playmaking. Over their last three games, Williamson has averaged 20.67 points and 7.67 rebounds, while Fears has posted 18 points and nine assists. Trey Murphy III has added 17.33 points per game over the same span. Utah can answer through Keyonte George, who averages 6.33 assists for the season, but his 0.64 assist-to-turnover ratio over his last three games is a concern. If Utah’s offensive rebounding limits Pelicans transition chances and its perimeter defense curbs Murphy, New Orleans’ attack could be less efficient.

The Pelicans’ 32.45% three-point shooting over their last five games makes it difficult to rely on outside efficiency alone. Their route is a 50.9% field-goal mark and 65.2 points in the paint per game. Zion Williamson supports that approach: over his last three games he has averaged 20.67 points while shooting 68.57%. Utah can resist with 48.8 rebounds and 14 offensive rebounds per game over its last five, so New Orleans needs defensive boards to end those extra chances.

Utah’s clearest constraint is its 41.06% field-goal shooting and 105.2 points per game over its last five. Fourteen offensive rebounds per game offer extra chances, but it is uncertain whether they can offset the low shooting. New Orleans has allowed 111.5 points per game over its last four home games. Keyonte George’s season averages of 21.67 points and 6.33 assists offer a route, though his assist-to-turnover ratio is 0.64 over his last three games. Without better ball security and outside shooting, Utah’s production may not hold up against the Pelicans’ defense.

The Pelicans went 4-1 in the five meetings from March 3, 2025, through October 24, 2026, averaging 129.4 points and a 9.2-point margin. That high-scoring history conflicts with the under case, but head-to-head totals alone do not settle today’s scoring outlook. Utah is 0-5 over its last five and has lost its last two road games; its scoring in this matchup must be tested against that more recent form.