Pelicans score franchise-record 153, thrash Jazz
Jan 23, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) dunks against Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. credits: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports CJ McCollum scored 33 points and the hot-shooting New Orleans Pelicans posted a franchise-record point total in a 153-124 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.
McCollum made 9 of 13 3-point attempts and the Pelicans sank 23 of 46 just one game after making 10 of 42 (23.8 percent) during a 123-109 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday. New Orleans shot 57.7 percent from the floor on Tuesday.
The Pelicans' Herbert Jones Jr. scored 22 (making all four of his 3-point attempts), Brandon Ingram put up 18, Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Zion Williamson added 17 points and a career-high 11 assists. New Orleans wound up with a franchise-record 41 assists.
The old team mark for points was set in New Orleans' 149-129 win over the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 19, 2018.
Collin Sexton scored 22, Simone Fontecchio had 18 and John Collins scored 14 for the Jazz, who made 12 of 36 3-point attempts and lost their third straight game after a six-game winning streak.
The hosts led by 18 at halftime before Fontecchio started the third-quarter scoring with a four-point play. That sparked Jazz to a 24-14 run that cut the deficit eight points.
Ingram and Williamson answered with consecutive baskets before McCollum, Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall each made a 3-pointer to help New Orleans rebuild the lead to 115-91 at the end of the third quarter.
McCollum made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points to help the Pelicans take their biggest lead of the first quarter, 29-19.
The Jazz trimmed the gap to one point on two occasions before Nance's 3-pointer gave New Orleans a 34-30 lead at the end of the period.
Jordan Hawkins made two 3-pointers and McCollum and Valanciunas made one each as the Pelicans started the second quarter with a 16-3 run that produced a 17-point lead.
Utah cut the margin to 10 points on two occasions before New Orleans twice expanded the lead to 21 points. Nance scored the Pelicans' final five points as they took a 77-59 lead into halftime.
—Field Level Media