Jazz vs Pelicans

Jazz vs Pelicans recap: Jordan Clarkson drops 39, hits 7 treys as Utah sweeps two-game set vs West No. 1.

Trey Murphy III made a corner 3 for New Orleans with 2.9 seconds remaining to force overtime. [Zion Williamson ](https://www.spin.ph/tag/zion-williamson)had 31 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two blocks for New Orleans. Lauri Markkanen added 31 points and Malik Beasley had 17.

Squaring off for the second consecutive game against one another, the New Orleans Pelicans will attempt to get back on track as they take on the Utah Jazz ...

The biggest thing to watch for in this one will be whether or not the Pelicans can string together more effective possessions and figure out a way to crack Utah’s resurgent defensive presence. When it comes to finding a way to cover the spread against the top squad in the wild, wild, west, the Jazz’ best bet is to combat the Pelicans with another splendid defensive effort. When the Jazz proved to be the aggressor in the first meeting between the two sides, Utah often did not settle for the contested jumper but instead took it to the rack to either create layup opportunities or get the Pelicans in foul trouble. Ideally, the Pelicans must avoid large runs by the Jazz that leaves the chance of winning and covering the spread in jeopardy. Outside of their biggest star on the roster, New Orleans needs to play a complete game on both sides of the floor and especially during critical moments of the third quarter. Clicking on all cylinders, the Pelicans have simply been in their bag lately and are showing glimpses of why they could be a dangerous threat come playoff time.

NBA odds, picks, and predictions for the New Orleans Pelicans at Utah Jazz on December 15. NBA betting best bet and free pick analysis.

The Utah Jazz seem to excel at putting opposing teams on the backheel and forcing them to play their style of basketball. A preference for high-pace play is a trait that both New Orleans and Utah share. He’s not solely responsible, but he’s certainly contributed to Pels opponents shooting the second-most efficient rate at the rim of any team in the NBA this season. Regular season basketball sees relatively little scheme adjustment and prep on a game-to-game basis, but these two-game sets the NBA has begun to adopt are changing that. Tuesday’s game ended a streak of Zion hitting the points Over in seven straight contests and again, that was only because he was held to just 26 minutes of action. Utah is the league's fifth-worst defense, and most of its defensive success (limited as it is) has been concerned with denying 3-point attempts rather than shots at the rim. It wasn’t Utah’s win on Tuesday that was shocking, so much as the margin of victory. He simply sizes up the opposing team from the top of the arc, and even with the entire defense tilting the court against him, he’s able to burst through and get separation. Vando should be commended for making his living as a Draymond Green-esque small-ball five, but against Williamson’s combination of strength and dexterity, he might as well not be there. 75% of all Zion’s shots come right at the basket, and the vast majority of those are layups with his left hand. He’s simply a problem without an answer right now, and one that Utah doesn’t have the tools to address. His very movements on a game-to-game basis seem to deny the laws of physics.

Find out how to watch, live stream or TV channel and game time information for the December 15, 2022 matchup between the Utah Jazz and the New Orleans ...

Select Get or the shopping cart icon to start your download, sign in, and watch. Go to streaming channels and go to Search Channels. 12/26/2022 12/22/2022 12/19/2022 12/17/2022 12/15/2022 12/13/2022 12/9/2022 12/7/2022 The New Orleans Pelicans (18-9) face the Utah Jazz (16-14) on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at 9:00 PM ET. 12/4/2022

Visit ESPN for the game recap of the New Orleans Pelicans vs. Utah Jazz NBA basketball game on December 15, 2022.

[Lauri Markkanen](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066336/lauri-markkanen) added 31 points and [Malik Beasley](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3907822/malik-beasley) had 17 for Utah. New Orleans threatened to break a close game open in the third quarter after charging out to a 76-63 lead behind a 14-2 run. The Jazz never trailed in the extra period after Clarkson made a pair of baskets to put Utah up 127-123. [Zion Williamson](http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4395628/zion-williamson) had 31 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two blocks for New Orleans. The Pelicans made 10 of their first 12 shots to open the quarter. It definitely felt good to see the ball go in.”