Zion dominant as Pelicans upset Jazz
LOS ANGELES: Zion Williamson produced a dominant performance as the New Orleans Pelicans upset the league-leading Utah Jazz with a 129-124 victory on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Pelicans prodigy Williamson finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to give New Orleans a deserved victory over the Western Conference-leading Jazz.
It was the sort of display from the 20-year-old Williamson that made him one of the most coveted young players in years when he was snapped up by New Orleans two years ago with the No.1 pick in the Draft.
Against Utah on Monday, the six-foot-seven-inches (two meters), 284-pound (129 kilograms) powerhouse used his physique and skill to barrel through the Jazz defense.
Utah had led by nine points in the second period but were left trailing by 17 early in the fourth quarter as the Pelicans cut loose.
Although Utah closed to within one point with 47 seconds remaining, two Williamson free throws restored the Pelicans’ three-point cushion before Josh Hart added the coup de grace after Mike Conley missed for Utah.
Williamson’s scoring tally was matched by Brandon Ingram, who also finished with 26 points, while four other Pelicans players cracked double digits.
Point guard Lonzo Ball added 23 points, while JJ Redick had 17 off the bench including three of four three-pointers.
Utah’s scoring was led by Bojan Bogdanovic, who finished with 31 points, while Rudy Gobert had 22 points and Donovan Mitchell 21.
The contest pivoted in the third quarter, when the Pelicans erupted for 40 points.
“We find ourselves in situations like this all the time,” Williamson said afterwards. “It’s a matter of want. And tonight, we wanted it more. “We came out with better energy in the third quarter and got the win.”
The Pelicans improved to 1519 and are now 11 in the Western Conference standings. Leaders Utah fell to 27-8 following the loss but remain three games clear of the second-placed Los Angeles Lakers.
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid scored 24 points and hauled down 13 rebounds as the 76ers bounced back from their shock weekend defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers with an emphatic win over the Indiana Pacers.
Embiid added five assists and two turnovers in a dominant 130114 victory over the Pacers that improved the Sixers to 23-12 at the top of the Eastern Conference.
In Texas, Kyrie Irving and James Harden helped the Brooklyn Nets overcome a late San Antonio Spurs rally in a thrilling 124-113 overtime win at the AT&T Center.
Brooklyn led by 10 points with two minutes remaining before the Spurs rallied to force overtime through Dejounte Murray’s pullup jump shot on the buzzer.