NBA: New Orleans stuns Utah Jazz
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Zion Williamson produced a dominant performance as the New Orleans Pelicans upset the leagueleading Utah Jazz with a 129-124 victory on Monday.
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 Dra .
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 le 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 a er 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 J.J. 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 Pelicans improved to 15-19 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.
NETS EDGE SPURS
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 pull-up jumpshot on the buzzer.