(SportsNetwork.com) – The New Orleans Pelicans are struggling a bit, so
they’ll try and get on track Saturday night when they visit EnergySolutions
Arena to face the Utah Jazz.
The Pelicans have dropped two of three on this current trip west, which ends
Saturday night. They fell to the Portland Trail Blazers, beat the Sacramento
Kings, then fell by 20 to the Denver Nuggets.
On Friday, the Nuggets smoked the Pelicans, 117-97, in their most lopsided
loss of the season.
“We have an identity. When we stray away from that, you get this result,”
Pelicans coach Monty Williams said.
New Orleans allowed the Nuggets to shoot 52.4 percent from the floor and 45.8
percent from long range. Denver committed only 10 turnovers, which the
Pelicans translated into just nine points.
Anthony Davis tallied 18 points and nine rebounds for New Orleans. Eric Gordon
was next with 13 points, followed by 12 apiece from Alexis Ajinca and Jrue
Holiday.
Ryan Anderson went 2-for-11 from the floor for just 10 points. Tyreke Evans
also finished with 10.
Starting center Omer Asik was a late scratch again with a back injury.
The Jazz fell victim to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Utah lost,
101-88, at Oracle Arena for a second setback in three games. The Jazz are 2-4
in their last six.
The Warriors jumped the Jazz early. Golden State led by 15 after the first
quarter, 22 at the half and 28 after three quarters. The Warriors led by as
many as 30 before the Jazz claimed the meaningless final 12 minutes by 15
points.
“We got punched and we weren’t ready to take that punch,” Jazz coach Quin
Snyder said.
Enes Kanter netted 18 points to pace Utah, which was coming off a win over the
Thunder on Tuesday. Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert managed 12 each, followed
by 10 from Derrick Favors.
The starting backcourt of Alec Burks and Trey Burke combined for 11 points on
4-for-18 shooting.
The two teams split four meetings last season with the host prevailing. New
Orleans has lost five straight as the visitor in this series and dropped seven
of its last eight in Salt Lake City.
