CJ McCollum scored 26 points, Zion Williamson had a double-double and the host New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Utah Jazz 136-123 on Friday night.
Williamson finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds, Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado scored 19 each, Daniel Theis had a season-high 18 and Jordan Hawkins added 11 for the Pelicans, who enjoyed their highest point total and largest margin of victory this season.
Keyonte George scored 26, Collin Sexton had 24, Drew Eubanks had 17, Svi Mykhailiuk had 16 and Brice Sensabaugh added 15 to lead the Jazz, who will visit New Orleans again Monday night.
The Pelicans, who have won three straight and four of their last five, scored the first 10 points of the third quarter to open a 71-52 lead before Sexton scored eight points to help Utah close within 82-74. McCollum, Hawkins and Alvarado each made a 3-pointer and New Orleans took a 96-80 lead at the end of the period.
McCollum made five 3-pointers in as many attempts and Murphy added one as the Pelicans raced to a 29-8 lead in less than eight minutes. The Jazz crept within 16 points twice before Hawkins made consecutive 3-pointers to help New Orleans take a 42-22 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Pelicans made 9-of-13 3-pointers in their highest-scoring first quarter of the season and went on to finish with a season-high 22 3-pointers on 50 attempts.
The Pelicans extended their lead to 26 twice before cooling off. Mykhailiuk and Eubanks scored four points each during a 13-0 run that pulled the Jazz within 52-37. Murphy made two free throws to stop the run, but Patty Mills, Mykhailiuk and Sensabaugh each made a 3-pointer to help Utah get within six.
Williamson made a layup to end New Orleans’ seven-minute field-goal drought and start his streak of three field goals in 61 seconds to help the Pelicans take a 61-52 halftime lead. New Orleans made just 1-of-8 3-point attempts in the second quarter.
