NEW ORLEANS — CJ McCollum delivered a standout performance, scoring six of his total 45 points in overtime as the New Orleans Pelicans made history with the largest comeback in their franchise’s timeline. They managed to overturn a staggering 25-point deficit to secure a 123-119 victory against the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
Dejounte Murray contributed significantly with 26 points and 11 assists, while Trey Murphy III added another 24 points to help push the Pelicans to victory. This win marked their fifth triumph in the last six games, albeit they were without forward Zion Williamson and center Yves Missi due to non-COVID-related ailments.
For the Jazz, Keyonte George had a strong outing with 23 points, and Isaiah Collier chipped in with 20 points and 11 assists. Walker Kessler also made an impactful contribution with 19 points and 13 rebounds while Kyle Filipowski managed a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds.
The Pelicans executed an impressive 24-3 offensive run, culminating in Jose Alvarado hitting a transition three-pointer from the left corner that granted them their first lead at 90-89.
Although Utah reclaimed a lead at 99-92, McCollum, who found his rhythm in the second half scoring 25 points, rallied the Pelicans with three crucial three-point shots during the final six minutes of regulation. With 33 seconds remaining, Kessler’s putback brought Utah back in front, but Murray responded with a layup that leveled the score at 110, leading to overtime.
Utah initially dominated, scoring the first 14 points of the game and building a 22-point lead at one point.
Takeaways from the game included the fact that the Jazz managed to outrebound the Pelicans 63-45, asserted their dominance in the paint with a 60-40 scoring advantage, and tallied 23 points from second-chance opportunities. However, they played without Lauri Markkanen, who missed his fourth consecutive game due to lower back issues, and Collin Sexton was also rested.
On the Pelicans’ side, Murphy’s performance was notable, as he extended his streak to 33 games with at least two three-pointers made—a franchise record. This season, Williamson has faced challenges, missing 34 out of 44 games, and Brandon Ingram sat out for the 20th straight game due to a left ankle sprain.
A decisive moment in the game came when Murphy received a cross-court pass from McCollum and successfully drained a right-wing three-pointer that put the Pelicans ahead 121-117 with just 34 seconds remaining in overtime.
Significantly, New Orleans showed efficiency in their shooting after halftime, converting 26 of their 52 attempts (50%) and hitting 9 of 21 from beyond the arc.
Looking ahead, the Jazz are set to visit Oklahoma City on Wednesday, while the Pelicans will host Milwaukee.
