NBA: Pelicans edge Jazz 120-113 in overtime as Williamson scores 23

New Orleans beat Utah 120-113 in overtime on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at the Smoothie King Center, in front of 16,875 spectators. Zion Williamson finished as the Pelicans' top scorer with 23 points, including 11 of 13 from the free-throw line, in 38 minutes. The game featured 23 lead changes. The Pelicans erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter, then turned overtime around with a 14-0 run.

Trey Murphy III and Yves Missi, both with knee injuries, were ruled out for New Orleans. Utah played without Jusuf Nurkic, who has a foot injury, and without Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trey Alexander, both out with knee problems. The Pelicans improve to 4-4, 10th in the Western Conference; the Jazz drop to 1-7, 14th. The final margin, seven points, was built in overtime, after a 104-104 tie at the end of regulation.

An 8-0 start, then a five-point pause

The Pelicans owned the start of the game. An 8-0 run with 11 min 23 s left in the first quarter moved the score from 0-2 to 8-2. Utah got back to 24-24 at the end of the period. The Pelicans then took their biggest lead of the night, nine points, at 34-25, with 8 min 59 s left in the second quarter. The Jazz scored only 13 points in that period, lost 18-13, and went into the locker room trailing 42-37.

Three Jazz runs, then a 12-0 and a 14-0 for the Pelicans

The third quarter changed the game. Utah went on an 8-0 run early in the third quarter, from 37-44 to 45-44. Two 9-0 runs followed: from 55-56 to 64-56, then from 69-66 to 78-66 starting with 3 min 19 s left. The Jazz scored 43 points in that period, against 28 for New Orleans, and entered the final quarter ahead, 80-70. Their biggest lead came at 85-72, with 10 min 45 s to play.

The Pelicans' answer came in one run. A 12-0 burst, started with 9 min 16 s left, moved the score from 76-87 to 88-87. With 1 min 36 s to go, New Orleans led 100-96, but Utah answered with an 8-0 run and moved back in front, 104-100. The Pelicans levelled at 104-104 and forced overtime. The Jazz still led 110-104 there with 3 min 54 s left. New Orleans then went on a 14-0 run, from 104-110 to 118-110, and won overtime 16-9.

New Orleans' key contributors

Williamson finished with 23 points, 6 of 14 from the field, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks, for a +7. Saddiq Bey contributed 22 points off the bench, shooting 9 of 14, including 2 of 4 from three. Dejounte Murray filled the stat sheet in 45 minutes: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 11 of 11 from the free-throw line and a +17. Derik Queen added 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in 27 minutes, shooting 8 of 21. Jeremiah Fears scored 19 points, going 6 of 6 from the line. Herbert Jones scored only 2 points, on 1 of 7 shooting, but posted the best plus-minus of the game, +23.

As a team, New Orleans made the difference at the line: 39 free throws made from 43, against 20 from 30 for Utah. The Pelicans also scored 62 points in the paint against 48, and 15 on the fast break against 8. They turned the ball over less, 19 times against 22.

George carried the Jazz, the outside shooting let them down

Keyonte George scored 39 points with 9 assists and 4 steals in 44 minutes, making 14 of 26 from the field and 9 of 13 from the line. Lauri Markkanen added 21 points and 10 rebounds, with 5 of 12 from three, but a plus-minus of -11. Ace Bailey scored 15 points, going 1 of 9 from deep. Darryn Peterson dished out 7 assists for 7 points, going 0 of 5 from three. Mo Bamba grabbed 10 rebounds in 15 minutes, with 7 points and a +8. Josh Okogie, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, played 26 minutes for 3 points and 6 rebounds.

The Jazz attempted 47 three-pointers and made only 11. George and Bailey combined for 3 makes from 18 from deep. Add to that 22 turnovers, 4 of them by Jaxson Hayes, and 10 missed free throws from 30. Utah did win the rebounding battle, 49 to 48, with 15 offensive boards. The fourth quarter, lost 34-24, and overtime, lost 16-9, wiped out its lead.

Three takeaways

Free throws made the difference. New Orleans converted 39 free throws from 43, Utah 20 from 30. The gap, 19 points, is larger than the seven-point final margin. Murray made all 11 of his attempts, Fears all 6, Williamson 11 of 13.

Utah shot too many threes. The Jazz took half of their shots from three-point range, 47 of 94, for 11 makes. The Pelicans attempted only 20, making 5, but scored 62 points in the paint, 14 more than the Jazz.

Runs dictated the story. Utah produced three separate runs in the third quarter: an 8-0 and two 9-0s. New Orleans answered with a 12-0 in the fourth and a 14-0 in overtime.

The SNA view

New Orleans did not shoot better than Utah: 38 makes from 89 against 41 from 94, and six fewer three-pointers. The win came from the paint and the free-throw line, with 43 attempts against 30. Herbert Jones' +23, for 2 points scored, shows the weight of defence in an overtime in which the Jazz scored only 9 points. For Utah, George's 39 points were not enough: Peterson, Bailey and Svi Mykhailiuk went 1 of 17 from three, and the team lost 22 turnovers. The Jazz still held on until 110-104 in overtime, before fourteen unanswered points that leave a team without Nurkic, Jackson Jr. and Alexander at 1-7.

What's next

New Orleans, at 4-4 and 10th in the Western Conference, host Minnesota on Friday 6 November. Utah, at 1-7 and 14th in the West, travel to Dallas the same night.