Collin Sexton scored 15 points in the second half and the short-handed Utah Jazz snapped a four-game losing streak by rallying to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 105-100 on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
Rookie Keyonte George scored 15 points, including clutch free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining, to go with six rebounds and five assists as Utah won for only the third time in 11 games. Kelly Olynyk contributed 13 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Walker Kessler returned after missing seven games with a left elbow sprain and finished with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Both teams, who will square off again Monday in Utah, played without key players.
Zion Williamson, who led the Pelicans to a road win over the Los Angeles Clippers late Friday night, continued his pattern of sitting out the second night of back-to-back sets.
The Jazz were without leading scorers Lauri Markkanen (left hamstring soreness) and Jordan Clarkson (illness).
Sexton helped Utah overcome a 10-point halftime deficit by scoring all but one of his points in the second half, hitting two 3-pointers during a decisive 11-2 run late in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans, topped in scoring by Brandon Ingram (26 points) and Jordan Hawkins (25), led by as many as 13 points and held a 93-92 lead when Utah made its final push.
Sexton sandwiched 3-pointers around an Ingram bucket. George then connected from beyond the arc and Simone Fontecchio (10 points) gave the Jazz a 103-95 lead with 1:11 left in the game.
The Pelicans pulled within three after a Hawkins 3 and a Herbert Jones layup. The visitors had a chance to tie it, but Dyson Daniels committed a traveling turnover with 9.9 seconds remaining while positioning for a 3-pointer.
New Orleans saw its three-game winning streak snapped while only shooting 41.9 percent from the field and being outrebounded 52-42.
–Field Level Media
