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NEW ORLEANS — One bad quarter can undo an entire game of positives
After a few frustrating losses, including a loss at Washington Sunday to open their annual pre-Christmas road trip, the Utah Jazz held an 89-78 lead as they entered the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans
Unfortunately, the Pelicans scored 41 points in the final period, earning a 119-111 victory over the Utah Jazz.
The late struggles are frustrating, and the instant observations tell the story of a game that doesn’t seem to make sense.
The Jazz held the lead in the fourth quarter until the 3:16 mark, when Tyreke Evans made a layup to give New Orleans a 105-104 lead. From that point on, the Pelicans went on a 14-7 run to end the game, underscoring their successful fourth quarter.
What has to frustrate Jazz fans is the fact Utah scored the first three points of the quarter, taking a 92-78 lead. Then, New Orleans went on a 7-0 run that ignited their offense. Pelicans guard Austin Rivers scored eight points in the quarter, and forward Anthony Davis scored nine points.
Utah center Enes Kanter had a big night, scoring 29 points on 12-of-22 shooting. Kanter helped Utah score 68 points in the paint, in spite of Utah missing Derrick Favors for the second consecutive game. The Turkish-born post player also led Utah in total minutes, playing 37 minutes in the contest while earning only three fouls.
Backup power forward Ryan Anderson scored 28 points for the Pelicans, making 6-of-10 three-point shots. Utah was unable to find a player to match up with him defensively all-night, as Jazz coach Quin Snyder tried a variety of looks. Overall, New Orleans' bench outscored Utah's 52-27.
