Saddiq Bey scores 42 as hot-shooting Pelicans top Jazz

Saddiq Bey had a season-high 42 points along with seven assists and five rebounds to lead the New Orleans Pelicans over the Utah Jazz 129-118 in Salt Lake City on Thursday night.

Bey, who hit 14 of 20 shots from the field, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range, had the second 40-point game of his NBA career.

Zion Williamson added 20 points and four steals to help the Pelicans pick up their third straight win. Dejonte Murray tallied 17 points, nine assists and four steals in his second game back from an Achilles tendon injury. Jeremiah Fears chipped in 12 points off the bench for New Orleans, which shot 52.3% (46 of 88) from the field and 38.2% (13 of 34) from 3-point range.

Ace Bailey led Utah with 23 points. Kyle Filipowski chipped in 13 points and six rebounds while Isaiah Collier had 11 points and seven assists. Brice Sensabaugh added 20 points off the bench for the Jazz, who lost their fourth straight after shooting 50% (45 of 90) from the field and 32.4% (12 of 37) from beyond the arc.

Utah carved out a 35-29 late first-quarter lead behind back-to-back baskets from Bailey and Svi Mykhailiuk. It capped an outstanding start for Bailey, who scored 14 points in the quarter and had 11 of the first 18 points for the Jazz.

The Pelicans erased the deficit and surged ahead before halftime.

Williamson drove for layups on back-to-back possessions to spark an 8-0 run that gave New Orleans a 53-45 lead five minutes into the second quarter. It foreshadowed a potent offensive finish to the half for the Pelicans.

Filipowski scored six straight points to cut the deficit to 56-53. That was as close as Utah got before halftime.

Bey stopped the Jazz with a driving layup and turnaround jumper on consecutive possessions. That kickstarted a 17-4 run that helped the Pelicans take a double-digit lead into halftime. Williamson punctuated the spurt with a running layup, putting New Orleans up 73-57 with 1:52 left in the first half.

Bey and Williamson combined for 33 points on 11 baskets before halftime and Bey also dished out six first-half assists.

New Orleans put the game away with a 10-0 run to start the third quarter. Bey capped the run with a reverse layup and a transition 3-pointer off a steal from Williamson, giving the Pelicans an 88-61 lead.

Utah rallied in the fourth quarter and cut the deficit to single digits. Oscar Tshiebwe's layup pulled the Jazz within 125-118 with 1:36 left. Bey drove for back-to-back layups to keep Utah from drawing closer.

The two teams will play in Salt Lake City again on Saturday night.