Pelicans' weak shooting meets NBA's worst shot defense in Utah

The New Orleans Pelicans (26-56 last season), who had the third-worst effective field goal percentage in the NBA, visit the Utah Jazz (22-60), who allowed the highest, on Friday, October 23 at 9:30 PM ET.

New Orleans shot 52.7% effective last season. Utah's opponents shot 57.8%, the worst mark in the league, and the Jazz finished 29th in defensive rating at 119.9. A weak shooting team gets its best look of the year.

The Pelicans have other ways to score. They ranked eighth in free-throw rate at 0.284, and Utah allowed 0.292, 29th in the league. New Orleans also rebounded 27% of its misses, eighth, against a Jazz defense that ranked 24th on the defensive glass.

Utah wants the game faster. The Jazz played the third-fastest pace in the league at 104.3 possessions; the Pelicans were 11th at 102.4. Neither offense was good: New Orleans ranked 20th at 112.1, Utah 21st at 111.9.

Lauri Markkanen averaged 26.7 points for Utah last season and made 89.6% of his free throws. Isaiah Collier averaged 7.2 assists. For New Orleans, Trey Murphy III scored 21.5 a night, and Derik Queen led the team with 7.1 rebounds.

Jusuf Nurkic is out for Utah until Wednesday, November 4 at the earliest. He averaged a team-best 10.4 rebounds and led the Jazz in steals. Trey Alexander is out until Sunday, October 25, and Tony Bradley is questionable.

New Orleans is without Julian Reese, who played 30.9 minutes a game. Jaron Pierre Jr. and Malik Dia are also out.

Both teams lost their latest game. The Pelicans fell 123-120 to Indiana at home, and the Jazz lost 123-103 at Memphis.

Sportsbook prices make it a 50-50 game. Keel's projection, built from the players available, gives Utah a 52% chance to win and New Orleans 48%.