Peterson's free throws with 50.5 seconds left lift Jazz past Pelicans

Darryn Peterson made two free throws with 50.5 seconds left to give the Utah Jazz a 120-119 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, October 23, after Utah trailed by one.

Dejounte Murray's jumper had put New Orleans up 119-118 with 1:01 to play. Peterson, on his only trip to the line, settled a game with 6 lead changes and 6 ties.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led Utah with 24 points and 10 rebounds. His 23-foot three-pointer off a Lauri Markkanen assist and two free throws in the final three minutes put the Jazz up 118-115.

The Jazz (1-1) led 67-52 early in the third quarter. New Orleans (0-2) answered with an 11-0 run that made it 75-74, then led 94-89 early in the fourth, its biggest lead.

Keyonte George had 19 points and 10 assists but turned the ball over six times. Jaxson Hayes scored 17 points off the bench on 7-of-8 shooting.

Zion Williamson scored 23 points for New Orleans on 8-of-13 shooting. He made four free throws late in the fourth, then a running dunk at 1:32 that cut Utah's lead to 118-117. Saddiq Bey added 20 points off the bench.

Three-point shooting favored Utah, 13-of-35 to 8-of-26, and the Jazz had 14 offensive rebounds to 10. The Pelicans got 58 bench points to Utah's 40 and still lost.

Utah had 31 assists and 18 turnovers; New Orleans had 18 and 15.

Up next

Pelicans: at the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, October 24.

Jazz: vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, October 25.