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Jazz at Pelicans: New Orleans seeks a reply after Utah's one-point win

Utah won the first meeting by a point, with Darryn Peterson's late free throws and a Jaren Jackson Jr. block on Zion Williamson helping the Jazz survive. Twelve days later, the teams arrive in New Orleans on opposite runs. The Jazz have lost five straight since that victory; the Pelicans have won three in a row, most recently ending Memphis's unbeaten start. The rematch is a chance to test whether either trend can withstand a different setting.

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Exterior of Smoothie King Center displaying the Pelicans emblem.
Exterior of Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. File photograph from 2026. © Ajay Suresh / Wikimedia Commons (file photo, CC BY 4.0)
  • Competition: 2026-27 NBA regular season; this is not an NBA Cup group game.
  • Matchup: Utah Jazz at New Orleans Pelicans.
  • Tipoff: Wednesday, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. CST in New Orleans; Thursday, November 5, at 01:00 UTC.
  • Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.

One point separated them in Utah

The Jazz beat the Pelicans 120-119 in Salt Lake City on October 23. Jackson scored 24 points with 10 rebounds, and Peterson made the free throws that put Utah ahead with 50.5 seconds left. Williamson scored 23 for New Orleans. Pelicans center Yves Missi hurt his left knee during the second quarter and did not return. The official report for Wednesday's game lists him out with a left knee contusion and bone bruise.

New Orleans is 3-4 in the NBA's current team listing. After an October 28 loss to Denver, it beat Sacramento, Atlanta and Memphis. Monday's 135-134 overtime win handed the Grizzlies their first defeat following a 6-0 start. Williamson scored 25 points, nine in overtime, while Jeremiah Fears made two free throws with 7.3 seconds remaining. Karlo Matković added 25 points and five three-pointers. It took all of that offense to settle a one-point game.

Matković's shooting creates a different interior option while Missi is out. If a defender follows him to the perimeter, Williamson may find a clearer route to the basket, depending on Utah's matchups and help. The Memphis game also showed New Orleans's ability to execute late, with Fears converting under pressure. Three wins have lifted the Pelicans, but their latest margin leaves little room for complacency about the other end of the floor.

The Jazz need more resistance at the rim

Utah stands 1-6 in the league's listing and has lost every game since beating New Orleans. The latest was a 119-97 defeat in San Antonio. Lauri Markkanen had 22 points and eight rebounds, and Peterson scored 14. The Spurs outscored the Jazz 52-36 in the paint and 26-9 on fast breaks. Those figures frame a tangible defensive task against Williamson: protect the lane and keep a missed shot from turning into an open-floor chance.

Utah can draw on the first meeting for a counterargument. Jackson's 24 points and 10 rebounds came with a late block on Williamson, while Keyonte George supplied 19 points and 10 assists. George and Peterson could help the Jazz look after the ball, and Markkanen's perimeter shooting could stretch the Pelicans' defense. Those are possible responses, not an announced lineup or an assurance that the result will repeat.

Missi's absence changes New Orleans's options around the basket. Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole are both listed as probable, so neither should be treated as certain to play. Utah's game-specific injury list had not appeared in the league report checked for this preview. Having played in San Antonio on Monday does not establish who will be available Wednesday.

Injury report and availability

The NBA injury report issued at 5:45 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 3, carried the following designations for Jazz–Pelicans. Utah had not yet submitted its report for this matchup. A probable designation is an official assessment, not a confirmation of participation.

Utah Jazz

  • Roster: no game-specific Jazz report had been submitted in the cited update. That does not mean the entire team is available.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • Yves Missi: out with a left knee contusion and bone bruise.
  • Trey Murphy III: probable with bilateral patellar tendinopathy.
  • Jordan Poole: probable with left ankle tendinopathy or tendinitis.

How to watch Jazz–Pelicans

  • Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans.
  • Date and time: Wednesday, November 4, 7:00 p.m. CST at the arena; 8:00 p.m. EST in the eastern United States.

The Pelicans' schedule names Pelicans+ and GCSEN/WVUE in their local territory; Utah's schedule names Jazz+ and KJZZ for its market. The NBA lists this game on League Pass. US viewers must account for local-market blackouts. The league makes League Pass available in Australia and the United Kingdom, but no separate television channel for this game in those countries was confirmed in the schedules checked.

United States — Wednesday, November 4, 8:00 p.m. EST / 5:00 p.m. PST

  • TV: GCSEN/WVUE in the New Orleans market and KJZZ in the Utah market, as listed by the clubs. Coverage depends on location.
  • Streaming: Pelicans+ in its licensed area and Jazz+ in its licensed area. NBA League Pass outside local markets, subject to blackouts.

Australia — Thursday, November 5, 12:00 p.m. AEDT in Sydney

  • TV: no channel confirmed for this particular game in the schedules checked.
  • Streaming: the NBA lists Jazz–Pelicans on League Pass, a service available in Australia.

United Kingdom — Thursday, November 5, 1:00 a.m. GMT

  • TV: no channel confirmed for this particular game in the schedules checked.
  • Streaming: the NBA lists Jazz–Pelicans on League Pass, a service available in the UK.

Utah already knows it can win the late possessions against New Orleans. This time it must also contain the scoring combination Williamson and Matković produced in Memphis, while the Pelicans will try to turn their three-game run into a steadier defensive performance.