Pelicans 106, Jazz 94
Anthony Davis scored a career-high 43 points and also grabbed 14 rebounds as New Orleans downed host Utah.
Davis was 16-of-23 from the field and 11-of-12 from the free-throw line for the Pelicans, who built a 17-point lead and held off a late charge from the Jazz. Jrue Holiday added 19 points and nine assists for New Orleans.
Gordon Hayward scored 31 points for Utah, which committed 18 turnovers. Trey Burke had a season-best 20 points and Derrick Favors contributed with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Two free throws by Davis gave the Pelicans a 92-78 lead with 7:40 to play before Utah scored eight of the next 11 points to get within single digits. Holiday’s driving basket made it 103-90 with 2:27 remaining and Davis converted a three-point play to cap his second career 40-point effort.
Davis dominated the interior with a 21-point first half in which he went 8-of-10 from the field as the Pelicans built a 57-40 halftime lead. Utah was 11-of-15 from the field in the third quarter and scored 32 points to trail just 77-72 entering the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Pelicans F Ryan Anderson was 2-of-15 from the field and missed all six of his 3-point attempts while scoring five points. … Jazz G Alec Burks had two points on 1-of-11 shooting … New Orleans G Eric Gordon played just 13 minutes before departing with a shoulder injury while C Omer Asik (back) missed his fourth straight game.