SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Saddiq Bey scored 42 points, Zion Williamson had 20 and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Utah Jazz 129-118 on Thursday night to open a two-game set.
The teams will meet again in Salt Lake City on Saturday night. The Pelicans, who opened a six-game trip, have won three straight and five of seven to improve to 18-42.
Bey was 14 of 20 from the field, making 5 of 9 3-pointers, and hit all nine of his free throws. Williamson was 9 of 14 from the floor.
Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray added 17 points and nine assists in his second straight game after missing more than a year because of a torn right Achilles.
Ace Bailey led Utah with 23 points, and Brice Sensabaugh had 20. The short-handed Jazz have lost four straight to fall to 18-41.
Utah star Lauri Markkanen was injured in practice Wednesday, and was held out of the game because of a sprained right ankle and right hip impingement.
Starters Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic were shut down for the season following surgeries, and Utah lost Vince Williams Jr. to a torn ACL on Monday night in a loss at Houston.
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