Eric Gordon re-aggravates broken finger in Pelicans' loss to Jazz
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Derrick Favors had 28 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks, and the Utah Jazz snapped a five-game losing streak with a 106-94 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.
New Orleans not only lost its fourth straight game, but might have lost guard Eric Gordon for the rest of the season after he again fractured his right ring finger -- just eight days after returning from the same injury.
Gordon Hayward scored 24 points for Utah, which came in two games behind Houston for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Rudy Gobert grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked two shots for the Jazz, who broke open a 70-all tie with a 14-0 run to close the third quarter.
Anthony Davis had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, but missed 20 of 31 shots.
Shelvin Mack and Trevor Booker each scored 11 for Utah, which outshot New Orleans 47 percent (37 of 78) to 41 percent (38 of 92).
Gordon had averaged nearly 23 points the three games since his return from his initial finger fracture. He scored seven points in the first half against Utah before leaving the game following a collision with Gobert. His initially injury sidelined him more than a month.
Jrue Holiday scored 22 for New Orleans, but missed 13 of 22 shots.
The Jazz shot 53 percent (19 of 36) in the first half while holding the Pelicans to 39 percent (19 of 49). But Utah, which led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, was up just 51-45 at halftime. Eight Jazz turnovers in the second quarter -- when the Pelicans committed just one -- helped New Orleans close the gap even as Davis made only 3 of his first 17 shots.
At one point in the third quarter, Davis as 5 of 20, but his 3 tied the game at 70 in the third quarter.
Shortly after, however, Toney Douglas was whistled for a flagrant foul when he sent Gordon Hayward tumbling toward the basket on an attempted fast-break layup. Hayward was fine, and the Jazz looked fired up.
Hayward hit both free throws, after which the Jazz kept possession and went up 78-70 on Favors' layup. Favors added a 9-foot jumper during Utah's decisive run to close the third quarter.
Utah steadily widened its lead to 18 when Favors hit a layup, a put-back dunk and two free throws in succession in the fourth quarter, and New Orleans only briefly got as close as nine points after that.
TIP-INS
Jazz: The Jazz won for the 10th time this season on the road, where Utah had lost six straight, starting with a loss in New Orleans on Feb. 10. ... The visit to New Orleans marked the end of a four-game road trip on which the Jazz went 1-3.
Pelicans: C Omer Asik returned to the lineup following a five-game absence because of a right ankle sprain. He had four points and six rebounds in nearly 25 minutes. ... Davis set a franchise record with his 128th game in which he scored at least 10 points and grabbed at least 10 rebounds in the same game.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Host Atlanta on Tuesday night.
Pelicans: Host Sacramento on Monday night.
