Pelicans 156, Jazz 137: Jeremiah Fears Scores 40

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Utah Jazz 156-137 on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at Smoothie King Center, with Jeremiah Fears leading all scorers with 40 points in a high-scoring home win. After trailing by 10 at halftime, New Orleans flipped the game with a dominant third quarter and never gave the lead back.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter

Utah came out sharp and built an early edge behind efficient guard play, taking the opening period 34-24. The Jazz moved the ball well and created enough clean looks to put New Orleans on the back foot, while the Pelicans spent much of the quarter trying to match Utah’s pace.

Second Quarter

New Orleans settled in during the second and answered with a 37-point period, but Utah still carried a 69-61 lead into halftime after adding 35 of its own. The Pelicans showed better rhythm offensively, yet the Jazz continued to score consistently enough to stay in front through two quarters.

Third Quarter

The game turned completely in the third. New Orleans outscored Utah 50-27 in the period, combining transition chances, paint production, and timely perimeter shooting to take control. What had been a 10-point halftime deficit became an 111-96 Pelicans lead entering the fourth, with Jeremiah Fears setting the tone as the offense accelerated.

Fourth Quarter

Any chance of a Utah comeback was limited by New Orleans continuing to score at a high level. The Pelicans added 45 points in the fourth and matched every Jazz push, closing out the 19-point victory in a game that featured 293 total points and a steady offensive flow from both teams.

Key Performers

Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans: Fears was the top performer of the night with 40 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals. He gave New Orleans a go-to scorer throughout the second half and played a major role in the game-changing third quarter.

Derik Queen, Pelicans: Queen anchored the interior with 12 rebounds and also led the team with 7 assists, helping connect possessions as New Orleans finished with 33 assists and 57.5% shooting from the field.

Kennedy Chandler, Jazz: Chandler kept Utah competitive for long stretches, posting 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. He was the Jazz’s primary offensive engine in a strong individual outing.

John Konchar, Jazz: Konchar filled the stat sheet with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, giving Utah extra playmaking and activity on the glass in a game where the visitors still produced 137 points.

NerdSports Stat: New Orleans scored 132 points over the final three quarters after putting up just 24 in the first, a remarkable turnaround that turned a 10-point halftime deficit into a 19-point win.

Game Analysis

This game was decided less by whether either team could score and more by when New Orleans found its most efficient stretch. The Pelicans shot 61-for-106 from the field, hit 14 three-pointers at 41.2%, and reached 156 points while committing to quick decision-making across the floor. Their 33 assists underscored how well the offense functioned once it found rhythm.

Utah was productive in its own right, shooting 51.0% and recording 38 assists, but the difference came in the swing of the third quarter and the Pelicans’ superior shot efficiency. New Orleans also won the rebounding battle 48-41, creating enough extra control of the game to support its explosive scoring output.

The biggest turning point remains the third period. Outscoring a team 50-27 in one quarter changes everything, and that stretch allowed the Pelicans to dictate tempo for the rest of the night. Even with Utah putting up 41 points in the fourth, New Orleans had already built enough margin and kept producing offensively to close it out comfortably.

Closing Context

With the win, the Pelicans moved to 26-54, while the Jazz fell to 21-59. Though this matchup did not carry playoff implications, it gave New Orleans a positive late-season result at home and showcased a standout performance from Jeremiah Fears. For Utah, the loss continued a difficult road stretch as the regular season nears its end.

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