Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Broadcast: Bally Sports New Orleans / KJZZ / NBA League Pass
Venue Context
Smoothie King Center is a pace‑neutral, offense‑friendly arena, offering:
Strong shooting sightlines
A crowd that remains energetic despite a rebuilding season
Historically average defensive metrics
This environment slightly favors New Orleans, whose young core plays faster and more aggressively at home.
Injury Report
Utah Jazz
Utah enters the matchup with several key absences:
Keyonte George — OUT (ankle)
Walker Kessler — OUT (shoulder)
Taylor Hendricks — OUT (knee)
Jordan Clarkson — Day‑to‑day (illness)
John Collins — Day‑to‑day (hip)
The Jazz are missing their starting center, primary creator, and multiple rotation forwards.
New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans is also dealing with major injuries:
Zion Williamson — OUT (hamstring)
Brandon Ingram — OUT (wrist)
CJ McCollum — OUT (ankle)
Trey Murphy III — Day‑to‑day (back)
Dyson Daniels — OUT (foot)
The Pelicans are without their entire All‑Star trio, relying heavily on young players and bench scorers.
Recent Team Form
Utah (Last 10 Games):
0‑10 record
107.2 PPG scored / 126.3 PPG allowed
Opponents shooting 50.9% FG
Defense has collapsed without Kessler and Hendricks
Utah is in full free‑fall, struggling to defend any position.
New Orleans (Last 10 Games):
3‑7 record
112.8 PPG scored / 121.4 PPG allowed
Shooting 47.1% FG, 36.8% 3PT
Young players showing flashes but inconsistent
New Orleans is more competitive than Utah but still defensively vulnerable.
Key Player Matchups
Collin Sexton (UTA) vs. Jordan Hawkins (NOP)
Sexton: 19.4 PPG, 4.8 APG, aggressive downhill scorer
Hawkins: 13.1 PPG, elite shooter but streaky
Edge: Utah — Sexton’s experience and shot creation give him the advantage.
Lauri Markkanen (UTA) vs. Trey Murphy III (NOP, if active)
Markkanen: 23.7 PPG, 8.4 RPG, elite stretch‑forward
Murphy: 14.8 PPG, strong shooter and cutter
Edge: Utah — Markkanen is the best player on either roster.
John Collins (UTA, if active) vs. Larry Nance Jr. (NOP)
Collins: 15.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, strong finisher
Nance: 7.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, defensive anchor
Edge: Even — Depends on Collins’ health and usage.
Series History
Recent matchups:
Dec 18, 2025: Pelicans 119–108 (NOP win)
Nov 6, 2025: Jazz 121–116 (UTA win)
Mar 21, 2025: Pelicans 124–113 (NOP win)
Jan 12, 2025: Pelicans 118–109 (NOP win)
Nov 30, 2024: Jazz 120–114 (UTA win)
Pelicans lead 3–2 in the last 5 meetings.
Betting Trends
Utah Trends
1‑9 ATS in last 10
Overs hit in 7 of last 10
Defense allowing 126+ PPG
New Orleans Trends
4‑6 ATS in last 10
Overs hit in 6 of last 10
Offense inconsistent but capable of surges
Matchup Trend
Last 4 meetings have gone Over
Average combined score: 117.6 – 115.2
Game Odds
Utah Jazz 242.5
New Orleans Pelicans – 11.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, April 6, 2026
