New Orleans Pelicans

none

Ryan Kostecka

Will Hardy has been preaching it for weeks, wanting his team to focus on the defensive side, knowing that's where games in the clutch are won.&nbsp;

Despite going scoreless for nearly the final three minutes, Utah's defense locked down when it mattered most, and the Jazz escaped Tuesday night with a 114-112 over the New Orleans Pelicans.

"Another really gritty team win against a good team," Hardy said postgame. "I think our defensive focus is continuing to show up. … Our team is improving on that end of the floor on our focus and how connected we are. I think the best part for me watching the game is that we feel like a team. … Defensively, the communication is way better, and the connectivity is way better."

Here are five things to know following the win.

1.) Fontecchio Shines on DefenseFor whatever reason, whenever the Jazz and Pelicans meet, the game almost always comes down to the final minutes. Monday night was more of the same, but instead of Jazz catching fire on offense, the defense came up big.&nbsp;

In particular, Simone Fontecchio gave Utah the spark they needed.&nbsp;

His three-pointer with 3:17 left in the game gave the Jazz a six-point lead, but Hardy praised his defense and physicality more than anything.&nbsp;

Fontecchio grabbed a key rebound with 35.2 seconds remaining and was tasked as the key defender on Pelicans star Brandon Ingram. He contested two shots on Ingram in the final two minutes, both misses, and then arguably made the play of the game late.&nbsp;

Following a Jordan Clarkson missed three-pointer and the ball bouncing near midcourt, the Pelicans appeared to have a fast break opportunity to tie the game. But Fontecchio dove for the loose ball, forcing the Pelicans to battle to regain possession and allowing the Jazz to get back on defense.&nbsp;

He finished the night with 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

"He's a warrior," Hardy said of Fontecchio. He just keeps sticking his face in there and defending. … He's got a fat lip and a lump on his head, he looks like he's been in a boxing match. His effort rubs off on everybody."

2.) Jazz Catching BodiesYou could feel the moment coming.&nbsp;

Throughout summer league and early in the season, Keyonte George had put on a show for his ability to fly through the air for some impressive dunks. And for those who've been to a game and watched warmups, he puts on quite a show at the rim. But this season, he hadn't caught a body or put anybody on a poster — until Monday night.

Following a missed shot and getting out in transition, Simone Fontecchio found a cutting George on the wing. The only player between George and the hoop was the Pelicans' Dyson Daniels, a 6-foot-7 guard widely considered one of the up-and-coming defenders in the league.&nbsp;

Instead of pulling the ball out or kicking it back to Fontecchio, George elected to meet Daniels at the rim — and what a mistake that was for Daniels. George threw down a vicious one-handed dunk that brought Delta Center to life and helped give the Jazz a 57-53 lead at the break.&nbsp;

While George's dunk was special and impressive, Ochai Agbaji may have one-upped his teammate with an even better poster earlier in the quarter.&nbsp;

Following a missed shot by the Pelicans, Kelly Olynyk grabbed the rebound and immediately fired a pass out to Talen Horton-Tucker to give the Jazz a two-on-one fast break opportunity. Rather than take it himself, Horton-Tucker tossed a lob to Agbaji, who was cutting to the rim.&nbsp;

Sadly for Herb Jones, he was a second late as Agbaji threw down a vicious one-handed oop. Making matters even worse for Jones was that he was whistled for a foul, where Agbaji sank the free throw to complete the three-point play.&nbsp;

3.) Keyonte Continues GrowthWhile the highlight of his night was his poster in the second quarter, it shouldn't be forgotten that George's game continues to grow nightly.

He's already one of the best passers on the team, but at times, he can be a little too unselfish. It's why Hardy has implored his rookie guard to be more aggressive when looking for his shot, wanting him to launch from deep when open and attack the rim when he finds a lane.&nbsp;

George has taken those words to heart over the past few games, but never more than Monday night.&nbsp;

He was hunting for his shot early and often, finding a rhythm that stayed with him throughout the game. And then when the team needed him most, the rookie rose to the occasion. He delivered with a huge three-pointer with less than three minutes left, giving Utah a seven-point lead. It was the last bucket the Jazz scored on the night.&nbsp;

He finished with a career-high 19 points, adding five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He shot 6-of-14 from the field, 3-of-8 from three, and 4-of-6 from the line.&nbsp;

4.) Kessler is BackAfter missing nearly three weeks recovering from a sprained elbow suffered in the season opener, Walker Kessler returned to action on Saturday night. It was a very Kessler-like performance when he finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks.&nbsp;

While the showing was solid, Kessler still didn't quite look like himself as his timing on both ends of the court was slightly off — which was to be expected after missing seven games.&nbsp;

However, the Kessler of old was back on Monday night.

While his rebounding numbers were down, Kessler was much more active on both ends of the court. His length bothered the Pelicans as he altered numerous shots in the paint and helped keep possessions alive on offense for the Jazz. On more than one occasion, his presence in the paint forced New Orleans to pass up open shots.

While his conditioning is still a work in progress — just 26 minutes played — he finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor.

5.) 70s Decade NightIt all started on June 7, 1974, when the NBA officially admitted the New Orleans Jazz as an expansion franchise. Just five years later — almost exactly to the day — the franchise left the Bayou and headed to the Mountain West, settling in Salt Lake City.&nbsp;

As the organization celebrates 50 years of excellence this season, it was fitting that the Monday night showdown between the Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans was also dedicated to the 1970s.&nbsp;

The Jazz wore throwback uniforms from their time in New Orleans, featured an alternate broadcast on Jazz+ with former players from that decade, and even had Peaches & Herb perform at halftime.&nbsp;

Monday night was the first of five decade nights throughout the season, where the Jazz will celebrate teams from the 80s, 90s, 00s, and 10s.

Dec. 13 | 80s Decade Night vs. New York KnicksJan. 10 | 90s Decade Night vs. Denver NuggetsFeb. 22 | 00s Decade Night vs. Charlotte HornetsMarch 12 | 10s Decade Night vs. Boston Celtics

really-gritty-team-win-5-things-to-know-following-utahs-win-over-new-orleans

“Really Gritty Team Win” — 5 Things to Know Following Utah’s Win Over New Orleans

Jeremy Rincon

highlights-keyonte-george-19-points-5-rebounds-3-assists-3-3pm

Highlights: Keyonte George – 19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 3PM

highlights-pelicans-112-jazz-114

Highlights: Pelicans 112 | Jazz 114

highlights-collin-sexton-16-points-6-assists-3-rebounds

Highlights: Collin Sexton – 16 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds

highlights-pelicans-100-jazz-105

Highlights: Pelicans 100 | Jazz 105

While he pushed all the right buttons throughout the game on Thursday night, head coach Will Hardy got one thing wrong.

Instead of expecting a 48-minute fight against the first-place Pelicans, the Jazz needed 48+5. Overcoming a double-digit deficit in the second half and some unlucky breaks at the end of regulation and overtime, Utah kept fighting and picked up the 132-129 victory.

“We talked all yesterday and this morning about how we know that’s a really good team, we know they’re well coached,” Hardy said of New Orleans. “We know they have a lot of pride and they’re playing really good basketball, so we did not expect in any way to lead tonight’s game wire-to-wire. We knew it was going to be a long 48 minutes, which turned into 53 minutes.”

Here are five things to know following the win:

1.) Conley In The ClutchDuring Utah’s struggles a few weeks ago when they lost 8 of 10, the Jazz couldn’t seem to find a way to pull out the victory during clutch time scenarios — and a lot of it had to do with Mike Conley on the sideline in street clothes.

Thursday was a reminder of how much the veteran point guard means to the team, and how different they function with him on the court.

Trailing by five with just over 3 minutes to play in regulation, Conley finished with three assists and a pair of free throws to lead the Jazz. He would’ve had a fourth assist if not for a foul, which added another pair of free throws.

While it was a collective effort for Utah down the stretch, there’s no undervaluing what Conley brings to this team from a mental and physical standpoint.

“Mike manipulated a lot of that stuff on the court, getting me in situations where I had the advantage,” Jordan Clarkson said. “He’s a true point guard, a guy that gets everybody shots, a guy that can really slow the game down when he sees there’s a moment where we kind of just out of control and doing wild stuff like I always do. … When it comes to a point guard like, it’s rare that you get those kind of guys.”

2.) Dynamic DuoIt was a special night for Clarkson as he set multiple career highs and came up clutch when the Jazz needed him most.

He scored 17 points in the first quarter and 25 in the opening half, both career-highs for scoring in a quarter and a half. He finished with a season-high 39 points on 15-of-26 shooting and 7-for-14 from deep, adding eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 39 minutes.

“I thought he picked his spots well,” Hardy said of Clarkson. “Early in the game, he got going. … He was in a good flow early in the game, which always helps JC.”

With Clarkson dominating the first half, Markkanen took over in the second.

His 19 points in the final 24 minutes kept the Jazz afloat as they answered every Pelicans run with one of their own. He finished the night with 31 points, five rebounds, and three assists, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor, 5-for-9 from deep, and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

Utah is already a difficult team to defend with their spacing and ability to get to the rim or knock down shots from beyond the arc — but when Clarkson and Markkanen are on heaters like they were Thursday, New Orleans found out just how good the Jazz truly are.

3.) Kessler Closing GamesAlthough his stats don’t fully tell the story, rookie Walker Kessler was sensational in the second half and overtime.

His defense in the paint completely stifled New Orleans down the stretch, as they had no answer for the 7-foot big man contesting their shots and grabbing rebounds. He finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, shooting 4-of-4 from the floor and 3-for-4 from the free throw line.

Kessler played all but 13 seconds of the fourth quarter and overtime, giving the Jazz a strong presence at the rim that the Pelicans struggled against.

“In the second half, I thought his physicality was much better,” Hardy said of Kessler. “I thought his secondary length to challenge at the rim was very helpful to us. It was a night where I felt like the matchup suited Walker, and I thought he did a great job.”

4.) Rising The RanksWhile it’s already been touched upon regarding how special Clarkson was on Thursday, he did something in the opening quarter that was truly incredible.

With a three-pointer just minutes into the game, he moved into the top 100 for made three-pointers in NBA history. He would end the night ranked 98th with 1,152 made threes.

He’s averaging 2.5 made threes per game, and assuming he plays at least 40 more games this season, Clarkson could wind up knocking on the door of the top 70 before the year is over.

5.) Road Trip ReunionWhile taking down the Pelicans in back-to-back games has to be the highlight of the season thus far, the Jazz have no time to celebrate. They head back on the road for a three-game trip, including another back-to-back in separate cities.

The good news is that Utah will be facing some familiar names in each of the games — sort of.

They’ll start in Milwaukee on Saturday, taking on Joe Ingles’ new team — although Ingles is out while still recovering from ACL surgery. They then face Donovan Mitchell and Cleveland on Monday before seeing Bojan Bogdanovic and Detroit on Tuesday.

“Hopefully Joe has some good restaurants for us. … He’s paying,” Clarkson said with a laugh. “And Don, he’s paying too. Detroit, Bogey, he owes me. … So he’s paying as well.”

turned-into-53-minutes-five-things-to-know-following-utahs-victory-over-new-orleans

"Turned Into 53 Minutes" | Five Things To Know Following Utah's Victory Over New Orleans

Resiliency doesn’t even begin to describe the Jazz.

All season long, this team has proven that regardless of the situation, they’re going to compete until the final whistle blows — and Thursday night was more of the same.

Overcoming a double-digit deficit in the second half and some tough breaks at the end, Utah stayed composed and picked up arguably their most impressive win of the season — taking down first-place New Orleans 132-129.

It was Utah’s second straight victory over the surging Pelicans.

“Great team win,” head coach Will Hardy said. “Beating a team twice in a row, especially a team of that caliber is really hard to do. They had us on our heels for a large portion of the game. … I thought that our team dug deep, the guys responded with big plays made down the stretch by a lot of people.”

It was a special night for Jordan Clarkson as he set career highs and took a step forward in NBA history.

He scored 17 points in the first quarter and 25 in the opening half, both career-highs for scoring in a quarter and a half. He also moved into the top 100 of made three-pointers, now ranking 98th with 1,152 made.

Clarkson finished with a season-high 39 points on 15-of-26 shooting and 7-for-14 from deep. He also added eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 39 minutes.

His 19 points in the final 24 minutes kept the Jazz afloat as they answered every Pelicans run with one of their own. He was able to take advantage of the mismatches against New Orleans, using his height and strength to score over smaller guards or his high release and quickness to get by bigger players.

He finished the night with 31 points, five rebounds, and three assists, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor, 5-for-9 from deep, and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

Although his stats don’t fully tell the story, rookie Walker Kessler was sensational in the second half and overtime.

After playing two nights ago, the opening 12 minutes of Thursday felt like both teams were feeling each other out, seeing what adjustments had been made.

Utah jumped out to an early 9-4 lead as Clarkson was cooking early, knocking down his first two threes — including an and-one. While the lead would grow to seven following a Clarkson bucket, New Orleans settled in offensively behind Devonte’ Graham and Larry Nance Jr.

The second quarter saw both teams find a rhythm on offense, combining for 68 points in the quarter.

A Kelly Olynyk three gave Utah a 46-43 lead, but the Pelicans responded as CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson ignited a 16-4 run to lead by nine late in the quarter. However, the Jazz would respond as Clarkson hit back-to-back threes to cap off an 8-0 Utah run.

A Markkanen three on Utah’s opening possession gave the Jazz some momentum, but McCollum and Williamson stayed hot. They helped New Orleans to a 14-2 run, forcing a Hardy timeout.

While both teams exchanged buckets for the next few minutes, Utah finally got rolling as they rattled off a 14-1 run to lead 91-90 following a Malik Beasley bucket. Instrumental in the comeback was Kessler, notching two blocks and altering a few others as the Pelicans struggled on offense.

But New Orleans responded by scoring the final five points as Utah trailed 95-91 entering the fourth.

It’s been written before, and it’ll be written again. The fourth quarter was like two heavyweights exchanging blows.

The Pelicans appeared to be running away with the game stealing the momentum and leading by eight following a McCollum bucket. But again, Utah’s second unit battled and answered with a 14-4 run to lead by two with 6:23 to play.

The teams continued to exchange buckets until the final minutes. Clarkson drilled a deep three to tie the game at 118 before the Jazz got a stop and the ball with 49 seconds left.

Markkanen drilled a three and Mike Conley hit two free throws, giving Utah a three-point lead with under 20 seconds to go. But Trey Murphy hit the biggest shot in regulation, a corner three-pointer with two seconds left.

Markkanen had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but officials determined he wasn’t fouled, and Larry Nance Jr.’s block was clean — sending the game to overtime.

With both teams going scoreless in the opening 60 seconds, Clarkson hit back-to-back buckets to give the Jazz a four-point lead with two to play.

Utah would eventually take a five-point lead, but a Williamson bucket made it a one-possession game. After a pair of missed free throws, the Jazz got one more stop on defense to clinch the victory.

“The end of the game is representative of our team,” Hardy said. “It’s not one guy making the plays. … It’s a variety of guys making a variety of plays.”

Beasley finished with 17 points off the bench, while Olynyk added 14 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

The Jazz now head out on the road for a reunion trip, beginning with a showdown against former Jazzman Joe Ingles (not playing) and the Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. MT on Saturday night.

our-team-dug-deep-clarkson-and-markkanen-combine-for-70-points-as-utah-beats-new-orleans-again

"Our Team Dug Deep" | Clarkson And Markkanen Combine For 70 Points As Utah Beats New Orleans

highlights-jordan-clarkson-39-points-8-rebounds-7-3pm

Highlights: Jordan Clarkson – 39 points, 8 rebounds, 7 3PM

Presented By:

Delta

Salt Lake City Summer League: <a href="https://www.nba.com/jazz/slcsl">Find&nbsp;tickets or watch live!</a>