New Orleans @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 1, 2017 ) New Orleans 108, Utah 114

The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the more inconsistent teams in the NBA and just followed up a three-game winning streak with back-to-back home losses to teams without winning records. The Pelicans will try to turn their streaky nature positive when they begin a stretch with six of eight on the road by visiting the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

New Orleans had a chance to move four games above .500 with a back-to-back at home against the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks but instead dropped the two by an average of five points while failing to execute down the stretch. "We play 82 of these things," Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo told reporters after practice on Monday. "They're not going to all be perfect. We're going to win some we're not supposed to win, we're going to lose some we're not supposed to lose. It's part of the game, it's part of the process in the NBA and we've got to move forward and try to get better next game." The Jazz dropped 10 of their last 13 games but are coming off the most impressive win in that span -- a 104-101 home triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. "Hopefully, you know, we can build on this win and hopefully go on another winning streak after this," Utah forward Derrick Favors told the Salt Lake Tribune. "We went through a lot in December. We played a lot of tough teams, and it tested us mentally and physically. So hopefully, we have learned a lot from what we've been through. The goal is for us to improve in January and get back on a winning streak."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE PELICANS (18-18): New Orleans star Anthony Davis averaged 32 points in the last two losses and shared the same sentiments as Rondo. "I'm not frustrated. We're fine," Davis told reporters. "We're fine. We've just got to go take care of business on the road. We've got to get back to playing how we were playing before, coming out with a lot of energy, but I'm not frustrated, disappointed that we dropped these two, but I'm not frustrated." Davis isn't the only one in the frontcourt playing well of late, and center DeMarcus Cousins totaled 61 points and 39 rebounds in the last two contests.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (16-21): If Utah is going to make a run back up the standings and challenge for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, rookie Donovan Mitchell could be the one to lead the way. The Louisville product averaged 23.1 points on 50.7 percent shooting in December and finished off the month by scoring 29 points in the win over the Cavaliers, earning the respect of Cleveland superstar LeBron James in the process. "He's a player," James told reporters of Mitchell. "Kid's got a lot of game. They've been riding that wave all season. He's not afraid of the moment, he just goes out there and plays ball. They put him in situations where he can succeed, and he's taking advantage of that."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Jazz C Rudy Gobert (left knee) is expected to miss at least another two weeks.

2. Pelicans SG E'Twaun Moore is 26-of-40 from the floor over the last four games.

3. Mitchell scored 41 points in a 114-108 home win over New Orleans on Dec. 1.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 111, Jazz 107