New Orleans @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2017 ) New Orleans 100, Utah 108

The Utah Jazz are recovering from a slow start and look to win their fifth consecutive contest when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. Utah erupted for 100 points over the final three quarters and established a season-high scoring output with Thursday's 126-107 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Jazz are averaging 115.8 points and a winning margin of 22.8 during their winning streak as the offense has begun clicking after some early-season issues. "We've got a lot of great, talented guys here," backup guard Alec Burks told reporters after the win over the Clippers. "We're playing with pace and tempo and making great reads. It's good to play a fast pace." New Orleans has dropped its last two games, and star power forward Anthony Davis was ejected for the first time in his career in Wednesday's 120-102 loss to Minnesota when he argued after being called for an offensive foul. "When we lost A.D., that changed everything," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "He did exactly what we told him to do, take the ball strong to the basket. We tell our big guys to take the ball to the basket hard and try to create contact. I'll leave it at that."

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

ABOUT THE PELICANS (11-10): New Orleans figures to ride Davis (25.6 points) and center DeMarcus Cousins (25.1) in the interior on Friday with stellar Utah defender Rudy Gobert still sidelined with a leg injury. Cousins was held to 17 points by Minnesota without his running mate and said the situation was difficult to deal with during the flow of the contest. "It was tough adjusting like that on the fly," Cousins told reporters. "Things like that happen. We should've done a better job regrouping, gathering ourselves and finishing the game as a team."

ABOUT THE JAZZ (11-11): Shooting guard Rodney Hood (ankle) is slated to miss his third consecutive game, but Burks picked up the scoring slack against Los Angeles with season bests of 28 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Burks received 29 minutes of playing time and was 11-of-17 shooting, including four 3-pointers. "He was terrific," coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "He is getting more and more solid defensively. Alec got buckets. He is capable of doing that, and we rode him for a long time."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Jazz went 3-0 against the Pelicans last season and have won the last four meetings.

2. New Orleans G Jrue Holiday scored 27 points versus Minnesota and is averaging 25.5 over his last two contests.

3. Utah rookie SG Donovan Mitchell had made 13 3-pointers while averaging 21.3 points over his last three games.

PREDICTION: Jazz 115, Pelicans 107