Valanciunas gargantuan efforts not enough to overcome Gobert's Jazz / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AP - Scanpix Credit AP - Scanpix

Donovan Mitchell scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter as the visiting Utah Jazz (27-10) held off the New Orleans Pelicans (13-24) 115-104 (23-24, 29-25, 30-28, 33-27) on Monday night.

Player of the Game EFF 27 Mike Conley Points 22 Accuracy 7-15 Rebounds 8 Assists 7

Mike Conley added 22 points, Bojan Bogdanovic scored 21, Jordan Clarkson had 14 and Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 17 rebounds for the Jazz.

Jonas Valanciunas returned from a one-game absence while he was in the league's health and safety protocol to lead the Pelicans with 25 points. Josh Hart added 15, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 13, and Devonte' Graham and Herbert Jones had 11 each.

Leading scorer Brandon Ingram returned from a two-game absence due to a sore Achilles, but made just three of 18 field-goal attempts and scored 10.

The Jazz made 19 of 39 3-pointers and the Pelicans made 12 of 46.

Conley made two 3-pointers and added an assist to start the third quarter as the Jazz opened a 62-52 lead.

Utah increased the lead to 12 points before Valanciunas scored seven points to help New Orleans close within 69-64.

Bogdanovic scored five points as the Jazz rebuilt the lead to 10 points. They led by 10 twice more before the Pelicans trimmed the lead to 82-77 at the end of the third quarter.

Rudy Gay made a 3-pointer and Clarkson added a three-point play as Utah increased the lead to 90-79.

Valanciunas answered with a basket, but Mitchell scored 10 straight Jazz points as they grabbed a 100-85 lead.

New Orleans climbed within six, but Bogdanovic made two 3-pointers to push the lead to 111-97 with 1:11 left.

The Pelicans led by six points on five occasions in the first quarter before Gay made two free throws and Clarkson added a 3-pointer to pull the Jazz within 24-23 at the end of the period.

Valanciunas started the second-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer before the score was tied eight times.

Conley made a 3-pointer and Mitchell added a layup before Jones beat the buzzer with a layup that cut Utah's lead to 52-49 at halftime.

Pelicans: Jonas Valančiūnas 25 (6/11 2PT, 3/7 3PT, 9 REB), Josh Hart 15 (4/6 2PT, 2/5 3PT, 9 REB, 4 AST), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 13 (5/8 2PT, 1/7 3PT), Devonte Graham 11 (3/10 3PT, 4 AST), Herbert Jones 11 (4/5 2PT, 5 REB, 4 STL), Brandon Ingram 10 (2/11 2PT, 1/7 3PT, 7 AST).Jazz: Donovan Mitchell 29 (6/10 2PT, 5/9 3PT, 5 AST, 3 STL, 5 TO), Mike Conley 22 (3/9 2PT, 4/6 3PT, 8 REB, 7 AST), Bojan Bogdanovic 21 (5/11 3PT), Jordan Clarkson 14 (3/6 3PT), Rudy Gobert 10 (3/8 2PT, 17 REB, 2 BLK).

Full game highlights:

Jonas Valanciunas highlights:

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