In a game against arguably the hottest team in the NBA in Utah, the Jazz did just enough, with some help from the officials late, to squeak past the Pelicans on Monday, 128-126.
The Good: Brandon Ingram
Ingram continues to establish himself as The Guy for the Pelicans, finishing with 35 points, eight rebounds and five assists. He did much of his work in the first half but hit a huge three-pointer late in the game to tie it up. With Jrue Holiday out, he more than stepped up in the scoring department and continues to build a growing case for an All-Star Game bid in February.
Honorable Mentions: Battling a playoff team wire-to-wire, E’Twaun Moore (again), Derrick Favors (again), Lack of turnovers
The Bad: The refs and replay center
There are more than enough moments throughout every sporting event that you can never outright blame the officials for a loss. But the Pelicans have plenty to complain about regarding the end of the game.
After grabbing a rebound, Ingram sprinted the length of the floor and attempted a game-tying layup that appeared to be blocked by Rudy Gobert as time expired. But replays immediately showed a foul on Gobert as he never made contact with the ball as the referees began to review the call.
But after a lengthy review, the officials determined the correct call was made on the floor and the game was over. It was a truly horrible call that ruined the ending of what was a terrific game.
Honorable Mentions: The officials (again)
The Ball: Stepping up in Holiday’s absence
With Jrue Holiday sidelined with an elbow contusion for the night, Lonzo Ball was forced into a bigger role as the sole ballhandler in the starting lineup. He did not disappoint, continuing his strong play with yet another 20-point night.
Ball finished the night with 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while hitting four of his six three-point attempts. He also continued to score in a variety of ways, finishing at the rim and knocking down mid-range jumpers to go along with his long-range shooting.