The Pelicans do not have to wait long to show how they will respond to a disappointing finish.
New Orleans visits the Utah Jazz on Friday, October 23, after losing its season opener to Indiana 123–120. The trip then continues to Denver on Saturday, creating an early back-to-back that will test both execution and the management of a young season.
For Jamahl Mosley’s group, the immediate task is carrying its most productive stretches into the possessions that decide a game.
The opener supplied both promise and a problem
The Pelicans led Indiana 66–56 at halftime and 92–86 entering the fourth quarter. Their second-quarter response showed they could reverse a difficult start. The final period showed how much work remains in protecting an advantage.
Those are useful details for evaluating the Utah game. A good opening stretch should be followed by connected possessions: a defensive rebound, a controlled offensive trip, a useful shot and players positioned to get back.
The analysis here is that New Orleans needs fewer possessions that force the next unit or the next play to make up for the last one.
Murray and Williamson give the offense a starting point
Dejounte Murray scored 23 points with seven assists against Indiana, while Zion Williamson added 22. Yves Missi contributed 13 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
That production gives the Pelicans something concrete to build around. Murray can help organize possessions, Williamson can put pressure on the paint, and Missi’s activity can create value around the basket.
Against Utah, the important connection is how those contributions support each other. An attack on the lane should leave a clear passing option. A contested attempt needs floor balance behind it. An offensive rebound should create a useful second chance.
The goal should be an offense that still has workable choices when the first action does not produce a clean look.
The last minutes belong on the checklist
New Orleans had late opportunities against Indiana, but Fears and Williamson missed three-point attempts as the Pacers held on.
For the Jazz matchup, shot selection and decision-making deserve attention throughout the night. A hurried trip in the second quarter can become just as costly as a rushed shot in the last minute when the game is decided by one possession.
Players also need to recognize when a simple pass or a patient reset offers more value than trying to answer an opponent’s basket immediately.
Build a response that can travel
The Utah-Denver sequence makes this an early test of preparation and recovery. Rotations and workloads will matter, but New Orleans still needs a clear standard for the players on the floor.
A win would provide immediate relief. A more reliable performance would give the Pelicans something to carry through the road trip: connected defense, purposeful offense and a steadier finish.
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